Today in Boston Celtics history, Marvin Barnes passed away in 2014. Barnes hailed from close-by Providence, Rhode Island. After he came into this world in the smallest state in the United States in 1952, he played his college ball with his hometown Providence College before he was picked up by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1974 NBA Draft.
The Rhode Island native chose to sign with the Spirits of St. Louis of the American Basketball Association (ABA) instead of signing with the Sixers, playing for that ball club for two seasons before being taken by the Detroit Pistons in 1976 after the Spirits of St. Louis dispersal draft. The dispersal draft was the result of the ABA-NBA merger when that team did not join the NBA. The Pistons trade Barnes to the Buffalo Braves in 1977, who in turn dealt him to the Celtics in 1978.
Barnes played 38 games for Boston in the 1978-79 season, averaging 8.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while with the team.
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of former Boston big man John Thomas, born today in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1975. A standout with Minnesota, Thomas was drafted by the New York Knicks with the 25th pick of the 1995 NBA draft. He never suited up for New York, however. He was dealt with Dontae Jones, Walter McCarty, and Scott Brooks (yes, that Scott Brooks) to the Celtics in exchange for Chris Mills and draft assets.
Thomas played only 33 games for Boston in the 1997-98 season. In them, he averaged 3.3 points and 2.1 boards before being traded with Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown, and Roy Rogers to the Toronto Raptors for Kenny Anderson, Popeye Jones, and Zan Tabak in 1998.