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"Background on Sam Presti: he’s from Massachusetts. Went to Emerson. His dream was always to work for the Celtics… it just never happened. Still spends summers in New England with his family—hangs around, does the whole off-season New England life."
Tarter will find out next week if he is a finalist to be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. He's been nominated by some elite former pro basketball players, including Julius Erving (Dr. J), and legendary sports broadcaster Bob Costas. "I was so surprised and stunned when I found out. I had no idea it was coming – or even that it was a possibility to imagine," said Tarter. "I’m still not sure I can get my arms around it."
Last weekend, Dybantsa scored 25 points in a loss to Monteverde Academy in a showcase game in Springfield, Massachusetts, that was televised on ESPN2. He's soon to return to the U.S., where he is working on his game. It's still a little unclear what position he might play at the next level but has shown a talent for playing both on and off the ball. "I'm working on improving my shot, I'm trying to shoot 40% from the 3-point line," he said. "Obviously I've got to extend my range because the farther up I go, the farther the (3-point) line gets."
Former college basketball star and ex-Nets G-League affiliate assistant coach Mike Babul passed away at the age of 47 after suffering a heart attack. Babul was a legendary college basketball player in Massachusetts, eventually going to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he spent four years and was known as a top defensive player.
Marc J. Spears: The @Hoophall Class of 2025 Enshrinement Ceremony will be Sept. 6, in Springfield, Mass. The Class of 2025 Finalist Announcement will be announced Feb. 14 at NBA All-Star Weekend. The Class of 2025 will be announced April 5 at NCAA Final Four Weekend.
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The celebration outside the White House featured hundreds of celebrants with ties to Massachusetts, including Gov. Maura Healey and Senator Ed Markey. "This was a very exciting and moving day," Grousbeck said. "We had not been focused on [coming here]. We got through raising the banner, and opening night, and then it was all business, led by [Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla]. Joe doesn't really want us to dwell too much on the past. He wants us to move forward. But, having said that, everybody here -- including Joe -- really seemed to have a great time."
Celtics will visit the White House on Thursday
The Boston Celtics are expected to travel to the White House to celebrate the 2024 NBA championship on Thursday afternoon. That’s according to the Office of Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, who is scheduled to attend the event. Goldberg’s public schedule lists her attending the Celtics’ championship celebration at the White House at 4:30pm ET on Thursday.
Yao Ming came from China. Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Calvin Murphy were among the large contingent from Houston. There were more basketball hall of famers per square foot at Wilshire Baptist Church than anywhere else on the planet outside of Springfield, Mass. They came to honor the life of Carroll Dawson, who not only was as Texan as they come but also a basketball legend in the state where he made his lifelong home and touched and influenced just about everybody who played or coached here.
Cooper will be inducted into the Hall on Sunday in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Pasadena, California, native learned that he made the Hall of Fame on April Fools’ Day after receiving a phone call from Hall of Fame CEO John Doleva and board chairman Jerry Colangelo. “I’ve always played this game for the love of the game. And after 12 years, the accolades that come with it, I never, ever, ever thought that my footsteps would be standing at the door of the Hall of Fame,” Cooper said. “So, I knew the call was going to be coming, and it came at about 9:10 that morning. I had been on the ballot two years, and I got that call [previously], and I’m waiting, and I was really excited. And [in prior years] they said, ‘Hey, Coop … it’s not your year.’ “So, when [this] call came, I remember answering the phone, and my wife was sitting next to me and I had it on speakerphone. And I kind of like spazzed out for a minute, and they were going like, ‘Coop. Congratulations, you got in.’ I’m sitting there holding the phone and my wife [hit] me on the leg, she said, ‘Babe, you got in.’ And I’m like, ‘If this is an April Fools’ joke, this is very, very rude, you guys.’ Mr. Colangelo starts laughing and he goes, ‘No, no, Coop, you got in.’ ”
Joe Lacob not interested in buying the Celtics
Massachusetts native Joe Lacob, the current majority owner of the Golden State Warriors, is among those with zero interest in purchasing the winningest franchise in NBA history — currently worth $4.7 billion, according to Forbes. Lacob, who grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts, led a group of investors to purchase the Warriors for $450 million in 2010 and has since watched the team grow into a dynasty that’s won four championships.
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After almost three years of ownership, Al Horford is moving on from his Massachusetts estate. The acre-plus spread, tucked away just minutes from downtown Boston in the suburban community of Brookline, is back on the market for a smidge under $9 million. The five-time NBA All-Star and highest-paid Latin American player—who is currently competing in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Boston Celtics—acquired the classic Colonial-inspired home for $7.5 million back in fall 2021, shortly after it was newly built.
Chris Mannix: Keep an eye on a casino/resort magnate pursuing Celtics ownership. Grousbeck doesn’t own TD Garden, now one of the older in the NBA. A new majority owner may want to build a new arena. And when it comes to gambling, Massachusetts is open for business.
Was this the first racial incident you really felt? Will Dawkins: No, definitely not. I grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, in a time where while in high school, nothing to be proud about, but we were top 10, top 15 most dangerous city in the country. And gang violence was pretty bad back then, and I often fit a description while driving my car or walking around with friends. If I am being honest, early on in my professional career both in Oklahoma and in college towns around the country, there were few instances as well. Nothing of late had gotten to this point and that is why I wanted to ensure that Saks addressed the situation publicly.
Hannah was seven months pregnant. The couple needed to find new doctors, let alone new housing. White was trying to digest the X’s and O’s of Boston’s playbook while trying not to get lost circling Massachusetts' many roundabout roads. He was building furniture for their first born’s nursery in between playoff games, as the Celtics marched to within two wins of capturing the NBA Finals that June. “It was so much, all at once,” White said.
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