Boston Celtics: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history
By Frank Urbina
7. Sam Jones (SG) — No. 8 pick in 1957 NBA Draft
Career stats (with the Celtics): 871 GP, 17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 45.6 FG%, 80.3 FT%
Like a lot of the other players on our list, an overly simplified way to describe Sam Jones is with one word: Winner.
One of the NBA’s first prototypes for the modern 2-guard, Jones owns the record for second most titles won in a career…at an astounding 10. He played for the Celtics for all 12 years he was in the NBA, making five All-Star rosters and three All-NBA Second Teams in that span.
During the final season of his legendary career, with Bill Russell acting as player/coach and on his final legs, Jones used up every bit of effort he had left to walk away as a champion.
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After an average regular season, he upped his numbers across the board during the 1969 NBA Finals to 18.7 points and 3.6 boards per contest while playing 30.1 minutes a night. Jones even hit a game-winner in the series’ pivotal Game 4, one that turned the tide against the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers.
Overall, however, the shooting guard didn’t lead his team in scoring for the series (another guy coming up on our countdown did), and he didn’t earn Finals MVP either (that honor went to Jerry West despite the loss). Did Jones care about all that, though?
Well, I don’t know, I’ve never spoken to him. But for a guy as revered as he was, I’m going to go ahead and presume: No!
All jokes aside, those 1960s Celtics squads cared a whole lot more about winning than personal accolades. And Jones, as one of the team’s leaders, is one reason why that was so.