The Boston Celtics are an NBA franchise based in Boston, Massachusetts, and have gifted many greatest players of all time. It consists of the Greatest Boston Celtic Players of all time and there is absolutely no doubt about it. The Celtics are a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. They have 17 rings, making them one of the most successful teams with the Greatest Boston Celtic players of all time.
The Boston Celtics were formed by Walter A. Brown. The year 2008 is when the team last competed in a championship. Wycliffe Grousbeck is the owner of the Boston Celtics and is coached by Brad Stevens. The Celtics had never missed the playoffs for a decade, and in the mid-’90s, the Celtics dynasty faced their first extended postseason predicament in NBA or Celtics history. Having said that, we shall now know more about the Greatest Boston Celtic Players of all time.
Well, although it just doesn’t begin directly with the Greatest Boston Celtic players, also a little more insight into the franchise is always a must. After nine years of existence, the Boston Celtics won their first championship in the year 1957. The Celtics have eight championships to their credit. Few sports clubs have as long a history as the Boston Celtics. Boston is the most successful club in NBA history, with 17 championship banners hanging in the TD Garden rafters.
Well, in history, there is no doubt that the Celtics are well-represented in any discussion about Boston’s greatest-ever athlete.
Here’s a list of the top 12 Boston Celtics best players of all time:
1. Larry Bird – The best Celtics player of all time
Larry Bird was one of the best players of his generation, winning the league MVP award three times in a row from 1984 to 1986. Bird also had a key role in three Celtics titles during his 13 years with the team. On offense, he was a force to be reckoned with, finding teammates with a diverse array of passes. Bird won the NBA 3-point shooting contest three years in a row as a shooter (1986-1988). In the year 1998, Bird’s No. 33 retired by the Celtics after he was moved into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
2. Bob Cousy
Despite Red Auerbach’s initial rejection of Cousy as a “local yokel,” Cousy rapidly won over his coach, having already won over local fans as a two-time National Champion at Holy Cross. The point guard immediately established himself as Auerbach’s floor leader, leading the league in assists per game for eight consecutive seasons. Cousy was termed to be the league MVP in the year 1957 and helped the Celtics win their first championship, kicking off a dynasty.
3. Kevin Garnett – top Celtics players
In a blockbuster deal in the summer of 2007, the Celtics acquired “the Big Ticket.” Garnett immediately aided in the franchise’s revival. Garnett, a very talented forward, was termed to 15 NBA All-Star teams and won Defensive Player of the Year in his rookie season with Boston. Garnett’s first season with the Celtics also marked the team’s 17th championship, with him playing a key part. His commanding presence and dynamic abilities aided Boston’s return to prominence.
4. John Havlicek – greatest Celtic players
Havlicek won a championship in each of his first four NBA seasons with the Celtics. He chose the Celtics, even when he was being picked by the Cleveland Browns. In his early years, Havlicek earned a name for himself as a sixth man and was known for his versatility. He was a member of 13 NBA All-Star teams and won eight championships. After 16 seasons in Boston, Havlicek retired in 1978 as the team’s all-time leader in games played and points scored records still stand in the year 2018).
5. Tommy Heinsohn
Following his record-setting career at Holy Cross, Heinsohn was drafted by the Celtics with a territorial selection pick in the year 1956. Heinsohn arrived as a rookie as a recognized quantity to local fans. He won the Rookie of the Year with votes after quickly helping Boston win its first championship. In nine seasons with Boston, the power forward earned eight NBA titles. Heinsohn went on to coach the Celtics to two more championships in 1974 and 1976.
6. Sam Jones
Jones is second all-time in NBA titles won during the course of a playing career to teammate Bill Russell, with ten in his 12 years in Boston. He became a key part of the Celtics’ attack, scoring more than 15,000 points in his career. Jones’ No. 24 retired by the Celtics after he was termed as a five-time All-Star. In the year 1996, the NBA’s 50th anniversary, he was called to be one of the league’s best 50 players.
7. Kevin McHale
McHale established himself as one of the best power forwards of his era throughout his 13 seasons with the Celtics. He was termed to seven NBA All-Star teams, three All-NBA Defensive First Teams, and two NBA Sixth Man of the Year accolades during his career. McHale was a member of three NBA championship teams during his stay in Boston, including the 1985-86 Celtics, widely regarded as one of the best teams of all time. McHale was a master of post moves, honing a skill set that helped him become one of the league’s top low-post scorers.
8. Robert Parish
Parish appeared in 1,611 NBA games throughout his 21-year career. He established himself as one of the most steady and reliable players in franchise history throughout his 14 years in Boston. During his Celtics career, Parish was termed to nine NBA All-Star teams. He also aided Boston in winning three titles. Parish, together with Bird and McHale, made up one-third of the Celtics’ “Big Three” in his heyday.
9. Paul Pierce
Pierce was taken 10th overall by the Celtics in the year 1998 where he spent 15 seasons with the team. During that span, he was termed to ten NBA All-Star teams and played a key role in the 2007-2008 NBA title. In the NBA Finals of the year 2008, Pierce won the award of MVP. Shaquille O’Neal dubbed him “The Truth” after he scored 42 points against the Lakers in 2001. Pierce, along with Bird and Havlicek, is the only Celtic with a 20,000-point career.
10. Bill Russell – Celtics all time greats
Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships over his 13-year career, making him one of the greatest champions in American sports history. Russell helped the Celtics win their first championship after joining the organization, setting the tone for an era of dominance. He was an All-Star 12 times and earned five NBA MVP honors. His shot-blocking and rebounding made him a dynasty’s centerpiece. Russell was termed as a player and a coach after Red Auerbach retired, making him the first African-American NBA coach. He won two more titles in that role before retiring in the year 1969.
11. Bill Sharman
Sharman spent ten seasons with the Celtics, forming one of the best backcourts in NBA history with Cousy. Sharman was termed to eight NBA All-Star teams and four times was termed to the All-NBA First Team. He was instrumental in Boston’s first four championships. Sharman was one of the top free-throw shooters in the NBA, leading the league in free-throw percentage seven times including five years in a row from 1952 to 1957.
12. Jo Jo White
The Celtics chose White, as well as the Cowboys in football and the Red Sox in baseball. He eventually picked basketball and spent a decade in Boston from the year 1969 to 1979. White, a seven-time NBA All-Star, was a sharpshooter who was also incredibly durable, appearing in 488 consecutive games for the squad. White was a key player in Boston’s championship victories in 1974 and 1976.
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