Boston Celtics hosting events, naming top 15 players for NBA 75th

With the start of the new calendar year just around the corner, the Boston Celtics have a handful of events lined up for the organization and the fans that make-up Celtics Nation.

This is part of the NBA 75th Anniversary celebration this season, and in doing so, the Celtics come up with their own way of honoring the historic teams and legendary players that have donned the green and white.

One of the ways the organization has honored previous teams over the years is with the variety of different jerseys worn from years past. The Celtics have been able to tie this together by having a handful of ”theme nights” throughout the season, each of which commemorates different eras in Celtic history.

Boston Celtics are hosting “theme nights” to honor their team’s history during the NBA 75th anniversary year

The “theme nights” are a way for the Celtics to express their appreciation and gratitude for these different eras in Celtics history. However, it’s also being done so that all of the Celtics fans can have a taste of what these teams actually mean to the franchise and the city.

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1428821641664942080?s=21

Another great thing the organization has done and is continuing to do is remembering the late Tommy Heinsohn and KC Jones, who both, unfortunately, passed away near the end of 2020.

Both Heinsohn and Jones spent their entire playing careers with the Celtics and went on to become legends in Boston, but also in the game of basketball.

The next moment in history that’s taking place this year is something that Celtics fans have long been waiting for. The Boston Celtics are officially retiring Kevin Garnett’s No. 5 into the rafters.

It will forever be hanging next to his best friend Paul Pierce’s No. 34. The ceremony will take place at the conclusion of the March 13th game against the Dallas Mavericks.

Boston Celtics will announce their list of the top 15 players in team history this season, in line with the NBA 75th anniversary

Along with the NBA’s 75th Anniversary celebration, the Boston Celtics are making an All-Time Team of their 15 best players in franchise history. The idea is to make three teams out of those 15 players, of which will be considered the greatest in the history of the Boston Celtics.

Since 1947, there have been 489 players who have played for the Boston Celtics. This includes 58 playoff appearances and 17 championships, so it’s going to be challenging narrowing down 15 players to make an All-Time Team.

Luckily for us, the Boston Celtics wanted their fans to create the first, second, and third teams. Voting is now closed, but you can still use this link to create/submit your own 75th Anniversary All-Celtics Team. There’s still no specific time the team plans to announce their results, however, all Celtics fans should be eagerly waiting.

Furthermore, the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team was released back in October and it includes 20 former players who once laced ‘em up for the Boston Celtics. They are the most represented team on the 75th-anniversary squad.

It’s worth mentioning that some of the greatest players in franchise history were not drafted by the Boston Celtics. The most recent examples are Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Taking a look back, there’s been Bill Walton and Nate Archibald who also came into Boston and won a championship.

I tried making a list of the 15 greatest players in franchise history and it was more challenging than I expected. I quickly discovered that no matter who you include, someone is going to be left off.

Now I didn’t do it by position, but rather the impact they made on the team during their time in Boston. In no particular order:

1. Bill Russell
2. Tommy Heinsohn
3. Bob Cousy
4. KC Jones
5. Larry Bird
6. John Havlicek
7. Kevin McHale
8. Danny Ainge
9. Dave Cowens
10. Kevin Garnett
11. Paul Pierce
12. Sam Jones
13. Ray Allen
14. Robert Parish
15. Sam Jones