Today in Boston Celtics history: Thompson, Counts, Bonham draft; Garnett cut; Jones signs

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Boston instead took Joe Strawder with the 34th pick out of Bradley, but the big man never suited up for the Celtics. He was instead sent to the Detroit Pistons, where he played three seasons. The Celtics also drafted Ron Bonham out of Cincinnati with the 16th pick. Bonham won two rings with Boston, in 1965 and 1966 -- his sole two seasons with the team. He averaged 6.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game over that stretch. Boston selected big man Mel Counts with the seventh overall pick out of Oregon State, and Counts also won two titles with the Celtics, again in 1965 and 1966. He played just those two seasons with Boston, recording 6.8 points, 5.8 boards, and 0.6 assists per contest.

Finally, the Celtics drafted center John Thompson, who also played just two seasons with Boston, both banner years, again in 1965 and 1966. Thompson went on to have a Hall of Fame coaching career immediately after retiring as a player in 1966, averaging 3.5 points, as many boards, and 0.3 assists per game as a Celtic.

WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 30: Former Boston Celtics player and Georgetown University coach John Thompson talks to the news media after attending legendary NBA coach Red Auerbach's viewing at Joseph Gawler's Sons Inc. funeral home October 30, 2006 in Washington, DC. Auerbach, who led the Celtics to 16 NBA championships as either coach, general manager or club president, died Saturday at the age of 89. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

It was on this date in 1999 that the team cut Garnett from the roster -- though not the one you are likely thinking of. Guard Marlon Garnett -- no relation to KG -- was waived by the team after a 24-game stint in the 1998-99 NBA season. The Santa Clara alum averaged 2.1 points per game over that stretch.

That same day, Boston signed guard Damon Jones to a rest-of-season deal after the Galveston native played well through a pair of 10-day deals. The former Houston floor general played just 13 games total for the team, logging 5.8 points, 2.4 boards, and 2.2 assists per game as a Celtic.

Gone too soon

Sadly, it is also the day in 1993 that we lost small forward Frank Kudelka. An alum of Saint Mary's College of California, Kudelka was signed by the (now defunct) Chicago Stags in 1950 and was picked up by the (also defunct) Washington Capitals in the Stags dispersal draft when that team folded in 1950, only to be picked up by the Celtics a year later when the Capitals went belly up.

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 played just 27 games with Boston before the team sold his contract to the (ALSO defunct) Baltimore Bullets in 1951, recording 4.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while with Boston. Rest in peace.

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Thompson, Counts, Bonham draft; Garnett cut; Jones signs