The man behind the Maine Celtics

Dajuan Eubanks reflects on life, family and the game of basketball

Banner Sports Sponsored by the Patriots Foundation

When you first meet Dajuan Eubanks, current president of the Maine Celtics, you are startled by his 6-foot-9-inch stature and deep, Barry White-type voice. The man who runs the Boston Celtics minor league basketball franchise in the NBA G League is quite impressive. If you are blessed to get to know him, you will leave the moment knowing that you have been in the presence of a unique and special person.

Following a recent interview, my impression of the 53-year-old father of three daughters, Shayla, 24, Kiera, 22, and Kendra, 16, was that. “Being raised without a father in my youth, I credit my mother (Annie) and the other powerful Black women (grandmother, aunts, etc.), along with uncles and other Black male role models, for my successful journey to my current status in life. Being a divorced father, I work very hard to stay close to my three daughters because of my mother’s strong influence on my brother Jamian and me.

“Family is one of life’s most important elements. I don’t preach religion to people,” this deeply spiritual man said. “I try to be an example of being a good person of faith and inspire people with my actions. I am a big man of action and being accessible to people, especially young people with whom I come in contact.”

President Dajuan Eubanks with his Maine Celfics staff PHOTO: MAINE CELTICS

Following a successful college basketball career at Rice University and world travel with the Harlem Globetrotters (1994-1997), Dajuan has spoken to global audiences about his life and ambitions.

“I always wanted to be a part of basketball in some capacity. My entrepreneurial spirit is a major part of who I am and has driven my career path,” he said.

Eubanks continued, “More times than not, I have been the only minority person in a room of white people and have had a feeling that I had to prove that I belonged in their company. But I was taught to survive by the people who raised me to believe that I deserve to be wherever I choose to be.”

I’ve carried those lessons with me throughout my life. I remember when I first came to Maine roughly 20 years ago, I was asked to speak at a school,” he said. “When I walked into the classroom and saw that I was the only Black person in the room, I thought I had to grow in my thinking and deal with the situation in front of me. These young people were probably as curious about me as I was about them. I spoke from my heart, and it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. I walked away that day with a lesson: The only difference between an adult and a child is what each learns on their journey through this life. I am a person of simplicity whose message is broken down into four letters: K-Knowledge, I-independence in thinking with positive action, D-Determination to study, work, and drive to the goal that you want, S-Success- the overall goal for most people who want something out of life.”

Eubank’s K-I-D-S for life theory speaks volumes to his success in life. He credits men like James I. Cash and other members of the Boston Celtics organization for his current position with the team but quickly points out that none of this would have been possible if not for his upbringing.

“I was born and raised in a town near Birmingham, Alabama, called Roosevelt City,” Eubanks explained. “It was where Black people were allowed to operate the neighborhood’s finances, thus controlling their destiny.” In fact, during Eubank’s time there, Roosevelt City was incorporated as an independent municipality.

“When I turned 13, my mother moved my brother and me to Dallas to give us access to additional opportunities.

Coming out of that environment gave me a head start on my road to success. When I won a scholarship to Rice University, I knew what my mother and family expected of me,” he said.

After college, Eubanks played with the famed Harlem Globetrotters. “Traveling the world as a Globetrotter, I spoke to many different people and gained life-learned lessons while never losing my sense of who I was and what I wanted in my lifetime. Then, just as now, I always wanted to leave an impact wherever I go, said Eubanks, adding, “When I speak to young people, I try to inspire them to set lofty goals for themselves, to go for those goals, and never to lose confidence in themselves. I constantly tell them, ‘There may be many bumps in the road, but you have to stay the course to get to your destination, which is your ultimate goal.’”

One of the goals that stands before Eubanks and the Maine Celtics is to win the G League championship after losing to the Oklahoma City Blue in last season’s championship final. “We were trying to match our Boston Celtics brethren by winning a title in the same year they won Number 18. That rare double has only been achieved by the Golden State Warriors and their Santa Cruz G League affiliate in 2010,” he said.

Eubanks continued, “But I want to point out that Celtics second-round draft pick Jordan Walsh and the two-way players from the Maine Celtics, Neemias Queta, JD Davidson, and Drew Peterson, each picked up an NBA Championship ring as part of the 2023-24 Boston Celtics. As the parent Boston Celtics team goes for back-to-back NBA titles, our Maine Celtics team will try our best to complete the pro basketball dream double. I received a championship ring from the parent club. I want one for my Maine Celtics team. That is one of my main objectives this year. I believe that God has laid a path for me. I pray that that path will lead me to a goal that I sincerely want to achieve.”