Today in Boston Celtics history: Al Horford, Rasheed Wallace sign; Shannon, Ramsey pass

Today in Boston Celtics history, Al Horford signed with the team in 2016. A prominent player at the University of Florida, where the Dominican center secured two consecutive national championships, Horford was selected with the third overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He spent nine seasons with the Hawks before opting to sign with the Celtics.

The former Gator left Atlanta in free agency after the Hawks were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs two years in a row. He then elected to sign a four-year, $113 million contract with Boston. The Celtics made the Eastern Conference finals twice during Horford’s first tenure with the team, made the finals with him in 2022 in his second stint with Boston, and won it all with Horford in 2024.

The Puerto Plata native also made an All-Star team and an All-Defensive second team while with Boston in that first stint.

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It was also on this date in 2009 that four-time All-Star Rasheed Wallace signed with the Celtics.

The former UNC standout played one season with Boston before retiring for two seasons. He averaged 9 points, 4.1 boards, an assist, and a steal per game.

Gone too soon

It was on this date the Celtics lost wing Earl Shannon in 2002. The Rhode Island native (who went on to become an FBI agent after his basketball career) played five games for Boston in the 1948-49 season before retiring. He averaged 1 point per game over that stretch — rest in peace.

Finally, it is also the day Hall of Fame forward Frank Ramsey passed away in 2018. The Kentucky native played nine seasons over 10 years (a year in the armed forces interrupting) with the Celtics, winning titles in seven of them while pioneering the role of the sixth man in the early NBA.

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Today in Boston Celtics history: Al Horford, Rasheed Wallace sign; Shannon, Ramsey pass