John Celestand
Encyclopedia
John Celestand is a retired American
professional basketball
player.
A 6'4" (1.93 m) shooting guard
, Celestand attended Piscataway Township High School
in Piscataway Township, New Jersey
before playing collegiately at Villanova University
. Celestand was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
with the No. 30 overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft
. He was a member of the Lakers' 1999–2000 championship team, and has spent several years playing professionally in Italy
—for Skipper Bologna
for two months in late 2001—, France
and Germany
.
Celestand is currently living in New Jersey
. He works as a personal basketball trainer and a basketball commentator. He works as an announcer for ESPN Plus
and ESPNU covering college basketball games. He is also an analyst on 76ers Post Game Live for Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. In addition John is the color analyst for ISP Sports Radio covering the National Big East Game of the Week and MSG Varsity covering high school basketball in the New Jersey/New York City area.
John is a former coach of the Central Jersey Jammers AAU team based in New Brunswick, New Jersey
, and he still helps out with various basketball organizations around central New Jersey
. He is a member of the "I Can Foundation" a non-profit organization created in 2005 to encourage the importance of literacy among inner city youth and also works as a motivational speaker throughout New Jersey. In addition John works with Heroes and Cool Kids, a non-profit company based in North Jersey which mentors high school student-athletes.
John is also President of Celestand Consulting. Through Celestand Consulting, John trains high school, college and professional basketball players.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
A 6'4" (1.93 m) shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
, Celestand attended Piscataway Township High School
Piscataway Township High School
Piscataway Township High School is a four-year public high school in Piscataway Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in grades 9-12 as part of the Piscataway Township Schools....
in Piscataway Township, New Jersey
Piscataway Township, New Jersey
The township consists of the following historic villages and areas: New Market, known as Quibbletown in the 18th Century, Randolphville, Fieldville and North Stelton...
before playing collegiately at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
. Celestand was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
with the No. 30 overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft
1999 NBA Draft
The 1999 NBA Draft was held on June 30, 1999 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Brand , Trajan Langdon , Corey Maggette and William Avery being selected out of Duke University...
. He was a member of the Lakers' 1999–2000 championship team, and has spent several years playing professionally in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
—for Skipper Bologna
Fortitudo Bologna
Fortitudo Pallacanestro Bologna is an Legadue Basket professional basketball club that is based in Bologna. It's currently sponsored by Conad.-History:...
for two months in late 2001—, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Celestand is currently living in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He works as a personal basketball trainer and a basketball commentator. He works as an announcer for ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus
ESPN Plus, the popular name of ESPN Regional Television, is an American television program syndicator. ERT is based along with sister network ESPNU in Charlotte, North Carolina...
and ESPNU covering college basketball games. He is also an analyst on 76ers Post Game Live for Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. In addition John is the color analyst for ISP Sports Radio covering the National Big East Game of the Week and MSG Varsity covering high school basketball in the New Jersey/New York City area.
John is a former coach of the Central Jersey Jammers AAU team based in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, and he still helps out with various basketball organizations around central New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He is a member of the "I Can Foundation" a non-profit organization created in 2005 to encourage the importance of literacy among inner city youth and also works as a motivational speaker throughout New Jersey. In addition John works with Heroes and Cool Kids, a non-profit company based in North Jersey which mentors high school student-athletes.
John is also President of Celestand Consulting. Through Celestand Consulting, John trains high school, college and professional basketball players.