BOSTON Celtics legend Dave Cowens quit the NBA at the height of his career to sell Christmas trees.

The center was burned out after winning two NBA titles with the Celtics in 1974 and 1976 and being awarded the MVP award in 1973.

Dave Cowens is one of the greatest players in Boston Celtics history
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Dave Cowens is one of the greatest players in Boston Celtics historyCredit: Getty

The center won two NBA titles and one MVP award
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The center won two NBA titles and one MVP awardCredit: Getty

Cowens took a leave of absence from the NBA in 1976 to sell Christmas trees
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Cowens took a leave of absence from the NBA in 1976 to sell Christmas treesCredit: Getty
Eight games into the 1976-77 season, the 28-year-old Cowens decided to quit his $280,000-a-year job for an unpaid leave of absence.

He went back to the family farm in Cold Spring, Kentucky, and sold around 1,000 Christmas trees.

“It was 1976 and I was getting burned out on playing basketball, [general manager] Red Auerbach said, ‘If your heart is not into it, go. When you’re ready, come on back’,” Cowens recalled.

“So I went to my family farm in Kentucky and sold Scotch Pine trees. I was just exploring other opportunities.”

Cowens returned to the NBA two months later and led the Celtics into the playoffs.

Then one day between games in the 1977 playoffs, Cowens decided to work as a Boston cab driver to pass the time.

“I just wanted to see what it’s like,” he said.

“I paid $35 to become part of the Independent Taxi Operators Association.

“As long as you filled up their car at the end of the shift, you get to keep the fares you made.”

Despite being one of the most famous NBA players at the time, Cowens said barely anyone recognized him.

“I really wanted to show my buddy around Boston and thought it’d be a cool way and we’d have some fun,” he added.

“We picked up a few fares. We took some long routes around the city.

“That was before cable television, before all these eyes on you off the court.

“I was a free spirit then.”

Cowens left the Celtics in 1980 and retired from the NBA in 1983 after a brief stint with the Milwaukee Bucks.

He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and named a member of both the NBA 50th and 75th Anniversary All-Time teams.