McCahtty Weighs In

McCahtty Weighs In

January 2, 200

He's warmed the bench a lot this season, but Walter McCarty is generating buzz in other ways. The Celtics veteran is guiding younger players on the team and continuing his community outreach, which focuses on music. The 6-foot-10-inch forward, who has an R&B album, Moment for Love, under his belt, started the I Love Music Foundation in 2002 to give young people access to music lessons and equipment. McCarty, who turns 31 next month, and his wife, Erin, live in Lincoln and have a 20-month-old daughter, Gabrielle.

   1. A COURTSIDE DARE LED TO A ROLE IN HE GOT GAME. "I was a big fan of [Spike Lee], and he was always at the game [when McCarty played in New York with the Knicks], so as a joke one day, I said, 'Spike, when you going to put me in one of your movies?' And he did. That's how it all happened."

2. AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, RICK PITINO WAS OBSESSED WITH MCCARTY'S WEIGHT. "It was horrible. Pancakes, French toast, doughnuts all the time. I know when I've had enough, but he would say no, keep eating."

3. HE WANTS TO PLAY WITH A PATS LINEBACKER - AT SYMPHONY HALL. "I've never had the opportunity to do anything with Tedy [Bruschi, who plays saxophone]. We were thinking about doing something together, putting on an event, him performing and me performing. We never did, but it was a good idea, and I hope sometime we do."

4. HE GAVE HIS WIFE A UNIQUE ANNIVERSARY GIFT. Last year was "the first year that I've tried sushi. That's what we did, me and my wife, for our second anniversary. She loves sushi, and she's been trying forever to get me to, but I just never would. But then, on our anniversary, I decided, 'All right, let me try it.'"

5. WEARING THE NUMBER ZERO WAS NOT HIS FIRST CHOICE. "Trying to pick a number from the Celtics is like picking a needle out of a haystack. So many [numbers] have been retired. So I said, 'How about zero? Has anyone worn zero? Is zero retired?' Because double-zero is retired."