Foreign Born Celtic – Rick Fox

I felt bad doing my last foreigner on a player no one has ever seen play, probably for good reason.  That is why I am bringing out an old Celtic who went to the dark side.  Rick Fox split his career between Boston and Los Angeles, although we aren’t mad at you Rick.  It still hurt seeing Laker celebrations with the first rookie to start since Larry Bird, at that time.

Born in Toronto, Canada Rick is technically an Canadian citizen, however at three years of age, Fox’s family moved to the Bahamas.  He played most of his high school basketball at Kingsway Academy in Nassau, a city in the Bahamas.  He transferred for better competition in Warsaw, Indiana, where he was ruled ineligible to play his senior season, due to his time in Nassau.  He played his college basketball at North Carolina where he helped lead the Tar Heels to the 1991 Final Four. 

Drafted 24^th in the first round in 1991, the Boston Celtics selected a polished small forward who would have the impossible task of being the “new” Larry Bird.   Standing 6’7” and weighing in at 230 lbs, Rick Fox possessed the size to play the physical style of basketball Boston was known for.   Playing his first seven seasons in Boston, he had his best seasons prior to signing with Los Angeles, averaging 14.5 points in last two with the Celtics.  With career averages of 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists, Rick Fox is more known for being a role player.  

Rick Fox was lucky enough to play along side Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal as they went on to three peat from 2000 to 2002.  Being a member of the NBA All Rookie Team (second team) in 1992, he showed the potential he had.  But he probably shined a little more in retirement, earning himself 3 All Star Celebrity Game appearances.  

Most famous for his role in Eddie (well to me) Rick Fox has a better resume off the basketball court and on the camera.  Rick played Jackson Vahue in HBO’s OZ.  He has also been in plenty of basketball movies including He Got Game (Where he showed Ray Allen a good time), Blue Chips (who wasn’t in this?), and of course Whoopi Goldberg’s best work of Eddie.

He has also appeared in One Tree Hill, Missing, Meet the Brown’s, Dirt, Ugly Betty, The Game, Party Down, Dancing with the Stars, The Big Bang Theory, and Holes.    Even more impressive could be his love interests.  After moving on from his college sweetheart, he married Actress/Singer (Or singer/actor?) Vanessa L. Williams.  They divorced in August of 2004, where Rick went single for a good amount of time before falling for Eliza Dushku (actress) in 2009.  They are still happily dating (sorry ladies). 

Now we know almost everything important about Rick Fox.   He never really shined or became the next Larry Bird like the people in Boston wanted, but he was a damn good role player who would only improve a team’s bench and moral.  I don’t know why but I always pictured Rick Fox and Rony Seikaly hitting the clubs together.    With the league in a lockout, it seems I will be doing more of these until I run out of foreigners, than I will have to move on to other categories for Celtic players.