There have been many talented players to don a Celtics jersey. The Boston Celtics have had a rich and luxurious franchise history and have had tons of talent from every decade they have been in the NBA.
These players aren’t necessarily the greatest Celtics of all-time but rather the athletes who best embody the Celtic mantra.
Coach
Red Auerbach (1950-1966)
Red Auerbach, coached the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1966. During that time, the team was considered unstoppable. They would win nine championships during his tenure as coach, good for just over half of the total championships that this franchise won.
Point Guard
Bob Cousy (1950-1970)
Cousy might not have been a high scorer compared to others that could have been chosen. However, his consistent domination at the point guard position was incredible. He helped the Celtics win seven championships in his time.
Shooting Guard
Marcus Smart (2014-Present)
Smart has not won a championship with the Celtics just yet. However, he has embodied the Celtic play style. He is a grit-and-grind player who will put his body out on the floor night in and night out. He is loved by every Celtics fan and by his teammates.
Small Forward
Paul Pierce (1998-2017)
Paul Pierce helped the Celtics end their championship drought of 22 years. He contributed great years as a Celtic and added a championship in 2008. He is in the top-10 in every stat category for the Celtics, too.
Power Forward
Kevin McHale (1980-1993)
McHale helped the Celtics win three championships and was the muscle of the team in the ’80s. He was a part of a historical decade in basketball and dominated his position. In his prime, he was unstoppable in the paint and was able to hit a jump shot from mid-range constantly during a time when big men generally stayed within the paint.
Center
Bill Russell (1957-1969)
Russell has 11 NBA titles in his career as a player and player-coach. Russell is the embodiment of winning the NBA and it would be sacrilegious to leave him off this team.
Bench
Rajon Rondo (2006-Present)
Rondo may have been the best facilitator that the Celtics have ever had. He helped three Hall of Fame players help win their first championship in 2008 and played on a team that was filled with ball-dominant scorers while managing to lift their play even more.
Sam Jones (1957-1969)
Sam Jones was the best two-way player in his era. A part of 11 championships with the Celtics as the starting shooting guard, he led the team in scoring in multiple seasons even though Cousy, Russell, and John Havlicek were on the team.
John Havlicek (1963-1978)
Havlicek is the team’s leading scorer; in 16 seasons, he helped the Celtics win eight championships. Two of those championships (1974 and 1976) came without the help of Jones, Cousy, and Russell.
Jayson Tatum (2017-Present)
Jayson Tatum has already made a name for himself in Boston. Although there are players who have spent their entire career in Massachusetts, Tatum has shown already that he could be the next great player in Boston. Tatum reminds many of Larry Bird offensively as he is able to score at will from anywhere on the court. Tatum has a bright future with this team.
Larry Bird (1979-1992)
Larry Bird should not be left off this team. Although not starting due to his short career, he was a three-time MVP and a three-time champion. Bird is one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA, but due to injuries, his career was cut short.
