"Never Could Do It Pruitt" Joins Maine Red Claws

Former Boston Celtics guard Gabriel Michael "Gabe" Pruitt is returning to New England to recapture his former...uhh..his former...ummm...ahhh, that is, his former...proximity, yeah, that's it...Proximity...joining the NBA Developmental League's Maine Red Claws following a trade from his former team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. 

A 2nd round pick by the Celtics in the 2007 draft, "That's-Not-How-We-Do-It, Pruitt" was a minor disappointment for the team during his brief stay. I say "minor" because there weren't really any great expectations placed on the former University of Southern California player by the Celtics, who at the time were in desperate need for even a just-slightly-competent playmaker/shooter. Instead, despite numerous opportunities and resulting boneheaded decisions both on and off the court (see the 3am DUI he received out in L.A.), the Celtics were treated to averages of 2 points per game on .321 shooting (.283 from Threeland), and 0.8 assists over 62 games at 7.4 minutes a clip. 


"You only get THIS many chances, Gabe!!"

Eventually passing the point of desperation into Marburyation, the Celtics parted ways with their unsharpened point, but not before "Made-In-The-Shade-Gabe" blissfully rode the bench to an NBA Championship ring with the 2008 Celtics.

Only catching brief glimpses of the NBA life following his cut from the C's, "Aww-Screw-It Pruitt" found a home with the NBADL, most recently with the Sioux Falls Skyforce for whom he was averaging a Jordan-esque (noooo, not Michael Jordan...Jordan Eglseder ) 6.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.4 steals per-game in 21.7 minutes.

The NBADL described the deal to bring the former Celtics guard to the Claws and send forward James Mays to the Skyforce as a "Blockbuster," but I'm trying to decide whether they mean that James is a building "block" and "Just-Get-Through-It Pruitt" is a "buster," or the NBADL is just really hurting for some kind of news. ANY kind of news.

Now, if you think I'm being a little too hard on a former Greenteamer (a shallow and reportedly cocky-beyond-his-talent Greenteamer, though he may be), allow me to bring in another "raving fan" to help me rest my defense.

The Boston Globe summed up "I-Need-A-Babe Gabe's" questionable character thusly:

"It's fair to say Gabe Pruitt didn't distinguish himself as a member of the Celtics, and he isn't winning many fans with his boorish behavior on "Bad Girls Club." Pruitt, whom the Celts wisely cut before the season, appeared on this week's episode and was even more obnoxious, if that's possible, than the stars of the show."
 

-- Boston Globe, 2010, The Names Blog

For the...ahhh, shall we say less-than-charming details about "Gameless Gabe," click on the link to the full Globe story here.

In any case...welcome back to New England, Gabe...I guess.