Today in Boston Celtics history: Rozier, Billups, Mercer, Kreklow, Hunter, Mickey drafted

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Today in Boston Celtics history: Rozier, Billups, Mercer, Kreklow, Hunter, Mickey drafted

Justin Quinn, Celtics Wire

Thu, Jun 25, 2026 ·

4 min read

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It is also the anniversary of the 1997 NBA Draft, held in Charlotte Coliseum of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Celtics drafted three players after missing out on the top pick Tim Duncan, taken by the San Antonio Spurs . With the third pick, Boston drafted Colorado's Chauncey Billups, but traded him before the end of his rookie season due to the impatience of head coach and team president Rick Pitino. Billups recorded 11.1 points, 2.4 boards, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals over 51 games played with the Celtics.

Boston also took Ron Mercer out of Kentucky, a previous player of Pitino at his last stop, with the sixth pick. Perhaps that connection caused the wing to stick around longer, with Mercer averaging 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game over two seasons. He was traded to the Denver Nuggets in 1999.

BOSTON, : Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers (L) moves for the ball against Ron Mercer of the Boston Celtics 26 November at the Fleet Center in Boston, MA. AFP PHOTO/John MOTTERN (Photo credit should read JOHN MOTTERN/AFP via Getty Images)

With the 55th overall pick, the Celtics took 7-foot Australian center Ben Pepper from Australia's Newcastle Falcons of the National Basketball League (NBL). Pepper would not make the team, but went on to return to the NBL, where he had a long and successful career.

The 2009 NBA Draft was also held today in New York City. Boston selected just one player, Lester Hudson out of Tennessee-Martin. Hudson split his rookie season between the Celtics and the Maine Red Claws (now, Maine Celtics), the team's D League (as it was called then) developmental affiliate, averaging 1.4 points per game with the parent club before being waived.

Oct 22, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks guard Jerian Grant (13) tries to steal the ball from Boston Celtics guard R.J. Hunter (28) during the second half of the Boston Celtics 99-85 win over the New York Knicks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Boston selected R.J. Hunter out of Georgia State with the 28th overall pick. Hunter played 37 games for the Celtics over two seasons, averaging 3.1 points and a rebound while with the team. Boston also drafted Jordan Mickey out of LSU with the 33rd overall pick. Mickey played two seasons for the Celtics — winning G League All-Star honors in his second season — between 2015 and 2017, averaging 1.4 points and 1.1 boards while with the Celtics.

Also, the Celtics took point guard Marcus Thornton with the 45th pick of the draft out of Williams & Mary. Thornton never played with the parent club, sending his rookie season with the Red Claws before moving on to a successful career in Europe.

CHICAGO - APRIL 30: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics keeps Mikki Moore #7 from entering an altercation against Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at the United Center on April 30, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agreees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

It is the date in 2013 that the Celtics traded head coach Doc Rivers to the Los Angeles Clippers in a highly unusual deal that netted Boston a first-round draft pick. The deal initially would have included veteran star Kevin Garnett for Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan but was nixed by commissioner David Stern due to league rules not allowing trading players for coaches.

It is also the date that point guard Gerald Henderson, Sr. signed with the team as a free agent in 1979 after being drafted and waived by the San Antonio Spurs the year prior. The Richmond native played 400 games for the Celtics over 5 seasons, growing into an important role on the way to winning two titles with the team and averaging 8.8 points, 1.6 boards, 2.8 assists, and a steal per game. He was dealt to the (then) Seattle Supersonics (now, Oklahoma City Thunder) for the pick that would be used to draft Len Bias in 1984.

Birthdays

Finally, is the birthday of wing Franks Kudelka, who played 27 games for Boston in the 1950-51 season before his contract was sold to the (now defunct) Baltimore Bullets in 1951.

Mar 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen on the court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trail Blazers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Kudelka was born in San Francisco, California in 1925, and was signed by the (also defunct) Chicago Stags. When that team went under, he was picked up by the (defunct too) Washington Capitals, who was then picked up by Boston. He averaged 4.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game as a Celtic.