Today in Boston Celtics history, Emmette "Em" Bryant (no relation to Kobe) was dealt to the Celtics.
Today in Boston Celtics history, Emmette "Em" Bryant (no relation to Kobe) was dealt to the Celtics from the Phoenix Suns in 1968. Bryant was a Chicago, Illinois, native and played his NCAA ball for his hometown school, DePaul, with the Blue Demons. He played well enough to earn some nationwide buzz, and was picked up with the 53rd overall selection of the seventh round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks (there were many more rounds to the draft in that era).
He played four seasons with New York before being picked up by the Phoenix Suns in the 1968 expansion draft that was held to populate their roster and that of the Milwaukee Bucks, a pair of new teams joining the NBA that year. Bryant never suited up for Phoenix, however, with fate having other plans for his career.
The new NBA franchise instead turned around and dealt the DePaul alum to the Celtics on this date.
The former Knick would play 151 games over two seasons with Boston between 1968 and 1970, winning a title with the Celtics in 1969.
He was again taken in an expansion draft in 1970, selected to join the newly-formed Buffalo Braves that year from Boston's unprotected players.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: Phoenix Suns suns trade Em Bryant to team
Category: Basketball
