College Basketball 101: No. 97, A Lifetime of Contributions to Hoops Began at Holy Cross

Regional drafts shaped the early NBA — at least, to some extent. Obviously the Celtics building their pre-ABA merger dynasty was dependent on a cornerstone shipped up to Boston from clear across the continent, but the franchise also featured plenty of local flavor.

The second-most famous Celtic of the early dynasty, and arguably the third-most prominent Celtic of all-time, came from nearby Worcester and Holy Cross. I refer, of course, to Bob Cousy.

However, the NBA’s original razzle-dazzle point guard is not No. 97 on The College Basketball 101. Rather, the countdown rolls on with another Crusader standout-turned-Celtics legend.