Brad Stevens Missing Celtics Game To Visit Former Butler Player
BOSTON (CBS) -- Celtics head coach Brad Stevens will not be with his team on Thursday night in Chicago.
The team announced that Stevens will be instead traveling to Indiana to visit a former Butler player.
Celtics assistant coach Jay Larranaga will assume head coach duties for the team's game against the Bulls.
The Celtics' announcement provided no more details, but The Indy Star reported this week that former Butler player Andrew Smith was readmitted to the hospital this week. Smith has been battling cancer for two years. Smith's wife tweeted this week, asking for prayers.
Please pray. Pray so very hard. We need a miracle & Andrew asked me to have you all rally with us in prayer in this moment.
— Samantha Smith (@Samantha44Smith) January 6, 2016
Stevens visited Smith in November when the Celtics played the Pacers.
"I've seen Andrew through a lot of really tough stuff over the last two years and that son of a gun always responds," Stevens said in November. "He's as tough as they come and I have no doubt that he'll respond again."