The Boston Celtics’ storied history is chock full of some of the greatest players in the history of the NBA at every position, and small forward is no exception.
But who are the players who were the greatest at the three in Celtics history?
“Greatest” can be measured in a lot of ways, including their overarching careers. This list will focus on what players did while with Boston only, and values longevity and sustained excellence — not just rings.
Small forward happens to be one of the deepest positions in Celtics history, so the Celtics Wire decided to limit honorable mentions to just two players of many — mainly due to the potential they have (or had) to rise higher.
With that said, let’s take a look at that duo to get started.
Honorable mentions
When we said potential for each of these two small forwards, we meant both the promising potential of a player currently on the roster — and the lost potential of another who was tragically cut down in his prime.
Let’s begin with the promise.
Jayson Tatum (2017-?)
This Duke product is just getting started, having only been elected to his first NBA All-Star Game as a reserve this season.
He’d previously been elected to the 2018 All-Rookie first Team, and appears poised to add to his resumé at an increasing clip after elevating his scoring in 2018-19 from 15.7 points and 6 rebounds per game to 23.6 points and 7.1 boards per contest this season.
Reggie Lewis (1987-93)
Lewis is one of the NBA’s biggest what-might-have-been stories. Dead from a sudden cardiac event in the summer of 1993, Lewis also had but one All-Star Game under his belt when he passed.
But the Northeastern product was just starting to come into his own, scoring 20.8 points, 4.3 boards and 3.7 assists per game, his early career numbers depressed after playing behind Boston’s stars.
While we’ll never know the heights he could have reached, it seems fair to include him given the flashes he showed at the time.
No. 5 All-Time – Don Nelson (1965-76)
A late-comer to the 1960s dynasty, Nelson may have played a lesser role than than some on this list on his championship teams, but with five of them, he also built a lot of equity.
Ramsey was never a major part of Boston’s offense, and while he did have key moments in banner-hanging playoff series, his comparatively minor role to some of the greats he played with — Bill Russell, Sam Jones, and Satch Sanders, among others — is good enough for fifth-best all-time as a small forward.
The eventual Hall-of-Famer averaged 11.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in nine seasons as a Celtic.
No. 4 All-Time – Frank Ramsey (1954-64)
Ramsey is less a part of the Celtics’ pantheon than he deserves to be. And while his seven championships were less due to his skill as a small forward than the wizardry of teammates Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn, Ramsey was no bit player, either.
Apart from those banners he helped hang at the start of Boston’s 1960s dynasty, the Kentucky product averaged 13.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists over nine seasons with the Celtics.
No. 3 All-Time – Cedric Maxwell (1977-85)
Maxwell is another former Celtic who should probably be held in higher regard. While not the driving force behind most of the 1984 banner, he did have an instrumental role in winning it with his legendary Game 7 performance.
Earlier in his career, he was critical to the 1981 championship, winning Finals MVP for his performance in that series. While he never was an especially outstanding regular-season player, Maxwell always rose to the occasion when it mattered most.
The Charlotte product averaged 13.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists over his eight seasons as a Celtic.
No. 2 All-Time – Paul Pierce (1998-2013)
While injuries to teammates and bad luck may have robbed the Truth of additional championships, he did win one with the Celtics in 2008. But it’s not banners that got Pierce so high on this list; his sustained excellence through one of the worst eras of Boston basketball did.
Like Maxwell, Pierce would earn a Finals MVP for his performance in that sole banner-hanging season series, as well as ten All-Star game elections, three All-NBA teams, and several other honors over 15 seasons with the Celtics.
While he might not have as many rings as some of his peers on this list, his 21.8-point, 6-board, 1.4-assist career average coupled with his consistent accolades with the team puts him second all-time among Boston’s small forwards.
No. 1 All-Time – John Havlicek (1962-78)
Hondo is a Celtics legend for a reason. One of only four players in NBA history to win eight championships, he had a significant role in nearly all of them, and is widely regarded as among the best to ever play the game.
Like Maxwell and Pierce, he won a Finals MVP (1974), and was elected to 13 All-Star Games, 11 All-NBA teams, 8 All-Defensive teams, and many other honors.
The Ohio State product averaged 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists over his 16-season career, all of which was spent with Boston. While his peers on this list are all Celtic greats (or on their way to being so), Havlicek is without equal in the history of Boston’s small forwards.
