Since their founding on the daybreak of the Basketball Affiliation of America (BAA, the league that might change into right now’s NBA), the Boston Celtics have worn 68 totally different jersey numbers (and three extra that aren’t a part of any numerical collection), worn by over 500 gamers all through Celtics historical past. To commemorate the gamers who’ve worn these numbers, Celtics Wire covers the complete historical past of jersey numbers and the gamers who’ve worn them for the reason that staff’s founding.
With 25 of those jerseys being retired to honor among the best Celtics to ever put on these jerseys, there’s lots of historical past to cowl. And for right now’s article, we’ll proceed with the 14th of 31 gamers to put on jersey No. 4, former Celtics level guard Chauncey Billups.
Billups performed faculty soccer on the College of Colorado earlier than being chosen with the third total choose within the 1997 NBA draft by the Celtics, his first cease amongst seven groups in his 17-season skilled profession.
His time with the Celtics – simply 51 video games within the 1997-98 season earlier than being traded with Dee Brown, Roy Rogers and John Thomas to the Toronto Raptors for Kenny Anderson, Popeye Jones and Zan Tabak – was temporary as a result of short-sighted reign of Boston coach and staff president Rick Pitino.
However earlier than being traded, Billups averaged 11.2 factors, 2.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals per sport for Boston.
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This text was initially printed on Celtics Wire: Celtics jersey historical past No. 4 – Chauncey Billups (1997-98)
