Because the Celtics are one of the most recognizable sports clubs in the world, they boast some of the greatest players in NBA history.
The Boston Celtics are without a doubt one of the NBA’s most storied franchises. Since their inception in the mid-1940s, the C’s have produced the most Hall of Famers, won the most games, and are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championships in league history.
With more than 70 years of rich tradition and renowned players, determining who the best of the best from the iconic organization is a difficult chore. So, in order to determine the top ten players in Celtics history, we must examine the team throughout its history.
With Boston’s extraordinary dominance in the 1960s, rebirth in the 1980s, and formation of the “Big Three” in the late 2000s all in mind, let’s commemorate and rank the ten greatest Celtics players that helped build the Green Team into a legendary club.
10. Bill Sharman
So many notable players have helped raise banners for the Celtics over the years that it’s easy to forget a few. Shooting guard Bill Sharman, who played for Boston from 1951 to 1961, is one of those names that’s faded a bit over time. However, the modern NBA fan should get familiar with the eight-time All-Star.
9. Sam Jones
8. Robert Parish
Although Hall of Fame center Robert Parish didn’t start his career in Boston, he’s as much of a true Celtic as anyone else on this list. The “Chief” was a vital part of the Celtics’ success in the 1980s, as he won three titles and received nine All-Star nods on the Green Team.
7. Kevin McHale
Speaking of big guys who have donned the Celtics uniform, Kevin McHale went from being one of the best bench players in all of basketball to a Hall of Fame power forward with three championships to his name.
6. Dave Cowens
5. Paul Pierce
The most recent Celtic on this list has to be 10-time All-Star and 2021 Hall of Fame inductee Paul Pierce. After the C’s had a dismal decade in the 1990s, Pierce, with fellow “Big Three”
4. John Havlicek
If you want to talk about the winning history of the Celtics, you have to bring up John Havlicek. The talented swingman played in Boston for his entire 16-year career and he won eight championships.
3. Bob Cousy
Although Bob Cousy played many decades ago, his impact on today’s game is still felt. The Manhattan native revolutionized the point guard position and he remains one of the best passers of all time.
2. Larry Bird
The Celtics have had so many incredible players that it’s easy to have a very different Top 10 ranking from someone else. However, Larry Bird is one of the few Boston legends that needs to be on every list.
1. Bill Russell
It’s fun to think about all of the great players that have played in Boston, but at the end of the day, there’s one name that has to be at the top of everyone’s list. Bill Russell was a basketball pioneer who guided the Boston Celtics to 11 titles.
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