The 21 Greatest NBA stars that played for a single team

NBA stars that played for one team #19: Kevin McHale

Boston Celtics legend Kevin McHale nearly wasn’t a Celtic, had it not been for one of the worst trades in NBA history. Boston acquired the draft rights to McHale along with Robert Parish, two Hall of Famers, for Joe Berry Carroll. That trade altered NBA history and gave the Celtics a big three led by Bird. That trio would dominate the East for most of the 1980s, making five NBA Finals and winning three championships.

McHale was a key part of that run, giving the Celtics a highly efficient offensive weapon. He was well-known for his scoring ability in the post and had a plethora of skills that made him a reliable option down low. In fact, during the Celtics’ postseason en route to their third title, McHale was arguably their best player, averaging a terrific 24.9 points on 57.9% shooting.

He followed up that strong title run with his two best seasons. In 1986–87, McHale averaged a stellar 26.1 points and 9.9 rebounds while shooting 60.4% from the field. And in 1987-88, he averaged 22.6 points and 8.4 rebounds while also shooting 60.4%.

However, he began struggling more and more with injuries beginning in the 1990–91 season and steadily declined as a result before retiring in 1993. Overall, McHale spent all 13 seasons of his career with the Celtics, and in addition to the championships, he was a seven-time all-star and two-time Sixth Man of the Year, proving his place on this list.