Daniel Ray Ainge ( ; born March 17, 1959) is an American former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player, coach, and former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

player who serves as an executive for the

Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference, Northwest Division (NBA), ...

of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

(NBA). A three-sport star in high school, he was named to All-America teams in football, basketball, and baseball. At

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

, he was named national basketball college player of the year and won the

John R. Wooden Award The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award, and recognizing the ...

for the most outstanding male college basketball player. While in college, Ainge also played parts of three seasons with the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB), mostly as a second baseman. He was then drafted into the NBA by the Celtics. Ainge played in the NBA for 14 seasons, playing for the Celtics,

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

, and

Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...

, primarily as a

shooting guard The shooting guard (SG), also known as the two, two guard or off guard,Shooting guards are 6'3"–6'7"BBC Sports academy URL last accessed 2006-09-09. is one of the five traditional positions in a regulation basketball game. A shooting guard's m ...

. He went on to coach the Suns for three seasons before joining management of the Celtics, with whom Ainge has three

NBA championship The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...

s to his credit (two as a player, one as a team executive). During his playing career he appeared in the 1988 All-Star Game, and was the

NBA Executive of the Year The National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general manager, president of basketball/business operations, or another high-ranking executive. Befor ...

in 2008. Ainge served as the Celtics' president of basketball operations from 2003 until his retirement in 2021, when he was succeeded by incumbent head coach

Brad Stevens Bradley Kent Stevens (born October 22, 1976) is an American basketball executive and former coach who is currently the president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics. Born and raised in Zionsville, Indiana, Stevens starred on the Zio ...

(whom he had hired in 2014).

Early life

Born and raised in

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast. As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...

, Ainge was a multi-sport star at

North Eugene High School North Eugene High School is a public high school in the River Road/Santa Clara neighborhoods of Eugene, Oregon, United States. History North Eugene High School was open to students on October 21, 1957. The opening was delayed nearly two months, ...

. He led the Highlanders' basketball team to consecutive AAA state titles in 1976 and 1977, earning all-state honors both years, and was considered one of the top

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

recruits in Oregon at wide receiver. As a junior, he was named to the 1977 ''Parade'' High School All-America team, and is the only one to be a high school first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball.

College career

Ainge played

college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...

(BYU) in Provo, Utah. He hit one of the best-known shots in the 1981 NCAA tournament, against Notre Dame in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

in the Sweet Sixteen, when his coast-to-coast drive and lay-up with two seconds remaining gave the

Cougars The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...

a one-point win. Ainge concluded his senior year by winning the Eastman Award, as well as the

—given to the best collegiate player in the nation. During his four-year career at BYU, Ainge was an All-American, a two-time First Team Academic All-American, the WAC Player of the Year and a four-time All-WAC selection. He concluded his college career having scored in double figures in 112 consecutive games, an NCAA record at that time.

Baseball career

Toronto Blue Jays (1979–1981)

Ainge was selected in baseball's 1977 amateur draft by the

. He made it to the major leagues with the Blue Jays in while still in college. Mostly a second baseman, he played third base and outfield positions as well, hitting .220 in his baseball career with two

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s and 146 hits in 211 games. He is the second-youngest player in Blue Jays history to hit a home run, at 20 years and 77 days, surpassed only by

Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. Vladimir may refer to: Names * Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name * Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name * Volodymyr for the Ukra ...

After three years with the Blue Jays, Ainge decided to pursue a career in basketball and was chosen in the 1981 NBA draft by the

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

, who had to buy out Ainge's contract from the Blue Jays after a legal battle. Ainge is among the 13 athletes who have played in both the

and

, along with

Frank Baumholtz Frank Conrad Baumholtz (October 7, 1918 – December 14, 1997) was an American professional baseball and basketball player. He was an outfielder for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds (1947–49), Chicago Cubs (1949 and 1951–55) and Phi ...

, Hank Biasatti,

Gene Conley Donald Eugene Conley (November 10, 1930 – July 4, 2017) was an American professional baseball and basketball player. He played as a pitcher for four teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1952 to 1963. Conley also played as a forward in t ...

Chuck Connors Kevin Joseph Aloysius "Chuck" Connors (April 10, 1921 – November 10, 1992) was an American actor, writer, and professional basketball and baseball player. He is one of only 13 athletes in the history of American professional sports to have p ...

Dave DeBusschere David Albert DeBusschere (October 16, 1940 – May 14, 2003) was an American professional National Basketball Association (NBA) player and coach and Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He played for the Chicago White Sox of MLB in 1962 and 1963 a ...

Dick Groat Richard Morrow Groat (born November 4, 1930) is a former professional baseball and basketball player who was an eight-time All-Star shortstop and two-time World Series champion in Major League Baseball. He rates as one of the most accomplished t ...

, Steve Hamilton,

Mark Hendrickson Mark Allan Hendrickson (born June 23, 1974) is an American former baseball and basketball player. Hendrickson was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) and played power forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Continental Bas ...

Cotton Nash Charles Francis "Cotton" Nash (born July 24, 1942) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder and National Basketball Association (NBA) forward. Basketball career Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Nash played collegiately for ...

Ron Reed Ronald Lee Reed (born November 2, 1942) is a former two-sport star who spent two seasons as a power forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) before spending nearly two decades as a Major League Baseball pitcher. Early life and educa ...

Dick Ricketts Richard James Ricketts, Jr. (December 4, 1933 – March 6, 1988) was an American professional basketball and baseball player. Ricketts was the No. 1 overall pick of the 1955 NBA draft by the St. Louis Hawks out of Duquesne University. Ricketts pl ...

, and

Howie Schultz Howard Henry Schultz (July 3, 1922 – October 30, 2009), nicknamed "Stretch" and "Steeple", was an American baseball and basketball player from St. Paul, Minnesota. Schultz won an NBA title with the Minneapolis Lakers in 1952. Schultz played in ...

Basketball career

Boston Celtics (1981–1989)

Not everything went well for Ainge in NBA basketball at first. He had a terrible first day of practice, "shooting 0–2,547",

Larry Bird Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded a ...

wrote in his autobiography ''Drive: The Story of My Life.'' Celtics head coach

Bill Fitch William Charles Fitch (May 19, 1932 – February 2, 2022) was an American professional basketball coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He developed multiple teams into playoff contenders and won an NBA championship with the Bost ...

gave Ainge a rough time, saying his batting average was better than his shooting percentage on the basketball court. But Ainge became an important player for the Celtics teams that won NBA titles in 1984 and

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

. Ainge played sparingly during his rookie season (1981–82), but broke into the starting lineup in his second year, averaging 9.9 points per game. However, new coach

K.C. Jones K. C. Jones (May 25, 1932 – December 25, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He is best known for his association with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), with whom he won 11 of his 12 ...

moved Ainge back to the bench in his third season (1983–84), starting

Gerald Henderson Jerome McKinley "Gerald" Henderson Sr. (born January 16, 1956) is an American retired basketball player. He was a combo guard who had a 13-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1979 until 1992. He played for the Boston C ...

instead. Ainge remained an important role player off the bench, helping the Celtics defeat the rival

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

in the NBA Finals that year. The Celtics traded Henderson to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

in the off-season, returning Ainge to the starting guard position opposite

Dennis Johnson Dennis Wayne Johnson (September 18, 1954 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics. He was a c ...

. Ainge responded by averaging 12.9 points and 5.3 assists per game in 1984–85. He remained a starter for the Celtics for most of the next five seasons. The Celtics won the championship again in 1985–86; that team is widely considered to be one of the greatest in NBA history. In 1986–87, Ainge finished second in the NBA in free throw shooting (89.7%) and third in 3-point shooting (44.3%). The following year, he made 148 3-pointers, shattering the previous NBA single-season record of 92 held by

Darrell Griffith Darrell Steven Griffith (born June 16, 1958), also known by his nickname Dr. Dunkenstein, is an American former basketball player who spent his entire professional career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association from 1980 to 1991 ...

of the

. Ainge made his only appearance in the

NBA All-Star Game The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is a basketball exhibition game hosted every February by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and showcases 24 of the league's star players. It is the featured event of NBA All-Star Weekend, a ...

that year, scoring 12 points.

Sacramento Kings (1989–1990)

In 1989, Ainge was traded to the

, along with Brad Lohaus, for young center

Joe Kleine Joseph William Kleine (born January 4, 1962) is a retired American professional basketball player who played fifteen seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and for the US national team. He won a gold medal as a member of the Unite ...

(whom the Celtics saw as a possible successor to the aging

Robert Parish Robert Lee Parish (born August 30, 1953) is an American former professional basketball player who played 21 seasons as a center in the National Basketball Association (NBA), tied for second most in league history. He played an NBA-record 1,61 ...

) and

Ed Pinckney Edward Lewis Pinckney (born March 27, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. College career He attended Villanova University and was a part of the Villanova Wildcats' 1981 heralded recruiting class that included Gary McL ...

. Now a featured player on a team with no superstars, Ainge averaged 20.3 points and 6.7 assists per game in that half-season with the Kings. He scored 45 points for the Kings in a loss to the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

, matching a career high that he had set just a few months prior against the

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

while still playing for the Celtics at that time.

Portland Trail Blazers (1990–1992)

In 1990, Ainge was traded to the

for

Byron Irvin Byron Edward Irvin (born December 2, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. A 6'5" (1.95 m) and 190 lb (86 kg) shooting guard, he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round (22nd pick overall) ...

and draft picks. Being a native of Oregon, he was considered a hometown favorite by Blazers fans. He helped the Blazers reach the 1992 NBA Finals, only to succumb to the

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January 1 ...

in six games. On June 5, he scored nine points in the extra period to tie an all-time NBA record for most points in an

overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...

during a finals game.

Phoenix Suns (1992–1995)

After the 1991–92 season, Ainge became a free agent. He had stated in media interviews that he ideally wanted to stay in Portland and would contact Blazers management before seriously entertaining offers from other teams. On July 1, 1992, however, Ainge signed a contract with the Phoenix Suns on his first day of free agency. Ainge averaged 11.8 points per game as the Suns went 62–20 that year and reached the

NBA finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...

, where they lost to Michael Jordan's Bulls in six games. On January 18, 1994, he became the second man ever to hit 900 three-point shots in NBA history (he made 1,002 three-pointers for his career), and he scored 11,964 points for an average of 11.5 points per game, 2,768 rebounds for an average of 2.7, and 4,199 assists, an average of four per game, over 1,042 NBA games. Ainge retired after the 1994–95 season. At the time of his retirement, he had the highest personal winning percentage in NBA history among players with at least 1,000 career games, edging out

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran. Given name Karim * Karim A ...

69.0% to 68.8%. Ainge was inducted into the

Oregon Sports Hall of Fame The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame honors Oregon athletes, teams, coaches, and others who have made a significant contribution to sports in Oregon. The first class was inducted in 1980, with new inductees added in the fall. Operated by the Oregon Sports ...

in 1999.

Reputation

Throughout his playing career, Ainge was known as a brash, hard-nosed player who often infuriated opponents. In a 1983 playoff game against the

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...

, he called Tree Rollins a "

sissy ''Sissy'' (derived from '' sister''), also ''sissy baby'', ''sissy boy'', ''sissy man'', ''sissy pants'', etc., is a pejorative term for a boy or man who does not demonstrate masculine, and shows possible signs of fragility. Generally, ''sissy'' ...

", whereupon Rollins elbowed Ainge in the face. Ainge tackled Rollins and the two began wrestling. Rollins bit Ainge's middle finger so hard that it required two stitches to keep the tendon together. Ainge was ejected from the contest for starting the fight. The incident prompted the headline "Tree Bites Man" on the April 25, 1983, ''

Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Pulit ...

''. While playing for the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 season, Ainge got into a tussle with

Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...

at midcourt; both were given a technical foul. In a 1994 postseason game, Ainge rifled an inbounding pass at the head of

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...

guard

Mario Elie is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his cr ...

, striking him in the face, snapping his neck back.

Post-basketball playing career

He became head coach of the Phoenix Suns in 1996. His resignation from the Suns coaching job in 1999 was a sudden one; he cited a need to spend more time with his family. He was replaced by assistant coach

Scott Skiles Scott Allen Skiles Sr. (born March 5, 1964) is an American former basketball coach and player. He coached the Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic. A first-round draft pick out of Michigan State University, Skiles played ...

. Ainge also served as a commentator for the ''

NBA on TNT ''NBA on TNT'' is a branding used for broadcasts of the National Basketball Association (NBA) games, produced by Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, the sports division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Sports subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery and tel ...

''.

Boston Celtics executive

In 2003, he was hired as the executive director of Basketball Operations for the Celtics. Ainge has often been controversial in his role as a Celtics executive, trading popular players such as three-time All-Star

Antoine Walker Antoine Devon Walker (born August 12, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft out of the University of Kentucky and played in the NBA from 1996 to 2008. Walker ...

(earning himself the nickname "Trader Danny") and having personality conflicts with then-head coach Jim O'Brien (which eventually led to O'Brien's departure to the

). However, Ainge kept the support of both the Celtics' ownership group and—perhaps most importantly—legendary former head coach

Red Auerbach Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was an American professional basketball coach and executive. He served as a head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Boston Celtics. ...

, who was employed by the team as a "senior assistant" until his death in October 2006. The 2006–07 Celtics finished with a 24–58 record, second-worst in the team's history. Following the season,

Paul Pierce Paul Anthony Pierce (born October 13, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), predominantly with the Boston Celtics. He was most recently an analyst on ESPN ...

, team captain and face of the franchise, expressed frustration with the team's failures. He requested a trade to a contender if management were unable to acquire veteran talent of Pierce's caliber. Ainge responded with two bold moves that changed the franchise's fortunes almost overnight: the 2007 trades for the

Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 19 ...

Kevin Garnett Kevin Maurice Garnett ( ; born May 19, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played for 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed KG by his initials, and the "Big Ticket" for his emphatic dunki ...

and the

Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...

Ray Allen Walter Ray Allen Jr. (born July 20, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in ...

immediately returned the Celtics to the ranks of the NBA's elite franchises for the first time since the early 1990s. Together with Pierce, they formed a new "Big Three" and led the Celtics to the NBA's best record (66–16) during the 2007–08 season. It was the most dramatic single-season improvement in league history (42 wins more than the previous year), and it earned Ainge the NBA Executive of the Year Award. Boston faced the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals, renewing the long rivalry between the two teams. The Celtics won the series in six games, giving the franchise its 17th NBA championship. Danny Ainge held the trophy for the first time since winning in 1986. In October 2008, after the Celtics' championship season, he was promoted to President of Basketball Operations. On May 3, 2010, Ainge was fined $25K for tossing a towel to distract then

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

forward

JJ Hickson James Edward "JJ" Hickson Jr. (born September 4, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player. He played one season of college basketball for North Carolina State University before being drafted 19th overall by the Cleveland Cavalier ...

shooting a free throw during game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In 2013, Ainge traded Garnett and Pierce, along with

Jason Terry Jason Eugene Terry (born September 15, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 19 seasons in the NBA as a combo guard and is ...

and D.J. White, to the

Brooklyn Nets The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...

in exchange for five players plus the Nets' first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. Boston also received the rights to swap picks with Brooklyn in 2017. It is widely considered one of the most lopsided trades in league history, in favor of the Celtics. On August 22, 2017, Ainge made another blockbuster deal, trading All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, as well as

Jae Crowder Corey Jae Crowder (born July 6, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Not being heavily recruited out of high school, Crowder committed to South Georgia Technical ...

Ante Žižić Ante Toni Žižić (; born 4 January 1997) is a Croatian professional basketball player for Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball Super League (BSL) and the Euroleague. He was selected 23rd overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2016 NBA draft ...

and the rights to the Nets' 2018 first-round draft pick, to the Cleveland Cavaliers for All-Star

Kyrie Irving Kyrie Andrew Irving (; lkt, Ȟéla, italic=no, ; born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was named the Rookie of the Year after being selected ...

. Eight days later, the deal also included a 2020 second round pick from the

Miami Heat The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The club plays its home games at FT ...

as compensation relating to a prior injury to Thomas. On June 2, 2021, Ainge announced his retirement and named head coach

as his replacement in president of basketball operations role.

Utah Jazz executive

On December 15, 2021, Ainge was hired as the CEO of basketball operations and alternate governor of the

Other pursuits

In 1996, Danny Ainge made his acting debut in ''

Space Jam ''Space Jam'' is a 1996 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Joe Pytka, with animation sequences directed by Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone, and written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, and Herschel ...

'', playing himself. While only a brief appearance, Ainge was dubbed "The Bad Shot Guy" after catching and shooting the ball at the same time while

Charles Barkley Charles Wade Barkley (born February 20, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who is a television analyst on NBA on TNT, TNT. Nicknamed "Sir Charles", "Chuck", and "the Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley played 16 seasons ...

roamed the court after having his skills stolen by the Monstars. While a player with the Suns, Ainge opened a national chain of hat stores which he has since sold. He has volunteered his time at a number of charitable organizations and has held a number of jobs since retiring.

Personal life

Ainge and his wife, Michelle, reside in

Wellesley, Massachusetts Wellesley () is a New England town, town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Wellesley is part of Greater Boston. The population was 29,550 at the time of the 2020 census. Wellesley College, Babson Col ...

; they have six children (Ashlee,

Austin Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

, Tanner, Taylor, Cooper and Crew). Austin Ainge is director of player personnel for the

and like his father, played basketball at

BYU Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S ...

. Tanner Ainge is a Utah County Commissioner, businessman, and lawyer. Ainge's nephew, Erik Ainge, was the starting quarterback on the football team at the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...

and was selected by the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

in the 5th round of the

2008 NFL Draft The 2008 NFL Draft was the 73rd annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York, on April 26 and April 27, ...

. Another nephew,

Jake Toolson Jake Toolson (born March 6, 1996) is an American basketball player who last played for BG Göttingen of the easyCredit BBL. He played college basketball for the Utah Valley Wolverines and the BYU Cougars. He was named the 2019 Western Athletic ...

, played the shooting guard position for

and recently signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the

. Ainge and his family are active members of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

, in which Ainge served as a bishop. Ainge suffered a mild

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

in 2009, and another in 2019. He has

ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by excessive amounts of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are pervasive, impairing in multiple contexts, and otherwise age-inapp ...

according to a personality test he took when Doc Rivers was coaching the Celtics.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, 53 , , 1 , , 10.6 , , .357 , , .294 , , .862 , , 1.1 , , 1.6 , , 0.7 , , 0.1 , , 4.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , 76 , , 25.6 , , .496 , , .172 , , .742 , , 2.7 , , 3.1 , , 1.4 , , 0.1 , , 9.9 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 71 , , 3 , , 16.3 , , .460 , , .273 , , .821 , , 1.6 , , 2.3 , , 0.6 , , 0.1 , , 5.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 75 , , 73 , , 34.2 , , .529 , , .268 , , .868 , , 3.6 , , 5.3 , , 1.6 , , 0.1 , , 12.9 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", † , style="text-align:left;",

, 80 , , 78 , , 30.1 , , .504 , , .356 , , .904 , , 2.9 , , 5.1 , , 1.2 , , 0.1 , , 10.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 71 , , 66 , , 35.2 , , .486 , , .443 , , .897 , , 3.4 , , 5.6 , , 1.4 , , 0.2 , , 14.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , 81 , , 37.3 , , .491 , , .415 , , .878 , , 3.1 , , 6.2 , , 1.4 , , 0.2 , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 45 , , 28 , , 30.0 , , .460 , , .374 , , .891 , , 3.4 , , 4.8 , , 1.2 , , 0.0 , , 15.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

, 28 , , 26 , , 36.7 , , .452 , , .387 , , .813 , , 3.6 , , 6.7 , , 1.5 , , 0.3 , , 20.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

, 75 , , 68 , , 36.4 , , .438 , , .374 , , .831 , , 4.3 , , 6.0 , , 1.5 , , 0.2 , , 17.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

, 80 , , 0 , , 21.4 , , .472 , , .406 , , .826 , , 2.6 , , 3.6 , , 0.8 , , 0.2 , , 11.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 81 , , 6 , , 19.7 , , .442 , , .339 , , .824 , , 1.8 , , 2.5 , , 0.9 , , 0.2 , , 9.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

, 80 , , 0 , , 27.0 , , .462 , , .403 , , .848 , , 2.7 , , 3.3 , , 0.9 , , 0.1 , , 11.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 68 , , 1 , , 22.9 , , .417 , , .328 , , .830 , , 1.9 , , 2.6 , , 0.8 , , 0.1 , , 8.9 , - , style="text-align:left;", , style="text-align:left;",

, 74 , , 1 , , 18.6 , , .460 , , .364 , , .808 , , 1.5 , , 2.8 , , 0.6 , , 0.1 , , 7.7 , - class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, CareerDanny Ainge
basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2012. , 1042 , , 508 , , 26.6 , , .469 , , .378 , , .846 , , 2.7 , , 4.0 , , 1.1 , , 0.1 , , 11.5 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 1 , , 0 , , 19.0 , , .364 , , .750 , , .500 , , 3.0 , , 2.0 , , 1.0 , , 0.0 , , 12.0

Playoffs

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1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street bridges, 14th Street Bridge in ...

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, 10 , , 0 , , 12.9 , , .422 , , .500 , , .769 , , 1.3 , , 1.1 , , 0.2 , , 0.1 , , 5.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1983 , style="text-align:left;",

, 7 , , 7 , , 28.7 , , .389 , , .400 , , .727 , , 2.0 , , 3.6 , , 0.7 , , 0.1 , , 9.4 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 1984† , style="text-align:left;",

, 19 , , 0 , , 13.3 , , .456 , , .222 , , .700 , , 0.8 , , 2.0 , , 0.5 , , 0.1 , , 4.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1985 , style="text-align:left;",

, 21 , , 21 , , 32.7 , , .466 , , .438 , , .769 , , 2.8 , , 5.8 , , 1.5 , , 0.0 , , 11.0 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",

† , style="text-align:left;",

, 18 , , 18 , , 36.2 , , .554 , , .412 , , .867 , , 4.2 , , 5.2 , , 2.3 , , 0.1 , , 15.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1987 , style="text-align:left;",

, 20 , , 19 , , 38.1 , , .487 , , .438 , , .861 , , 2.6 , , 4.6 , , 1.2 , , 0.2 , , 14.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...

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, 17 , , 17 , , 39.4 , , .386 , , .328 , , .881 , , 3.1 , , 6.4 , , 0.5 , , 0.1 , , 11.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...

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, 16 , , 0 , , 17.3 , , .448 , , .306 , , .821 , , 1.8 , , 1.9 , , 0.8 , , 0.2 , , 8.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...

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, 21 , , 0 , , 21.4 , , .479 , , .404 , , .830 , , 1.9 , , 2.3 , , 0.7 , , 0.0 , , 10.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1993 , style="text-align:left;",

, 24 , , 0 , , 24.6 , , .376 , , .413 , , .872 , , 2.5 , , 2.3 , , 0.5 , , 0.1 , , 8.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...

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, 10, , 0 , , 23.0 , , .458 , , .425 , , .714 , , 2.3 , , 2.1 , , 0.6 , , 0.1 , , 8.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...

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, 10 , , 0 , , 13.7 , , .500 , , .462 , , .909 , , 1.0 , , 1.0 , , 0.5 , , 0.0 , , 6.0 , - class=sortbottom , style="text-align:center;" colspan=2, Career , 193 , , 82 , , 26.1 , , .456 , , .397 , , .829 , , 2.3 , , 3.4 , , 0.9 , , 0.1 , , 9.9 , -

Head coaching record

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, style="text-align:left;", , 74, , 40, , 34, , , , style="text-align:center;", 4th in Pacific, , 5, , 2, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in

First Round First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

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, style="text-align:left;", , 82, , 56, , 26, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Pacific, , 4, , 1, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in

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, style="text-align:left;", , 50, , 27, , 23, , , , style="text-align:center;", 3rd in Pacific, , 3, , 0, , 3, , , style="text-align:center;", Lost in

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, style="text-align:left;", , 20, , 13, , 7, , , , style="text-align:center;", (resigned), , —, , —, , —, , — , style="text-align:center;", – , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:left;", Career , , , 226, , 136, , 90, , , , , , 12, , 3, , 9, ,

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ainge, Danny 1959 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players American expatriate baseball players in Canada American men's basketball players Baseball players from Oregon Basketball coaches from Oregon Basketball players from Oregon Boston Celtics draft picks Boston Celtics executives Boston Celtics players BYU Cougars men's basketball players Latter Day Saints from Oregon Major League Baseball second basemen National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association broadcasters National Basketball Association general managers Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Phoenix Suns head coaches Phoenix Suns players Point guards Portland Trail Blazers players Sacramento Kings players Shooting guards Sportspeople from Eugene, Oregon Syracuse Chiefs players Toronto Blue Jays players Utah Jazz executives

Early life

College career

Baseball career

Toronto Blue Jays (1979–1981)

Basketball career

Boston Celtics (1981–1989)

Sacramento Kings (1989–1990)

Portland Trail Blazers (1990–1992)

Phoenix Suns (1992–1995)

Reputation

Post-basketball playing career

Boston Celtics executive

Utah Jazz executive

Other pursuits

Personal life

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Head coaching record

See also

References

External links