The 50 greatest players in NBA history, ranked by win shares
By Cal Durrett
Greatest NBA Player #36: John Havlicek-131.72
8-time NBA championship John Havlicek’s name is not as well-known as that of other Boston Celtics greats like Russell or Larry Bird. That being said, he was just as impactful. Havlicek is a 13-time all-star and the Celtics’ all-time leading scorer who served as the bridge from the Russell era to the Bird era, which started two seasons after he retired.
He was one of the first two-way superstar guards and could dominate multiple aspects of the game. His best came during the 1970–71 season when he posted career-best numbers of 28.9 points, 9 rebounds, and 7.6 assists. Havlicek also made the all-defensive first team that season, one of eight all-defensive team selections, though he played most of his career without steals and blocks being counted.
The same can be said for the 3-point line, which wasn’t instituted until after he had retired. Had all three been counted, he might have come in higher on this list, with 36 being too low for such a skilled player.