Ainge, Danny (Daniel R.)
Basketball
b. March 17, 1959, Eugene, OR
6-5, 185 Guard. An All-American and winner of the Wooden Award as college basketball player of the year in 1981, Ainge also played professional baseball while attending Brigham Young University. In parts of three seasons with the AL's Toronto Blue Jays, he batted only .220, playing primarily at second base.
Because he seemed intent on baseball as a career, Ainge wasn't chosen until the second round of the 1981 NBA draft, by the Boston Celtics. The Celtics bought out his Toronto contract and he joined the team for the 1981-82 season.
The 6-foot-5, 185-pound Ainge started for two NBA championship teams with Boston, in 1984 and 1986. A good outside shooter, Ainge was known for hustling, aggressive play that involved him in a number of on-court fights.
Boston traded him to the Sacramento Kings late in the 1988/89 season, and he went to the Portland Trail Blazers in 1990. After two seasons with Portland, Ainge became a free agent and signed with the Phoenix Suns in 1992.
He retired in 1994. Ainge was the second player in NBA history to hit 900 three-point shots and the fourth to reach 1,000. On June 5, 1992, he tied the NBA playoff record by scoring 9 points in one overtime period vs. Chicago Bulls.
Ainge became the Phoenix head coach of after the Suns lost their first eight games of the 1997-98 season. He abruptly left the job to on Dec. 13, 1999, to devote more time to his family. Ainge had a 136-90 record as a coach.
After working for Turner Sports as an NBA analyst, Ainge in 2003 was named executive director of basketball operations for the Celtics.