BOSTON (AP) -Celtics basketball boss Danny Ainge, already fined $30,000 over contact with a potential draft choice, remained mum Friday after Ohio State star Greg Oden said he would enter the NBA draft.
“I can’t comment until it’s official,” Ainge said at Fenway Park before a ceremony to honor late Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach.
The Celtics finished with the second-worst record in the league, giving them a good chance at drafting either Oden or Texas star Kevin Durant. Both have said they are going pro, but Ainge said he could not comment until May 3, when the league confirms that their paperwork has been filed.
Ainge was fined last month after the Big 12 tournament, when he sat next to the mother of Texas star freshman and likely lottery draft pick Kevin Durant. The league said Ainge violated rules demanding that contact be kept to a minimum between team executives and potential NBA draft picks, until college players officially declare for the draft.
The Red Sox honored Auerbach before Friday night’s game against the New York Yankees, hanging all 16 championship banners from the Green Monster along with one featuring Auerbach’s cigar-smoking silhouette. Ainge joined the team’s owners and several current and former players on the mound, while Bob Cousy threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The Red Sox also wore green jerseys for the game. Because of the killings at Virginia Tech, they added a small black “VT” on their left sleeves.
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