Brian Shaw on Europe (Part 2)

July 29, 7:32 PMGolden State Warriors ExaminerMatt Steinmetz

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Shaw: Wasn't feelin' Boston

On the impact of his signing in Europe and eschewing the NBA:

B.S.: "When I went 20 years ago it was the first time that players at the beginning of their NBA careers went over. At that time players’ careers were winding down, maybe go over there and stretch it out as long as they can.

"Danny Ferry going straight over after being the second pick in draft, and me having been the starting point guard for the Celtics, and to leave after my first year to go there at 22 years old, it was shocking for the NBA at that time."

On the difficulty of leaving the Celtics after his rookie season:

B.S.: "I grew up on the West Coast. I wasn’t a Boston fan. When I got there I loved that it was Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and Danny (Ainge). But growing up I was a Warriors fan in Oakland, and I pulled for the Lakers when they played Boston.

"So for me, it wasn’t a matter of leaving the famed Boston Celtics. It was I’m playing basketball. I started 54 of the 82 games that season as a rookie. I felt like I was a serious contributor on that team, and they didn’t draft another point guard after the season was over.

"They drafted Mike Smith. Dennis Johnson was toward the end of his career. They had traded Danny Ainge. The only guards were myself and Reggie Lewis. We had picked up Kevin Gamble. So I had leverage. But they only offered me a qualifying offer for the minimum at that time $225,000. Having been a starter and they only came back with that, I didn’t think it was fair.

"The team in Italy had a wealthy owner. I was going to be in Rome. They offered me four times the amount that Boston was going to pay me with their qualifying offer. And it was to play 35 games (for Il Messagero)."

On returning to Boston to play for the Celtics after tried to remain in Italy:

B.S.: "When I came back my days were numbered and I knew that because Celtics fans are so passionate. They looked at me like I was a traitor. How could I betray the Celtics and go play in Europe? That year, for the first month of the season, every time I touched the ball the fans at home booed me.

Statistically, that was my best season ever in the NBA (13.8 ppg., 7.6 apg., 4.7 rpg.). It had to be because the pressure was on me because they were so against me for doing that.