Welcome to the return of Friday Free Throws, a weekly recap of the most interesting news, notes, and information about the Boston Celtics that have not made the headlines but are still worth a read.
Before the Celtics head to Italy and Turkey for training camp, Rajon Rondo is traveling to the Philippines. The trip is for a Red Bull campaign wherein three fans will have the opportunity to meet the point guard next week.
From the Red Bull Philippines Twitter:
Whats up MANILA?! Who's ready to meet Red Bull Athlete RAJON RONDO?! We're looking for Rondo's three biggest fans to join us for an exclusive meet & greet with Mr TripleDouble himself on TUESDAY 28TH AUGUST!!!! Get yourself a can of Blue&Silver;and show us how much you love Red Bull Product of Europe. Three most epic photos will be chosen as our winners! Entries close 6pm Sunday 26th August.. redbullgivesyouwings!!!!
To enter, tweet photos to @RedBullPh.
Epic Showdown: Fab Melo vs. the Folding Chair
Fab Melo was voted the funniest rookie in a survey of his first year counterparts. Maybe its because he has such a good sense of humor when he does things likebreak a folding chair. Check out this video of the 7-0, 255-pound center drawing a laughand taking it all in strideduring the Rookie Transition Program. I think the chair was too weak and an accident happened, he told NBA TV with a chuckle.
Boston Celtics
ONeal a New Man with a New Team
As Boston Celtics fans anxiously awaited the signing of Jeff Green, former Celtic Jermaine ONeal quietly inked a deal with the Phoenix Suns this month. ONeal, who appeared in 49 games for the Celtics over two seasons, was waived in April after undergoing season-ending wrist surgery. He also traveled to Germany this summer for Regenokine treatment on both knees. ONeal, 33, credited the Celtics medical team for his wrist surgery and is looking to enter his 17th NBA season in better shape than he has been in years, according to the Arizona Republic.
Paul Coro reported:
O'Neal said Regenokine, which centrifuges a patient's blood to make an anti-inflammatory serum for the knee, has allowed him to do lower-body training that he had not done for about five years. He also said he trimmed his body with a 14-day detox and a strict diet.
"I have a different type of lift right now," said O'Neal, who had new Suns teammate Jared Dudley attest to that after a shared Las Vegas workout. "I have a different type of quickness right now. A lot of people may say it's the procedure, but I say it's the work I put in."
ONeal averaged 5.0 points and 5.4 rebounds in 25 games for the Celtics last season.
Celtics Tweet of the Week
Been waiting to say this for a while... iamaceltic jeff (@unclejeffgreen) August 23, 2012
Celtics Birthdays of the Week
Roy Rogers Jr., who played nine games for the Celtics during the 1997-98 season, turned 39 on August 19. He is the only player to wear the number 99 for the C's and only the fourth player in the NBA to do so.Quinn Buckner turned 58 on August 20. He played three seasons in Boston and was part of the 1984 championship team. The late Si Green (1965-66 Celtics) was also born on August 20 in 1933.The late Harold Kottman, who played all 53 games of his NBA career with the Celtics during the 1946-47 season, was born on August 22, 1922.Tony Dawson appeared in two games for the Celtics in the 1994-95 season. He will turn 44 on August 25.
This Week in Celtics History
On August 19, 2005, the Celtics signed free agent guard Will Bynum. He was waived months later on October 25.The Celtics inked Chris Carr as a free agent on August 21, 2000. He played his final NBA season as a member of the C's. On the same date in 2001, the Celtics traded Eric Williams to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a 1999 and 2001 second round pick.On August 22, 2008, the C's signed free agent Darius Miles. The former third overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft was waived on October 20, 2008. 11 years earlier, the Chris Mills and Tyus Edney signed as free agents on August 22, 1997. The Celtics traded Mills to the New York Knicks in a prior to the start of the season while Edney appeared in 52 games.