Expert: Fabio Anderle - 2/20/2005

Question
I was looking up the legacy on the Boston Celtics during 1975 and I noticed that Ed Searcy only played a few games, why is that? I know he was an excellent player during his year with St. John's (NY) College, so was it because he did not stay in the league for long or was he just a great college player and an OK NBA player??? Also I find him to be interesting simply because he was so good in college but then once he made it to the NBA, it was a different story. Do you know anything else about or on him? Since he was not a known player, I cannot find much on him through the net.

Answer
Hi, Eleesha,

Ed Searcy was indeed a good college player, but when he became part of the Boston Celtics, he was immediately "outgunned" by Tom Boswell, the rookie forward from South Carolina. Then-coach Heinsohn praised Boswell's skills saying "The kid has more talent than anyone on the squad and is as strong or stronger than Paul Silas. The game until now has been too easy for him, he could be a great one". Unfortunately for the Celtics, Boswell wasn't good enough to become one of the greats, but he was good enough to push aside Ed Searcy, who would eventually play a marginal role in those Championship season, and then would be released, not finding any other NBA team willling to give him a second chance.