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Today in Boston Celtics history, in 2014, James Young signed a three-year rookie contract with the Boston Celtics.
Hailing out of Flint, Michigan, he was selected 17th overall in the NBA Draft that year after playing his college ball at the University of Kentucky.
During his inaugural season in the NBA, Young primarily played for the Maine Red Claws (now known as the Maine Celtics) in the NBA D-League (now, G League), as he missed Las Vegas Summer League due to injuries.
Although he spent a total of three seasons with Boston, he struggled to establish himself in the NBA, despite the front office's considerable patience.
The Kentucky alum averaged 2.3 points and 1.1 rebounds in his time in green and white.
Transactions It is also the date that ex-Boston big man Jermaine ONeal signed with the Celtics in 2010 after a career playing for the Portland Trail Blazers , Indiana Pacers , Miami Heat , and Toronto Raptors.
Brought on to try to ease the burden on Bostons aging, oft-injured frontcourt, ONeal himself spent many games tending to minor injuries and only played 49 games for the team over two seasons.
He would log 5.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game with the Celtics.
It is the anniversary of the 2014 three-team trade that sent Tyler Zeller to Boston from the Cleveland Cavaliers along with Marcus Thornton from the Brooklyn Nets.
Boston got the North Carolina alum for the use of their cap space to roster him as the Cavs juggled players in an effort to assemble a championship-caliber team around LeBron James.
Zeller played three seasons for the team, putting up 7.1 points, 4 boards, and an assist per game.
Birthdays Today is also the birthday of Boston wing Johnny Bach, who played 34 games for the team in the 1948-49 season, averaging 3.5 points per game over that period.
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1924, he was a product of Fordham who was picked up by the Celtics in the second round of the Basketball Association of America (BAA a precursor league to the NBA) and would return to head coach his alma mater in 1950 soon after retiring as a player.
Gone too soon Finally, it is also the date we lost forward Al Brightman in 1992.
The Charleston product played 58 contests with the Celtics in the teams inaugural season, averaging 9.8 points and 1.0 assists per game over that stretch.
Like Bach, Brightman would go into coaching soon after retiring from the game, coaching in a number of professional leagues and collegiately in the Pacific Northwest.
Rest in peace.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: James Young, Jermaine O'Neal signed; Tyler Zeller trade.