There are very few sports organizations around the world that have the history and legacy of the Boston Celtics. Since being founded in 1946, the Celtics have gone on to win 32 division titles, 10 conference titles and 17 NBA Finals while seeing nearly 40 of their former players be inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame including 23 of them having their numbers retired by the organization.
Below, we’ll take a look at several of those hall of famers that played for the green and white over the franchise’s nearly 80-year history. Who will be the next Celtic to be inducted into the hall of fame? Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum…Using a BetMGM Massachusetts bonus code is a must now that online sports betting is about to be legalized in the state of Massachusetts.
Bill Russell
Widely considered one of the greatest basketball players ever, Russell is arguably the greatest winner in sports history winning 11 NBA titles during his career, all with the Boston Celtics between 1956 and 1969 in his 14-year NBA career. He was also a five-time MVP, a 12-time NBA All-Star, a three-time All-NBA First Team selection, and an eight-time All-NBA second team selection. He was also named to the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams while also having his No.6 jersey retired by not just the Boston Celtics but league wide as well, with no player on any team being allowed to wear the number.
Larry Bird
Another player widely considered one of the greatest players in NBA history. Bird is a three-time NBA Champion, a three-time NBA MVP, a 12-time NBA All-Star, a nine-time All-NBA first team selection, and the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1980 among many other accolades. Quite simply, Bird is one of the greatest players to ever suit up and he has had his No.33 jersey retired at the high school, collegiate, and NBA level.
Kevin McHale
Another Celtics legend from the 1980s, McHale was a three-time NBA Champion for the Celtics alongside Larry Bird as well as a seven-time NBA All-Star, a three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection, a three-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection and a two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year award winner. He also was named to the NBA All-Rookie team in 1981 as well as being a 50th and 75th NBA anniversary team selection. His No.32 jersey is retired by the Boston Celtics.
Paul Pierce
Pierce is the most recent Celtic on this list, playing for the organization from 1998 through 2013. Pierce is considered one of the best small forwards of the last 30 years and was a 10-time NBA All-Star as well as a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team. Pierce would go on to be a first-ballot NBA Hall of Famer while also having his No.34 jersey retired by the team in 2018.
John Havlicek
Another key part of the Celtics dynasty in the 1960s and 1970s, Havlicek helped lead the organization to eight NBA titles over 16 seasons while being a 13-time NBA All-Star and being named to the All-NBA first team four-times. He also was one of the best defenders of his era, being named to five NBA All-Defensive First Teams and three NBA All-Defensive Second Teams. The Celtics retired his No.17 in 1978 immediately after his retirement following the 1978 season.
Robert Parrish
One of the greatest centers of his era, Parrish was another member of the Celtics success in the 1980s winning three titles with the organization between 1980 and 1994. He was also a nine-time NBA All-Star during his 21-year career with all nine appearances coming while a member of the Celtics. He was a member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th anniversary teams and has his double zero jersey retired by the Celtics.
These of course are just a handful of the 37 players that have played for the Celtics before being inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Other notable Hall of Fame players include Pete Maravich, Dave Cowens, Bill Walton, Dennis Johnson, Gary Paton, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Dominique Wilkins, Bob McAdoo.
Future NBA Hall of Famers that played for the Celtics include Rajon Rondo and Kyrie Irving. Outside of those two point guards, the next best chance for hall of fame candidacy is likely of star forward Jayson Tatum. While the 25-year old still has a long ways to go in his career to reach that point, his career is off to a great start including being a four-time NBA All_Star, being an All-NBA First Team selection, an All-NBA Third Team selection and being named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2018.
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