Boston Celtics History: Red Auerbach Appoints Bill Russell as Coach; Sam Jones Drafted
Red Auerbach announced that center Bill Russell would replace him as head coach during the 1965-66 season. This decision followed a Game 1 loss in the 1966 NBA Finals.
Coaching transition
Auerbach had revealed earlier that 1965-66 would be his final season as coach. This move is a noted entry in Boston Celtics History: Red Auerbach Appoints Bill Russell as Coach.
Russell became the first Black head coach of any major North American professional sports team. Under his leadership, Boston won the 1966 NBA championship.
Auerbach stayed with the franchise as general manager into the late 1980s. He remained active with the team until his death in 2006.
Draft and transactions
The Celtics selected shooting guard Sam Jones eighth overall in the 1957 NBA Draft. The roster note also records Sam Jones Drafted from North Carolina Central.
Jones enjoyed a storied career in Boston, winning 10 NBA titles. He made five All-Star teams between 1962 and 1968 and ranks just behind Bill Russell in rings.
Birthdays and brief Celtics stints
Andy Duncan
Andy Duncan was born in 1922 and played 14 games for Boston in 1950-51. A William and Mary alumnus, he averaged 2.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.6 assists.
Theo Ratliff
Theo Ratliff was born in 1973 in Demopolis, Alabama. Traded to Boston in 2006 by Portland, he played two games before a deal sent him to Minnesota.
Ratliff averaged 2.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in his limited Celtics appearances. Back problems curtailed his time in Boston.
Ed Searcy
Ed Searcy, born in 1952 in New York City, appeared in four games for the Celtics in 1975. He averaged 1.5 points and 0.3 assists during that stint.
Though he left before the postseason, Searcy is technically linked to a championship season with the team.
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan was born in 1997 in White Plains, New York. He played collegiately at Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Chattanooga before joining Boston on a two-way deal.
Ryan logged three points in his lone regular-season appearance for the Celtics.
