The 5 Greatest Players in Boston Celtics History

The Boston Celtics have a practiced history of winning important games and championships. When it comes to their history, there’s no doubt they hold some of the greatest records in basketball history, even producing some of the best basketball players we’ve seen to this day.

In the 80’s-90’s the Celtics were a force to be reckoned with and then again in the mid to late 2000s. It wasn’t until recently that a fire was reignited on the Boston team leading them to their first Championship ring in a long time. That’s why in this article, we’ll be discussing the greatest Celtics players of all time, including who played and what solidified them in the Celtics legacy forever.

5. Kevin McHale – Center / Forward, 13 seasons

Starting the list of greatest players in Boston Celtics history is Kevin McHale, the legendary center who played 971 games over 13 entire seasons. McHale started his legacy in the 1980 NBA season where he’d win Rookie of the Year before starting a string of undeniable success for the Celtics. By the end of his career and long service for the Celtics in 1993, he’d averaged 17.9 points per game with a hallmark of exactly 400 games started, making him an easy choice for this list.

4. Bob Cousy – Guard, 13 seasons

Bob Cousy still holds the record for most career assists per game for the Boston Celtics standing at 7.5 points. Out of his 924-game career, he’d average 18.5 points per game, winning an all-star and MVP nomination at the very least every season. When it comes to point guards, there may not be a better one for the Celtics than Bob Cousy, who will likely hold his assists record for years to come.

3. John Havlicek – Forward, 16 seasons

Another legendary Celtics record holder who played a whopping 16 seasons with the Celtics is none other than John Havlicek. When it comes to point scoring, Havlicek was a monster. Out of his 1,270 games spanning over the 126 seasons, John Havelicek averaged 20.8 points by the end of his career, serving the Celtics with the utmost loyalty. Havlicek may have retired back in 1978, but he still holds the record for most points scored for the Celtics to date, earning himself legendary status in the process.

2. Bill Russell – Center, 13 seasons

If you’re a Celtics supporter, then you recognize the iconic Bill Russell, a true all-time great as a player, not to mention being one of the greatest basketball coaches of all time. Starting back in 1956, Russell played as a center for 13 straight seasons, totaling 963 games in his career. Highlighting just a few of his record-high stats, he’d finish with an insane 22.5 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game, while averaging 15.1 points per game. If this doesn’t do it for you, just know there were 11 separate occasions where Russell claimed the NBA Championship, leaving him with more rings than he has fingers.

1. Larry Bird – Forward, 13 seasons

Every Celtics fan’s favorite player, the legendary Larry Bird, goes down as the greatest player in Boston Celtics history of all time, and rightly so. Starting his career for the Celtics back in 1979, Bird arguably revolutionized the way basketball gets played. From ‘flairy’ tricks to behind-the-back passes, Larry Bird showcased every skill in the book with confidence and consistency. In 897 career games, Bird would average 24.3 points per game (a higher average than Havlicek), 1.7 assists per game, and 10 rebounds. Honestly, it’s impressive to see just how much he accomplished in his 13 seasons, winning MVP multiple times while being inducted to the All-Star team almost every year (except 1988). Argue if you like, but we believe that Larry Bird will go down as the best Boston Celtics player of all time.