Today in Boston Celtics history, Paul Silas left us. Silas was born in 1943 in Prescott, Arkansas, and his family moved to the state of California as part of what has since become known as the Great Migration, living in the Bay Area in Oakland, California, with cousins, some of whom later became the pop group Pointer Sisters, and another who played NCAA basketball with him at Creighton.
Designed by the then St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks in 1964, Silas played for them and Phoenix Suns before being dealt to the Celtics in 1972. The McClymonds High School graduate won two of his three titles with Boston and went on to play for the team. Denver Nuggets and the Seattle SuperSonics before embarking on a three-year NBA coaching career.
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His son Stephen has since followed him into this profession. Rest in peace Mr. Silas.
Birthdays
Today, Boston radio announcer Sean Grande was born in New York in 1971. He began his career in the industry in the late 1980s, working in college basketball, hockey and football at Boston University. He switched to challenge games for Boston College football and hockey in 1996. Soon after, he began calling NCAA tournament games in basketball and became a popular personality on local radio station WEEI before leaving to call NBA games in 1998, starting Minnesota Timberwolves.
CULVER CITY, CA – JUNE 4: Spike Sports Announcers Sean Grande, Dana Jacobson and Michael K. Williams attend Spike TV's 10th Annual Guys Choice Awards at Sony Pictures Studios on June 4, 2016 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Fraser Harrison/Getty Images)
Grande would return to the Boston market to cover the Celtics in 2001. He has stayed with us ever since, becoming one of the most prolific sports commentators in history across the entire spectrum of professional sports available. Grande won and was nominated for too many awards to list and remains a Boston fan favorite to this day.
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It is also the birthday of Malcolm Brogdon, who was born in 1992 in Atlanta, Georgia. A Virginia graduate, Brogdon was drafted into the Army. Milwaukee Bucksand played for them and Indiana Pacers before Boston traded him in 2022. Portland Trail Blazers as part of the deal that brought Jrue Holiday to the Celtics. In his only campaign with the Celtics, Brogdon won Sixth Man of the Year honors after posting 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
December 10, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) scores against Boston Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) and guard Derrick White (9) in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Carey Edmondson – USA TODAY Sports
It's also the birthday of Bevo Nordmann, who was born today in 1939 in Missouri. A graduate of his hometown's St. Louis University, Nordmann was taken 25th overall by the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings), for whom he played alongside the St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks and New York Knicks before signing with the Celtics for just two games. Nordmann averaged 2 points, 2.7 rebounds and an assist per game during that stretch.
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This is also the date that former Boston big man Steve Kuberski signed with the Celtics for the second time in his career in 1975. Bradley, an alumnus, was actually Boston's 52nd overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft and played five seasons with the team from 1969 to 1974, winning a title in the final year of his first tenure with the Celtics.
Unknown date and unknown place; USA; FILE PHOTO; Boston Celtics center Steve Kuberski (33) against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mandatory credit: Malcolm Emmons Network-USA TODAY.
After winning his first title, he was selected by the (then) New Orleans Jazz (later Utah) in the 1974 NBA expansion draft, which was held to recruit that team, but returned two seasons later as a free agent and won his second and final title with the team in 1976. Kuberski averaged 5.9 points and 4 rebounds per game during his eight seasons with the team.
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Debuts
On this day in 2017, Celtics guard Kadeem Allen made his debut for the team in a 108-85 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
ERIE, PA – NOVEMBER 10: Kadeem Allen #5 of the Maine Red Claws attempts a pass against Roscoe Smith #14 of the Erie Bayhawks and Josh Magette #9 of the Erie Bayhawks during an NBA G League game on November 10, 2017 at the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this photograph, User agrees to the terms of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Matt Durisco/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Arizona graduate played just 5 minutes, scoring one point and grabbing 2 rebounds in his playing time.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Paul Silas pass; Sean Grande born; Kuberski signs
