What’s the toughest thing for a player to do when he joins the Boston Celtics? Pick a number.
The Celtics have retired 21 numbers since their inception in 1946. As you may surmise, a lot of great players have walked through their doors. That includes players who haven’t had their number retired by the Celtics, which brings us to this series.
We’re taking a look at every number that has been retired or donned by one of Boston’s players, then we’re selecting the greatest Celtic who has worn each number. This series consist of six installments. This edition takes a look at Nos. 11-20.
No. 11 – Dana Barros
Dana Barros, who grew up in Boston and starred at Boston College, signed with the Celtics as a free agent on Sept. 22, 1995. Barros immediately became one of the best shooters that had ever donned a Celtics uniform. He made 40.1 percent of his 3-pointers during his five seasons with the Celtics, which ranks third on the team’s all-time list. arros averaged 10.1 points per game, 2.0 rebounds per game and 3.3 assists per game with Boston.
Other considerations: Charlie Scott, Bob McAdoo, Glen Davis
No. 12 – Don Chaney
Don Chaney played the majority of his 12-year career with the Boston Celtics. During his nine and a half seasons in Boston, he averaged 8.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 2.0 APG. Those numbers are a bit misleading, as Chaney tallied four consecutive seasons with an average of at least 10.4 PPG from 1970-74. His best season with Boston was in 1972-73, when he averaged 13.1 PPG and 5.7 RPG. He also helped the C’s win two of their 17 world championships.
Other considerations: Dominique Wilkins, Ricky Davis
No. 13 – Delonte West
Eighteen Celtics layers have worn No. 13, and Delonte West is the best of them all. Over four years with Boston, split between two different tours with the team, West averaged 7.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 3.3 APG. Those numbers fall far short of the two best seasons of his career, which were both played in Boston. West averaged 11.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 4.6 APG in 2005-06, then followed that up with a career-year in 2006-07 that included averages of 12.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 4.4 APG.
Other considerations: None
No. 14 – Bob Cousy
There aren’t many point guards in NBA history who have put together a better resume than Bob Cousy. Cousy, who played his first 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics before a brief cameo with the Cincinnati Royals, ranks 15th in league history with 6,955 assists. He dished out 6,945 of those in a Celtics uniform. Cousy also averaged 18.5 PPG with the C’s while helping the franchise win six titles. He was a 13-time All-Star and his No. 14 jersey hangs from TD Garden rafters.
Other considerations: None
No. 15 – Tom Heinsohn
He joined the Celtics in 1956 as a first-round, territorial pick out of Holy Cross, and he remains alongside the team to this day doing color commentary for their games. He is Tom Heinsohn.
Heinsohn played nine seasons with the Celtics that included eight championships and averages of 18.6 PPG and 8.8 RPG. He also led the team to two titles over nine seasons as head coach. His No. 15 jersey was retired on Oct. 15, 1966.
Other considerations: None
No. 16 – Tom ‘Satch’ Sanders
Tom ‘Satch’ Sanders won eight championships with the Celtics and spent all 13 of his NBA seasons with the team. He averaged only 9.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG during that timespan, but that’s because he was playing alongside Sam Jones, Heihnson, Bill Russell, John Havlicek and Cousy. Sanders took a back seat to those stars on offense and instead focused on defense, which was critical to Boston’s success. The team retired his number on Jan. 19, 1973, and he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Other considerations: None
No. 17 – John Havlicek
Of all the players who have gone through the NBA, only 11 have scored more points than John Havlicek. His 26,395 career points, all of which were scored in a Celtics uniform, are by far the most scored by any player in team history. He also tops the franchise’s games played list, minutes played list and field goals made list and ranks second in assists (6,114) and fifth in rebounds (8,007). The C’s retired his number on Oct. 13, 1978.
Other considerations: None
No. 18 – Dave Cowens
Dave Cowens, one of the most prolific rebounders in NBA history, wore No. 18 for the Celtics during the first 10 years of his career. He retired in 1983 and his career average of 13.63 RPG still ranks eighth on the league’s all-time list. He averaged 14.0 RPG with the Celtics while playing a key role in the team winning two titles. Cowens didn’t just rebound, though. He also scored. The undersized center, who is just 6-foot-9, averaged 18.2 PPG with the C’s. Boston retired his number on Feb. 8, 1981.
Other considerations: None
No. 19 – Don Nelson
Don Nelson became such a great NBA coach – he is the winningest coach in league history, with 1,335 victories – that many forget how good of a player he was. Nelson played his final 11 NBA seasons with Boston and helped the team win five championships. He averaged double-figures in the scoring column during eight of his 10 seasons with Boston, including a career-high 15.4 PPG in 1969-70. He did all of this while coming off of the bench as a sixth man. Nelson was honored by the team in 1978 as his number was raised to the rafters alongside the rest of the team’s legends.
Other considerations: None
No. 20 – Ray Allen
Ray Allen may have left Boston in unceremonious fashion, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t accomplish a heck of a lot during his five seasons with the Celtics. Allen helped the team return to glory with its 2008 championship, and he averaged 16.6 PPG during his five seasons with the C’s. He also remains as the franchise’s elite 3-point shooter, holding the single season record for 3-point percentage. He passed Reggie Miller for first place on the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers made list while playing for Boston. Allen made 40.1 percent of his 3s during his five years with the Celtics.
Other considerations: Larry Siegfried, Sherman Douglas (selected for No. 4)