Today in Boston Celtics history, Danny Ainge made his NBA debut for the franchise in 1981. An alum of Brigham Young University (BYU), Ainge was a three sport star when he was in high school, where he was a first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball, playing basketball with BYU and baseball as a pro with the Toronto Blue Jays while he was still in college.
Ainge played for that team in Major League Baseball (MLB) for a total of three seasons before deciding to try his hand at basketball and was picked up with the 31st selection of the 1981 NBA Draft by the Celtics. Boston of course bought him out of his deal with the Blue Jays. He played his first game in the NBA on this date in a 109-100 win over the (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets.
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It was far from indicative of how the Oregon native would fare later in his career with the team however, Ainge scored just 2 points, an assist, and a rebound in his inaugural game with the team.
Historic milestones
Precisely seven years to the day of his debut, Ainge would score a career-high 45 points in a 121-107 blowout of the Philadelphia 76ers at the old Boston Garden.
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 13: Members of the Boston Celtics 1986 championship team Bill Walton and Danny Ainge are honored at halftime of the game between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat at TD Garden on April 13, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
The Oregon native scored 18 points in the fourth quarter alone.
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of former Celtic shooting guard Otis Birdsong, who happened to be on that Nets team Ainge helped beat in an odd coincidence. The Houston alum came into this world in Winter Haven, Florida in 1955, and was selected from the Cougars by the (then) Kansas City (now, Sacramento) Kings with the second overall pick of the 1977 NBA Draft.
Apr 3, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen on the parquet floor at center court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Birdsong played for that team and the Nets (still in New Jersey in that era) before joining the Celtics for the last chapter of his 12-season career. He averaged 2.8 points and a board per game with the team.
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On this day in 2011, Boston traded Albert Miralles to the Milwaukee Bucks for guard Keyon Dooling. The Missouri alum played one season with the team, briefly serving as the organization’s player development coach before un-retiring to join the Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 4.0 points and 1.1 assists per game as a Celtic.
March 11, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) controls the ball against the defense of Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce (34), power forward Kevin Garnett (5) and point guard Keyon Dooling (51) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
That same day is also the anniversary of when the team signed big man Greg Stiemsma as a free agent. It was the former Wisconsin Badger’s first gig in the league that saw him take the court after going undrafted in 2008, playing for overseas teams in the interim. Stiemsma played 55 games in the 2011-12 season for Boston, leaving in free agency the following summer to join the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Ainge debut; Birdsong born; Dooling trade; Stiemsma signs