On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics fan favorite floor general Isaiah Jamar Thomas — also known as IT — was born in Tacoma, Washington back in 1989. The Tacoma native would play his NCAA ball with the University of Washington Huskies, picked up with the 60th and final pick of the 2011 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings.
IT would play stints there and with the Phoenix Suns before being traded to the Celtics for Marcus Thornton and draft assets as part of a major three-team deal. The King in the Fourth (as Thomas was often called as a nickname due to his late-game scoring prowess) would quickly become an offensive force with the Celtics.
He would play three seasons with Boston between 2015 and 2017.
Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics talks with Isaiah Thomas #4 during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on February 23, 2015, in Phoenix, Arizona. The Celtics defeated the Suns 115-110. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Thomas would average 24.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6 assists, and a steal per game across those three seasons, making two All-Star teams while with the club.
After re-injuring himself in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, Boston traded IT to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of the package that would bring point guard Kyrie Irving to the Celtics in the summer of 2017.
Boston Celtics’ Milt Palacio (9) attempts to drive around New Jersey Nets’ Johnny Newman during the first quarter Thursday night, Dec. 28, 2000, in East Rutherford, N.J. Palacio stole a Nets’ inbounds pass and hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Nets 112-111. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
It is also the birthday of former Celtic point guard Milt Palacio, born this day in 1978 in Los Angeles, California.
Palacio went undrafted out of Colorado State and played a season for the (then) Vancouver Grizzlies before joining the Celtics as a free agent in 2000.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Derek Fisher, center, passes through Boston Celtics’ Milt Palacio, left, and Vitaly Potapenko during the first quarter in Los Angeles Tuesday, March 13, 2001. (AP Photo/Michael Caulfield)
The California native would play just 41 games with Boston before being dealt along with Randy Brown and Joe Johnson and draft assets to the Suns, swapped for Tony Delk and Rodney Rogers,
Palacio averaged 5.9 points and 2.6 assists per game as the only Belizean Celtic (and NBA player) in history.
Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ
[mm-video type=video id=01gqg9tj9mmj1yr5nr6h playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gqg9tj9mmj1yr5nr6h/01gqg9tj9mmj1yr5nr6h-a6f8529006faae0786f8b071bf45168c.jpg]
[lawrence-related id=116275,116271,116258,116436,116223,116211]
[listicle id=116260]
[listicle id=116401]
[listicle id=116369]
[listicle id=116356]
Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire
