BOSTON -- The Green are getting greener. With aging stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on their way to the Brooklyn Nets and Doc Rivers already coaching the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics hired 36-year-old Brad Stevens from Butler as their coach on Wednesday. The move turns the tradition-laden franchise over to a mentor who led the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA title games but is younger than Garnett and wasnt yet born when Bill Russell won his 11th NBA championship in 1969 (or even when John Havlicek added two more in the 1970s). Its the first time the Celtics have hired a college coach since Rick Pitino in 1997 and their first coach with no NBA experience of any kind since Alvin "Doggie" Julian, who was hired in 1948 and gave way to Red Auerbach two years later. "Though he is young, I see Brad as a great leader who leads with impeccable character and a strong work ethic" Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said in a release. "His teams always play hard and execute on both ends of the court. Brad is a coach who has already enjoyed lots of success, and I look forward to working with him towards Banner 18." The Celtics gave Stevens a six-year deal worth about $22 million, according to a basketball official with knowledge of the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the terms were not public. Ainge met with Stevens at his home in the Indianapolis area along with Celtics owners Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca and worked out the deal Wednesday morning. "Its a wonderful opportunity with a historic franchise," Butler President James M. Danko said at an on-campus news conference Wednesday night. "We have done everything we possibly can to keep him. Brad is a very bright, very articulate, and a wonderful, wonderful person whos handled this as well as hes handled everything else youve seen him do." Since taking Butler of the mid-major Horizon League to the national championship game in 2010 and again in 11, Stevens had been courted by Illinois and UCLA, among others. "But there are some brands in sports, and in the world of basketball the Celtics are one of those," athletic director Barry Collier said, adding that Stevens contract ran through 2025. "That shows you the faith we had in Brad and the commitment we made to him. ... I didnt treat it as inevitable (that he would leave). I looked at it like every year Brad was our coach, it was another good year for Butler." Stevens spent seven years as a Butler assistant and the last six years as the head coach, compiling a career winning percentage of .772. He never won fewer than 22 games in a season, and the Bulldogs went 33-5 in 2009-10. Stevens, who didnt attend the news conference, takes over a team that is rebuilding just three seasons removed from an appearance in the NBA Finals; the Celtics won their unprecedented 17th championship in 2008. But with Garnett and Pierce showing signs of slowing down in this years playoffs, when Boston was eliminated by the New York Knicks in the first round, Ainge is trying to get younger. He allowed Rivers to take over the Clippers, extracting a first-round draft choice in return. Amid last weeks NBA draft, the Celtics and Nets agreed to a deal that would send Garnett and Pierce to Brooklyn in exchange for a package of players along with three first-round draft picks. In all, the Celtics have nine first-rounders in the next five years, along with a dynamic but temperamental point guard in Rajon Rondo and talented swingman Jeff Green. Now, Stevens will be the one to work with those young players. "Our family is thrilled for the opportunity given to us by the leadership of the Boston Celtics, but it is emotional to leave a place that we have called home for the past 13 years," Stevens said in a release issued by the university. "We truly love Butler University and Indianapolis, and are very thankful to have had the opportunity to celebrate so many wonderful things together." At Butler, Stevens was 166-49 -- the most wins for any Division I coach in the first six years of his career. In 2009-10, the Bulldogs posted the Horizon Leagues first 18-0 conference record, a 25-game winning streak and an appearance in the NCAA title game, where they lost to Duke 61-59 when a last-second, half-court shot bounced off the backboard and rim and out. "Brad has given his talent to our university with exceptional generosity, integrity, and humility," Danko said, calling Stevens "a beloved member of our community." "We have done everything we can to keep Brad here at Butler; however, the Celtics team has offered Brad and his family a unique opportunity with which no university can compete." Emiliano Martinez Arsenal Jersey . Fred Couples, captain of the U.S. side, put it all into perspective. "We know whos in charge," he said. Mesut Ozil Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. http://www.footballarsenalstore.com/Women-Alexandre-Lacazette-Arsenal-Fc-Jersey/ . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Matteo Guendouzi Jersey . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. 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Itd be almost impossible.Instead, the Australian superstar and four-time Olympian settled for being honored and cheered loudly by those fans in KeyArena on Friday night as the team formally retired her uniform after an 80-51 rout of the Washington Mystics.Jacksons No. 15 jersey, the first number retired in the teams 16-year history, was unveiled in the arenas rafters, next to the two banners signifying the WNBA championships she helped win in 2004 and 2010.It was then that the reality -- and finality -- of stepping away from the game hit home with the 35-year-old Jackson.I think the closure in itself is a sad thing. But at least I got to come back, said Jackson, who hadnt been in Seattle since playing her final game in the 2012 WNBA playoffs against Minnesota. It doesnt feel like it has been four years. I wasnt sure I was going to get to get back here. But having the opportunity to come back and retire here is probably the most important thing Ive ever done.Jackson was introducced as a ceremonial sixth starter before the game, and threw several of her basketball shoes into the stands at halftime.ddddddddddddI didnt realize how much I missed [Seattle] until I got back in, Jackson said. I did grow up here. I was a little teenager when I got here.Although she didnt play in the WNBA after 2012, Jackson did continue playing overseas. But having dealt with ankle, shin and back injuries at various points of her career, Jackson announced in a tweet on March 30 that she was calling it quits.The 6-foot-6 Jackson was 19 when she came to Seattle with the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2001 after the Storm went just 6-26 as an expansion team in 2000. During her 12-year career, she scored a team-leading 6,007 points, a total that ranks No. 7 on the WNBAs career list. She also ranks No. 3 in the league for career blocked shots (586) and No. 9 in rebounds (2,447).Jackson was a three-time MVP and was the named to the WNBAs All-Decade team in 2006 as one of the leagues top 10 players. Along with four Olympics for the Australian national team (three silver medals and one bronze), she played in three World Championships, helping the Opals win gold in 2006. ' ' '