1998–99 Boston Celtics season 1998–99 Boston Celtics season The 1998–99 NBA season was the 53rd season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. The Celtics continued to build with youth as they selected Paul Pierce out of the University of Kansas with the tenth pick in the 1998 NBA draft. In the offseason, the team acquired second-year center Tony Battie from the Los Angeles Lakers. Pierce would get off to a fast start as he was named Rookie of The Month in February, after the season was delayed by a four-month lockout. However, after a 7–7 start to the season, the Celtics
Bill Green (basketball) work on it [the fear] and come back later." Green quit the Celtics right before the regular season began and never returned to attempt professional basketball (or any other professional sport), knowing that in order to play he would have to get over his fear of flying, which was something he could not do. Realizing that any future as a professional athlete was out of the question, Green earned a master's degree from Brooklyn College. He taught in several New York City public schools afterward, and then in 1971 became the principal of Jordan L. Mott School in the South