The Boston Celtics are one of the few franchises dating back all the way to the birth of the NBA in 1946 when it was still the Basketball Association of America (BAA), so it’s racked up a lot of things, most notably titles at 17 overall.
But it’s also collected a number of players drafted third overall — both that the franchise made the pick as well as providing a new club for players who’d moved on from their first team.
So it’s no surprise the Celtics have a heavy presence in The Athletic’s article by Zach Harper ranking the top No. 3 picks in NBA history; between players Boston drafted and those it picked up later on, there’s 10 in total.
Ranking all-time No. 3 NBA draft picks. Where does Dominique Wilkins rank? @talkhoops @TheAthleticNBA https://t.co/vGcUyxACCX
— The Athletic Atlanta (@TheAthleticATL) June 11, 2020
The Celtics Wire decided to compare their overall achievements with what they’ve managed to do in green and white, with a re-ranking at the end strictly for their Bostonian accomplishments.
With that said, let’s get started.