From Kentucky, and a former star at the University of Kentucky, the appropriately nicknamed "Kentucky Colonel," Frank Ramsey, was a champion in the NCAA and helped lay the groundwork for the Celtics dynasty that would begin in the last half of the 1950s.   Ramsey was not the star of the team for Boston like he was as a Wildcat, but he was an efficient player with excellent court vision who was selfless, an essential attribute for those early Boston powerhouse teams.  As such, he was an important piece to helping the Celtics win their first seven titles, and over his nine-year career (all with Boston) he would average 13.4 Points per Game.

Considered one of the most colorful characters in Celtics history, Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell came into his own in his second season in Boston after being drafted 12^th overall from UNC Charlotte in 1977.  That year he would lead the NBA in Field Goal Percentage, an achievement he repeated the season after.  Maxwell would now be joined by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish and while those three would become the core trio of the team, it was Maxwell who was the MVP in their Finals of the 1981 Championship.   The clutch shooter was also a member of the 1984 Title, and he would finish in the top ten in VORP three years in a row (1978-79 to 1980-81).  Boston will always remember "Cornbread" whose number 31 was hung to the rafters in 2003.

Don Nelson without question achieved more considerable notoriety as a coach than as a player, but it should never be discounted what he accomplished when he donned the shorts.

Kevin Garnett was one of the best players in the NBA, and he carried the Minnesota Timberwolves for years. But there was only so far he could take them without having any real star power around him.  Garnett grew frustrated, and he was traded to the Boston Celtics who gave up five players and two number one picks for the former MVP.  The Celtics had also acquired Ray Allen, and along with incumbent, Paul Pierce, Boston had a big three that content with anyone, and they did so immediately!