Former Celtics Lottery Pick Dies At 52 After Battle With Cancer

Former Celtics first-round pick Eric Montross died Sunday after a battle with cancer, the University of North Carolina announced Monday. He was 52.

The Celtics drafted Montross with the No. 9 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft after a decorated career at Chapel Hill. Montross was a two-time All-American who helped the Tar Heels win the 1993 national championship.

The highly touted Montross spent just two seasons with the Celtics. He was an All-Rookie second-team selection in his debut campaign with Boston, averaging a career-high 10 points per game in 78 contests with the Green. The 7-foot center pulled down 7.3 rebounds per game, also a career-high. Boston eventually traded him along with a first-round pick to Dallas following the 1995-96 season, in exchange for a pair of first-round picks that the Celtics eventually turned into Antoine Walker and Ron Mercer.

Montross went on to play for six teams, ending his career in 2002 with Toronto.