Danny Ainge

Danny, calm as always

Danny Ainge

Daniel Ray Ainge (born March 17, 1959) is an American former professional basketball and baseball player, and current executive. He is currently the CEO of Basketball Operations and Alternate Governor for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ainge is one of the few athletes to have played in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the NBA.

Early Life and Education

Ainge was born in Eugene, Oregon. He attended North Eugene High School, where he was a standout in basketball, baseball, and football. Ainge was named to the Parade All-America team in basketball and was considered one of the top high school athletes in the country.

College Career

Ainge attended Brigham Young University (BYU), where he played college basketball for the Cougars. He was a consensus All-American and won the John R. Wooden Award as the nation's most outstanding college basketball player in 1981.

Professional Baseball Career

Ainge was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 15th round of the 1977 Major League Baseball draft. He played for the Blue Jays from 1979 to 1981, primarily as a second baseman. Despite his success in baseball, Ainge decided to focus on his basketball career.

NBA Playing Career

Ainge was selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 1981 NBA draft. He played for the Celtics from 1981 to 1989, winning two NBA Championships in 1984 and 1986. Ainge also played for the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, and Phoenix Suns before retiring in 1995.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Ainge briefly served as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns from 1996 to 1999. He resigned from coaching to spend more time with his family.

Executive Career

Ainge returned to the NBA as an executive, joining the Boston Celtics as Executive Director of Basketball Operations in 2003. Under his leadership, the Celtics won the 2008 NBA Finals. In 2021, Ainge stepped down from his role with the Celtics and later joined the Utah Jazz as CEO of Basketball Operations.

Personal Life

Ainge is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has been active in various charitable endeavors. He and his wife, Michelle, have six children.

See Also

• List of multi-sport athletes
• Boston Celtics
• Utah Jazz
• Brigham Young University

External Links

• Career statistics from [https://stats.nba.com/player/{{#property:P3647}}

/ NBA.com] and Basketball Reference

• Career statistics and player information from [https://www.wnba.com/player/{{#property:P3588}}

/ WNBA.com] and Basketball Reference