21 Best Players In Boston Celtics History

The Boston Celtics are arguably the greatest team in NBA history. Their championships speak for themselves, as no other team has won more NBA titles than the Celtics besides the Los Angeles Lakers, who have as many championships as the Celtics. The Green Machine had absolute dominance in the 1960s and while they were not as successful in other decades, they were always a title contender.

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This squad’s success is based on an outstanding roster over the years, featuring several legendary players who gave their best in every game.

Danny Ainge

A Good Player, But An Even Better General Manager

Today’s Boston Celtics fans know Danny Ainge more for his time being a tremendous General Manager for the team. However, Ainge’s Celtics ties started during his playing career by spending the first seven and a half seasons in Boston.

Ainge was a great role player to contribute to two of the Celtics rings in the 1980s. One All-Star appearance came for Ainge before he switched teams to continue his career elsewhere. Boston fans love him even more after his epic trades as GM led to more success in recent history.

Antoine Walker

Helped Rejuvenate the Celtics Franchise In The 1990s

The retirement of Larry Bird led to the Boston Celtics feeling like they’d taken a few steps down from their previous greatness. Boston couldn’t contend in the era of Michael Jordan throughout the 1990s, but they found a player to help them rebuild momentum.

Antoine Walker became the most beloved Celtic to end the 90s and move forward in the 2000s. Paul Pierce getting drafted formed a dynamic duo with Walker as they made one Eastern Conference Finals. Walker made all three All-Star appearances of his career in Boston.

Al Horford

Became Boston’s Most Underrated Signing In Franchise History

Al Horford was a strong player for the Atlanta Hawks, but he proved he could be the missing piece for a team to become a contender by moving to the Boston Celtics. Pundits didn’t expect Horford to become an all-time great Celtic since he was already nine years deep into his career.

Horford has had two stints in Boston spanning over seven seasons and helping them make the playoffs every year. Celtics fans saw Horford making his final All-Star appearance representing the team. Horford being part of the 2024 NBA Championship made the title qin extra sweet having the beloved veteran on roster.

Isaiah Thomas

A Very Shocking Superstar In NBA History

The 5’9 height of Isaiah Thomas had all the odds stacked against him joining the NBA and becoming a successful point guard. Thomas joining the Boston Celtics didn’t feel like a big deal at the time since he was considered a good star, but he didn’t make an All-Star team yet.

Boston received the best version of Thomas proving he could get better as he made both All-Star appearances representing the team. Thomas averaged 29 points in his best season to receive MVP votes and become a superstar until injuries doomed the end of his run.

Jaylen Brown

Winning Finals MVP Added To His Legacy

The Boston Celtics drafted Jaylen Brown with a lottery pick acquired in the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade via the Brooklyn Nets. Brown ended up being a franchise cornerstone developing in Boston and helping them contend for many years in his early 20s.

The 2024 NBA Championship win by the Celtics saw Brown contributing enough to win the NBA Finals MVP. Brown remains one of the best two-way players in the league, and many pundits forecast this Boston core to contend for many more rings.

Ray Allen

Proved His Contributions Could Lead To A NBA Championship

Ray Allen was already considered one of the best shooting guards in the league, but he always fell short of truly contending with the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics. One fateful off-season trade with the Boston Celtics saw Seattle sending Allen to a new franchise with higher expectations.

Allen continued to dominate behind the three-point line as the best shooter in the league during the 2008 NBA Finals run. Boston had a few other deep playoff runs with Allen playing an integral part of the big three with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.

Dennis Johnson

Helped Boston Dominate The Eastern Conference

Dennis Johnson was already an NBA Champion and an NBA All-Star before he joined the Boston Celtics. The addition of Johnson helped Boston become the premiere team in the Eastern Conference with the other contenders having a tough out every season.

Johnson won two NBA Championships with the Celtics in the 1980s and remained an All-Defensive team guard. Boston saw Johnson sacrificing by taking a smaller role to help the team win, and it led to the franchise continuing its winning ways.

Jayson Tatum

Adding Ring Filled Out Most Important Demand For His Success

The Boston Celtics were completely right when they expected a franchise player upon drafting Jayson Tatum. Eight years in Boston sees Tatum on a contender almost every year with many deep runs before finally winning an NBA Championship in 2024.

Tatum has already made five All-Star teams and received four all-NBA selections before entering his eighth season. Boston foresees Tatum spending his entire franchise there, and his spot in the all-time greats will continue to rise each year.

Tom Heinsohn

Won Eight Rings With The Boston Celtics

Tom Heinsohn was any basketball coach’s dream: an agile big man. Though he was often overshadowed by some incredible teammates, such as Sam Jones and Bob Cousy, Heinsohn was an incredible asset to the Celtics during his career. He helped the Celtics win eight NBA titles and is a six-time NBA All-Star. In addition to being a great player, Heinsohn is now one of the NBA’s most well-known commentators.

Rajon Rondo

Was A Perfect Passing Point Guard For Boston

Rajon Rondo won the NBA Championship in his second year with the Boston Celtics. Though Rondo was unable to get another ring with the Green Machine, he proved himself to be an incredibly valuable and unique asset. In addition to phenomenal athleticism, Rondo also possesses a great mind. His cerebral way of playing suggests a promising coaching career may be ahead of Rondo, should he choose to pursue it.

Jo Jo White

Was The 1975-1976 NBA Finals MVP

During his time with the Celtics, Jo Jo White helped the team win two NBA titles, earning the NBA Finals MVP award for himself in 1976. He was a skilled guard in both passing and defending. Perhaps White’s biggest asset, though, was his durability, as he consistently played in over 75 games a season. The Boston Celtics retired the No. 10 jersey in White’s honor.

Kevin Garnett

Helped The Celtics Snap A 22-Year Championship Drought

Kevin Garnett played six seasons with the Boston Celtics, averaging 15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. KG also had a 21.3 Value Over Replacement Player Rating (fifth highest in franchise history) and 21.1 Player Efficiency Rating (sixth best). Garnett came to Boston in the 2007-08 season, making an immediate impact. He helped the team win the championship, snapping a 22-year drought.

Sam Jones

Played His Entire Career With The Celtics

Sam Jones won 10 championship rings with the Boston Celtics. He had more rings than any other team except the Los Angeles Lakers, which is insane. Certainly, Jones had exceptional teammates, but his stats reflect that he contributed a lot to the team in that incredible era. Jones scored 17.7 points per game, ranking seventh on the Celtics’ all-time points scored list with 15,411. Jones had a true shooting percentage of .503 and had 92.3 Win Shares.

Bob Cousy

Led The NBA In Assists Per Game Eight Years In A Row

Bob Cousy played for the Boston Celtics from the 1950-51 season through the 62-63 season. He won six rings and built a phenomenal legacy. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game. He is the player with the most assists (6,945) in franchise history and is also sixth in points (16,955). Back then, it was unusual for players to post triple-double performances, but Cousy recorded 33 career triple-doubles, leading the league in four consecutive campaigns.

Dave Cowens

Was Named MVP Of The 1972-1973 NBA Season

Dave Cowens is in the top 10 in Celtics history in total points (ninth), assists (10th), rebounds (third), steals (10th) and blocks (sixth), which is incredible. Cowens averaged 18.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Dave the Rave was part of the 70s generation, which had to deal with criticism from a fan base that was used to winning. Still, he helped the Celtics win two championships.

Kevin McHale

Always Wore The Boston Celtics Uniform

Kevin McHale played his entire 13-year NBA career in a Boston Celtics uniform. He left his mark not only on the team, but on the sport as well. He was not an admired player outside of Boston. In fact, many fans hated him and perhaps still hate him today. This is not surprising, as great players usually have many haters, and McHale was an all-time great.

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“Black Hole” has the fourth highest VORP in the history of The Green Machine, with 34.3, and is sixth in Win Shares with 113.0. His importance in the team is not only reflected in statistics, but also in facts, as he won three rings.

Robert Parish

The All-Time Celtics Leader In Blocks

Robert Parish debuted with the Golden State Warriors and also played with the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls, but everyone remembers him in a Celtics uniform, and for good reason.

In 14 years, he helped the team win three championships, averaging 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Parish recorded a total of 18,245 points (fourth most in franchise history), 11,051 rebounds (second), 1,703 blocks (first), 873 steals (fourth) and a 35.7 VORP (third).

Paul Pierce

Played 15 Strong Seasons For The Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics selected Paul Pierce with the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, and this small forward from Kansas ended up being arguably the best 10th pick of all time. “The Truth” played 15 seasons with the Bostonians, being the franchise player and leading the team to the championship in the 2007-08 season.

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Pierce had a 62.6 Value Over Replacement Player, ranking second in franchise history. He is also second in points (4,021), fifth in assists (4,305), seventh in rebounds (6,651), first in steals (1,583) and fourth in blocks (668).

John Havlicek

All-Time Celtics’ Leader In Total Points

This list wouldn’t be complete without John Havlicek. This guy was a fantastic player, a key member of the team for 16 years. He always played with intensity and put body and soul into every game. Hondo scored 20.8 points per game, and he is the all-time Celtics’ leader in total points, with 26,395. But that’s not all, he is second in assists (6,114), fifth in rebounds (8,007) and fourth in Win Shares (131.7).

Larry Bird

One Of The Best Players In NBA History

Larry Bird is not only one of the best players in Celtics history, but also one of the best overall. “The Hick from French Lick” played 13 seasons in the NBA, all with Boston, averaging 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

He was a three-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, three-time MVP and 12-time All-Star. In theory, Bird is the most valuable player in Celtics history, with a 77.2 VORP, although that advanced statistic can not be calculated for the following player.