On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics shooting guard and small forward Tyree Ricardo “Ricky” Davis was born in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1979. A standout at the University of Iowa, Davis was taken by the Charlotte Hornets with the 21st pick in the 1998 NBA draft.
He played with that team, the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers before being dealt to the Celtics with Chris Mihm, Michael Stewart and draft assets for Tony Battie, Eric Williams and Kedrick Brown in 2003. While the trade was initially criticized, Davis grew on the fans as a player, becoming a popular fixture.
During parts of three seasons with Boston, the Nevada native averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game.