At least some fans of the Boston Celtics were hoping for a reunion with a former member of the team’s frontcourt. After news broke that Boston big man alum Daniel Theis had been bought out of his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder after having been dealt there at the 2025 NBA trade deadline by the New Orleans Pelicans, the prospect was a technical possibility.
But Theis had other ideas in mind for the rest of his career, and headed back to Europe to join AS Monaco, the same ball club former Celtics floor general Kemba Walker had joined to finish out his pro career. In a recent interview with Eurohoops’ Johnny Askounis, Theis explained why he chose to return to Europe. “Monaco has built something big in recent years by reaching the Final Four and currently ranking among the top four in the EuroLeague standings,” said Theis.
“I wanted to be part of this adventure, to win, to have a chance to conquer EuroLeague, to be competitive,” he added.
No hard feelings to Boston or the NBA, though — just good memories. “For most of the time, I had a good experience with successful runs,” he offered. “I went to the Finals with the Boston Celtics. I played in the Eastern Conference Finals several times.”
“I played with great players. I met a lot of friends. It remains a great chapter in my professional career.”
