Boston Celtics: Top 10 NBA Draft picks in franchise history

5. Kevin McHale (PF) — No. 3 pick in 1980 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Celtics):  971 GP, 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.4 STL, 1.7 BLK, 1.9 TOV, 55.4 FG%, 26.1 3P%, 79.8 FT%

Next up we have our first Celtics great of the ’80s, Kevin McHale.

Throughout his illustrious 13-year career, all of which he spent in Boston, the Hall-of-Famer was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time Sixth Man of the Year, made All-NBA First Team in 1987, as well as three All-Defensive First Teams. He was also a key member of three Celtics championships, in 1981, 1984 and 1986.

So yeah, you could say he had a solid career.

McHale spent the early portion of his playing days coming off–actually, better said, dominating off the bench. And once he became a full-time starter in 1986, his play hit an even higher plateau.

Over the next five seasons, until 1990, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher averaged 22.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting an astounding (for the time period) 57.4 percent from the floor. He referred to his own abilities to score in the paint as “the torture chamber.”

Simply put, McHale was an incredible player. Put him in today’s NBA, and his long arms, instincts as a shot-blocker and brutality as a low-post scorer would have made him the perfect small-ball center. His talent would translate to any era, even the three-point-obsessed modern times we are currently experiencing.