Today in Boston Celtics history, the team bought Willie Naulls’ contract from the (then) San Francisco (now Golden State) Warriors in 1963. It was the last stint of a long career in the NBA for the Dallas native, who began it playing for the UCLA Bruins at the college level. Naulls moved to California as a child to escape segregation with his family in the southern United States. So it was a shock for him to see it in person after he was picked up by the (then) St. Louis (now, Atlanta) Hawks in the 1956 NBA Draft, the local treatment of Blacks revolting to Naulls.
He later played for the New York Knicks and the Warriors before joining the Celtics, where he won three titles between 1964 and 1966. He also became part of the first all-Black starting lineup in NBA history with Bill Russell at center, KC and Sam Jones in the backcourt, and Satch Sanders as forward in 1964.
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Naulls played three seasons for the Celtics, averaging 10.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game before retiring in 1966.
Willie Naulls and KC Jones (C/O Bryna Jones)
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of former Celtic shooting guard Kevin Stacom. Born this day in 1951 in New York City, New York, Stacom attended both Holy Cross and Providence College, drafted out of the former by the Celtics in the 1974 NBA draft with the 35th pick.
Stacom played five seasons with Boston in two stints, leaving as a free agent for the Indiana Pacers in 1978, only to see the Pacers sell his rights back to the Celtics the following year. The New Yorker averaged 5.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and as many assists in his time as a Celtic. He won a title with the team in 1976.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Willie Naulls trade; Kevin Stacom born