Former University of Lousiana coach Rick Pitino has revealed that he convinced Celtics GM Danny Ainge to draft Terry Rozier.
The guard was a guest on the 66-year-old's latest podcast episode of The Pitino Press and his former coach couldn't be more thrilled to have him.
Rozier, drafted by the Celtics in 2015, is a star in his own right and proved his worth in Kyrie Irving's absence last season. Everyone knows his name now, but Pitino has been in the player's corner since he recruited him to Louisville in 2013.
PREVIOUSLY: TERRY ROZIER NOT UPSET WITH REDUCED ROLE ON CELTICS
The 24-year-old was projected to be a second-round pick in the 2015 draft, but Pitino convinced Ainge to snatch him up earlier after he worked out with the Celtics twice, as well as with multiple other teams.
“I did it twice,” Rozier said, referring to the 55-shot shooting drill. “I extended my workout, like I went longer than the drill was supposed to be just so I could do the drill again.”
Pitino claimed Ainge called him to ask, “Is he always like this?”
“He’s never seen anybody do it a second time,” he continued. “My response was, ‘Danny, look, if you can get him in the first round, you’re going to get a hell of a basketball player.’ He was intrigued by what he said was the work ethic you had.”
The Celtics had two first-round picks that year - No. 16 and No. 28 - they also had No.33 and No.45 for the second round. And, according to Pitino, Ainge was hesitant to use a first-round pick on Rozier.
“When I first talked to Danny, I said, ‘Danny, you need to take him in the first round,’” he revealed. “He said, ‘Well, Rick, I can’t take him at [No.] 16, I’ll get second-guessed.’ I said, ‘Danny, you won a championship, you’re Danny Ainge, man, you could do anything now. I said, ‘I’m telling you he’s worth it.’ He started laughing.”
Ainge called Pitino again either the night before or on the morning of the draft to say that he was still interested in taking the player, but at No.28.
“I said, ‘He’s moved up, Danny, I think there are three teams going to take him at [No.] 24, 25, or 26, you need to take him at [No.] 16 and he’ll be a great pick for you,’” Pitino said.
The ex-coach recalled former Celtics assistant coach Walter McCarty calling him later on and whispering, “We’re taking him at [No.] 16.”
Well, Rozier was indeed taken at 16. And Pitino was quick to rub it into Ainge's face after the point guard helped lead the Cs as far as Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
“What do you think of the 16th pick now?” he texted the general manager.
What This Means
Ainge is a shrewd operator, but, according to Pitino, the Celtics would have never gotten their hands on Rozier without his advice.
Three years later, Rozier is wanted by several NBA teams, all of which he would likely lock down a starting role with.