Because a man doesn’t forget receiving news that a close friend has been stabbed, John Connor, the long-time Celtics equipment manager, remembers the feeling when Rick Pitino called him 20 years ago this week.
Connor had bonded with Paul Pierce from the start. On the night the Celtics drafted Pierce, the organization sent Connor as its delegate to the draft site in Vancouver. Pierce slipped to the 10th spot, where the Celtics took him. Connor was the first to welcome the rookie to the organization. He and Pierce hung out deep into the night. Eventually, they developed into shooting rivals and trash-talking buddies. Before games, Pierce would step into what he called “The Dungeon” – Connor’s office at the Celtics home arena. Connor, widely known as Johnny Joe, called his friend “Hobbs,” after Roy Hobbs from “The Natural.”
The two were tight. So the phone call on Sept. 25, 2000, gutted Connor.
“Monday…
