Colton Iverson, Kelly Olynyk

Colton Iverson, left, withKelly Olynyk, shortly after the 2013 NBA Draft.

(AP Photo/Steven Senne)

BOSTON -- There's a neat story about Colton Iverson's father, Chuck, who was drafted by two professional basketball teams but never played for either one. He says the ABA's Memphis Tams were willing to offer him a contract, but told him the deal would not stand if he decided to try out for the Seattle Supersonics. The Supersonics had selected him in the fifth round of the 1973 NBA Draft, and they featured a coach by the name of Bill Russell.

Chuck Iverson knew he might not make the Supersonics, but called a lawyer friend anyway to learn options to escape a contract he had signed to become a teacher. This was before the days of big-money professional basketball deals; the drafts were such a minor event, compared to the way the NBA Draft is now, that Iverson did not know he had been chosen in one of them until his brother informed him. Still, Iverson wanted to continue playing basketball and determine if he could make it in the NBA. And Bill Russell was his hero.

"I'd rather get cut by Bill Russell," the current Mount Marty College athletic director says now, "than make it in Memphis."

Iverson was indeed cut by Bill Russell, but not before rubbing toes with the legend. The tryout featured so much conditioning work that, more than 40 years later, Iverson can still remember how his legs felt after doing jumping jacks on his toes for 15 consecutive minutes. During one scrimmage, Russell approached Iverson before a jump ball and asked whether Iverson was tired. He was exhausted from all the running but refused to admit it to the greatest winner in basketball history.

The story is relevant now because Colton Iverson, like his father many years ago, hopes to latch on with an NBA team. Drafted three years ago by the Boston Celtics, the 7-footer began his professional career in Spain and spent this past season in Turkey. Playing for Karsiyaka, he showed enough improvement that Austin Ainge, the Celtics director of player personnel, believes Iverson has outgrown the NBA summer league.

"He's played so well in Europe, he's priced himself out of that market," Ainge said recently. "He's going to get big, big offers -- kind of like last year (at summer league) where he had to leave early because he got so much money. And he's played even better this year. He's having a great career."

At some point, Iverson hopes that career will take him to the NBA. One issue: the Celtics still hold his rights. With an absurd eight draft picks on top of their current players, they won't have much (or any) roster space unless they undergo a complete overhaul this summer.

According to Iverson's agent, Adam Pensack, other NBA teams have inquired about the center's availability, but a trade would be needed to send Iverson elsewhere. If he does get a shot, he would likely need to accept a pay cut from the money he would make overseas.

"That's what it's starting to sound like, so that kind of hurts," Iverson said recently. "But you can't put a price tag on playing in the NBA. That's just been my dream since I can remember. So I really hope there's an opportunity, and if that opportunity comes I'm going to for sure make the most of it. And I'm going to prove to them that I deserve to be there. I'm hoping that will be the next step, but if not there will be very lucrative offers overseas also.

"Everybody recognizes what I did, and I'm ready for the next step. We're just kind of hoping, waiting, seeing. I think we did enough that I don't have to prove myself in summer league this year."

"It was a little bit of a bummer knowing that I had to go overseas (initially)," Iverson added. "Boston told me they wanted to draft me, they were going to go out of their way to draft me (by trading cash to acquire the draft pick they used on him). They kind of made it sound like, OK, one year overseas. And it's been three years now. And I think I've just made a really good adjustment. There is really good players and really good contracts in Europe so I'm making the most of it. But also at the same time I want to make it to the NBA. You learn every year, every country is a little bit different, every team is a little bit different, but you just always have to keep your mind open, your thoughts open, and just do your job which is playing basketball."

Iverson said he believes the Celtics are "making the right moves," and he doesn't blame them for the fact he has yet to receive an NBA opportunity.

"They're putting together a really good team and they're establishing themselves, and they've got a good foundation right now. So I understand their roster situation," he said. "They have a ton of draft picks. I'm hoping I get my shot or my opportunity, but if not I'll just keep working hard to get to where I need to be. And hopefully another team or Boston will finally make a move."