Today in Boston Celtics history: Bing, KG, Russell to HOF; Nelson, Vaughn born

That was of course Kevin Garnett as a player, and Bill Russell as a head coach.

Birthdays

It is also the birthday of former Celtic "big" man Virgil Vaughn, who stood just 6-foot-4. Vaughn was a member of Boston's inaugural season as a Basketball Association of America team, in the days before that organization became the NBA. The Western Kentucky alum played just 17 games for the team that season, averaging 2.6 points and 0.6 assists -- rebounds, blocks, and many other stats had yet to be recorded.

BOSTON - 1976: (L-R) Dave Cowens #18, Don Nelson #19 and John Havlicek #17 of the Boston Celtics sit on the bench during a game in the 1976 NBA Finals at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns 4-2 and won the the 1976 NBA Championship. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1976 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)

Today is also the birthday of Don Nelson, perhaps better known today for his niche agriculture than time in green and white. But, Nelson was a key part of the latter end of the Celtics juggernaut of the 1960s, winning three banners in that halcyon era and two more in the 1970s. After 11 seasons with Boston, Nelson retired as a player to become head coach of the rival Milwaukee Bucks and several other NBA teams in later years. He logged 11.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in his tenure with the Celtics.

Transactions

It was on this date in 1975 that hometown man Terry Driscoll signed with the Celtics as a free agent. A native of Winthrop, Massachusetts, and an alum of Boston College, Driscoll was picked up by the Detroit Pistons out of college.

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

He played there, the (then) Baltimore Bullets (now, Washington Wizards), the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Spirits of Saint Louis (of the American Basketball Association) before joining Boston at the end of his career. He never suited up for the Celtics, however, instead retiring as a player.

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Bing, KG, Russell to HOF; Nelson, Vaughn born