Boston Celtics: Ranking the last 10 first-round draft picks by the Celtics

3. Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart being drafted sixth overall in the 2014 NBA Draft officially made him the first draft pick of the Brad Stevens coaching era in Boston. Smart has since then become the longest-tenured player on the team and is respected as the unnamed team captain for the Celtics.

In six seasons with the Celtics, Smart has carved a role for himself and has improved every year since being in the NBA. Smart is a defensive-minded player who has goals of one day being named Defensive Player of the Year, but he did make First-Team All-Defense last season for the first time in his career.

Smart is the only guard in today’s NBA that can confidently defend all five positions on the court and takes tremendous pride in doing so. This season, however, he has proved to be an almost dependable two-way player for the Celtics. Smart is averaging a career-high 13.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals per game this season.

Smart’s passionate and aggressive play has allowed him to become one of the most likable players on the team. He is a leader that will always defend not only himself but his teammates as well. His style of play as a guard has allowed him to continuously be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, which he deserves. Smart makes an endless amount of winning plays that affect the outcome of games.

Smart is by far one of the most beloved players in Boston Celtics history and he has a chance to have his number retired one day in the rafters of the TD Garden.