A product of Brigham Young University, Ainge was a three-sport star in high school, where he was a first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball, playing basketball with BYU and baseball professionally with the Toronto Blue Jays while still in college.

He would play for that team in Major League Baseball for three seasons before deciding to try his hand at basketball and was picked up with the 31st pick of the 1981 NBA draft by the Celtics.

Boston of course bought him out of his deal with the Blue Jays.

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

He would play his first game in the NBA on this date in a 109 – 100 win over the New Jersey Nets.

It was far from indicative of how the Oregon native would fare later in his career with the team however, Ainge scored just 2 points, an assist, and a rebound in his inaugural game with the team.

The Missouri product would play one season with the team, briefly serving as the organization’s player development coach before un-retiring to join the Memphis Grizzlies.