It seems as time passes, we learn ever more about how the Rick Pitino years did the Boston Celtics franchise few favors.
NBA legend Tracy McGrady added to that narrative on a recent episode of the “Ryen Russillo” podcast (h/t MassLive’s Brian Robb). McGrady admitted he did his best to avoid being drafted by the Pitino-led club in the 1997 NBA draft.
Russillo, noting McGrady reportedly did not talk much in his workout for Boston (who passed on the future phenom twice before he was drafted ninth overall), asked “Was it something specific about Boston or was it because you were 18 and didn’t have a lot to say?”
“I just remember in college, I was being recruited by Kentucky and I knew how hard and how tough Rick Pitino was,” explained McGrady. “Rick Pitino had left and become Boston coach and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I want to play for Rick Pitino.’”
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“The reason being because (Boston) was probably my hardest predraft workout ever,” he added. “I wouldn’t mind playing for Boston, but I didn’t want to play for Rick Pitino at that time because he was too tough, man.”
“It was just finding a way … to hurt myself and get them not to draft me by not talking. I did fine with my interviews with everyone else but Boston, not so much. … I had some instructions coming down. I was influenced.”
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