Every Boston Celtics head coach of an All-Star game in NBA history

A total of seven Celtics coaches have earned the right to coach the All-Star game by owning the East’s best record that season.

About a year ago, the Boston Celtics were poised to make history by sending the first interim coach to helm the NBA’s 2023 All-Star Game, which is why the Celtics will not be having Mazzulla coaching the 2024 All-Star Game.

The rules prohibit repeat performances in that role, sending the nod to a Boston coaching alumnus in Doc Rivers (now with the Milwaukee Bucks) instead, who coached the game himself as Celtics head coach in 2008. With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at the Boston alumni who have done the same over the course of the event’s long history. A total of seven Celtics coaches have earned the right to coach the All-Star game by owning the East’s best record that season.

Let’s take a look at who they were and the seasons that it happened in.

On this day: Red’s 1,000th win; Barros’ 3-pt streak ends; Wilkins born

On this day in Celtics history, Red Auerbach got his 1,000th career win as coach, Dana Barros’ 89-game 3-point streak ended, and Dominique Wilkins was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, iconic head coach and general manager Arnold “Red” Auerbach secured the 1000th win of his head coaching career with the storied franchise in a 114-102 home win at the old Boston Garden over longtime rival Los Angeles Lakers in 1966.

Auerbach initially joined the team in 1950 to become the franchise’s third head coach after stints leading the (now defunct) Washington Capitols and (then) Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now, Atlanta Hawks). The New Yorker quickly rose to prominence as a consummate professional obsessed with winning at a time when many organizations were quite far from actually being organized.

Never mind something we would refer to as “professional.”

On this day: Red’s jersey retired; Parish 2000th block; Jefferson, Kreklow, Kleine born

On this day, iconic Celtic GM and coach Red Auerbach’s jersey was retired, Robert Parish made his 2000th career block, and Al Jefferson was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise retired legendary head coach and team president Arnold Jacob “Red” Auerbach’s jersey number in 1986.

Of course, Auerbach had given up the sport as a player long before becoming part of the Celtics organization, having played collegiately for George Washington University before the Second World War began. Rather, it was in recognition for building the NBA behemoth that won an unprecedented total of 16 titles in his lifetime as either head coach or general manager of the Celtics in a span of years stretching from 1957 all the way to 1986.

His career as an executive was and remains unparalleled in basketball and in professional sports more generally.

On this day: Boston legend Tommy Heinsohn scores 45 on Christmas Day

It is the most scored by a Celtics player on that day, and Tommy’s career-high.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame Boston Celtics power forward Tommy Heinsohn scored 45 points in the Celtics’ 127-122 win over the (then) Syracuse Nationals (now, the Philadelphia 76ers) on the road on Christmas Day 1961.

It remains the record for points scored on any game played on Christmas by a Celtic player (point guards Kyrie Irving and Bob Cousy hold the next two highest scores on that day with 40 and 35 points, respectively). The yuletide offensive outburst was also the most points scored by the iconic power forward in any game of his storied career.

The Holy Cross alumnus went on to win his fifth title with the team later that season, but he played a game for the ages that holiday tilt first.

Jan Volk on running the Boston Celtics with Red Auerbach in the 1980s

Red’s willingness to hire individuals to fill the gaps in his own skills was a testament to his humility and contributed to Volk’s growth in the NBA.

Working with Red Auerbach, the legendary coach and executive of the Boston Celtics, brought about a turning point in former Celtics GM Jan Volk‘s career. In 1971, during a game, Red summoned Volk, who was a lawyer, to the locker room.

Auerbach needed legal assistance for a deal he had made with Jerry Colangelo, the general manager of the Phoenix Suns at the time. With no other options available, the narrator and a law school friend hastily drafted a contract that resulted in the trading of draft rights to acquire Paul Silas. This experience not only elevated the team’s prospects but also jump-started Volk’s career. Red’s willingness to hire individuals to fill the gaps in his own skills was a testament to his humility and contributed to Volk’s growth in the NBA.

To hear the tale from the man himself, take a look at the clip embedded below from the CLNS Media “History and Storytellers” channel.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

On this day: Auerbach, Cousy, Cooper, Rondo, Fox, Walker debut with Celtics

On this day, Celtics greats Red Auerbach, Bob Cousy, Chuck Cooper, Rajon Rondo, Rick Fox, and Antoine Walker all debuted for Boston.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame coach and general manager Arnold “Red” Auerbach coached his first regular-season game with the storied franchise. Recently hired by the team’s owner Walter Brown on the advice of local sports journalists after stints coaching with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now, Atlanta Hawks), the defunct Washington Capitols NBA franchise, and — as an assistant coach at the college level — the Duke Blue Devils.

The game was thankfully not auspicious for the Boston icon’s future with the team in the coming years, with Auerbach’s Celtics falling 107-84 to the (then) Fort Wayne (Indiana) Pistons (who are now based in Detroit).

Auerbach was not the only Celtics legend making his debut that day.

On this day: Red passes; KC Jones coach, Hudson, Rozier, Mickey, R. Morgan, Cook player debuts; Nelson signed

On this day, legendary Boston Celtics team president and coach Red Auerbach passed away in 2006.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, legendary Celtics team president and coach Arnold “Red” Auerbach passed away at the age of 89 in 2006. Auerbach assembled a career in basketball unparalleled in its time and to this day, winning nine titles with the team as a coach, and seven more as an executive.

He joined the franchise in 1950 after stints coaching the Washington Capitols (now defunct) in the Basketball Association of America (BAA – a precursor league to the NBA) and at the NCAA level as an assistant coach with the Duke Blue Devils before joining the Celtics.

Red — as he was often called — transformed the game with his emphasis on the fast break and team-focused play reliant on ball movement at all positions.

On this day: Auerbach coaches 1st game; Theis, Nader, Johnson, Clyde, Mazzulla debuts; Russell tribute

On this day in Celtics history, franchise icon Red Auerbach coached his first game with the team, Bill Russell was honored, and several Celtics made their debut.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, franchise legend Red Auerbach coached his first game as head coach and general manager of the Boston Celtics in 1950. Auerbach had just joined the team after the resignation of the first coach in team history, Alvin “Doggy” Julian, having previously worked as an assistant coach at Duke, and as head coach of the (then) Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now, Atlanta Hawks) before leaving the latter post after a disagreement with ownership.

Red had inherited a team with a 22-46 record and a desperate owner trying not to go belly-up who made an unusual decision towards that end that panned out in a big way.

That owner, Walter Brown, actually asked a number of local sportswriters who he ought to hire as a coach for the team, and after being recommended Auerbach by the crowd, extended an offer.

Red Auerbach’s Boston Celtics victory cigar-smoking ritual origin story

The story of how the cigar-smoking, end-of-game ritual got started, told by the man himself.

Ever wonder where the famous ritual of Red Auerbach smoking a cigar at the end of a game came from?

The iconic Boston Celtics team president and coach actually shared the origin story of the Celtics’ “Gino Time” moment prototype, when Auerbach would spark a stogie to demonstrate to foes and fans alike that he believed the game was finally out of reach for the Celtics’ opponents. Always gravitating to the demonstrative, Red decided to turn a negative situation with the league office into an opportunity for showmanship, bending what had initially irritated him into a ploy to enrage opposing teams.

Watch the video embedded below dug up by our friends over at CLNS Media to hear the story from the man himself — Auerbach was leader in the league like no other.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Can you name all six Hall of Fame coaches of the Boston Celtics?

Better yet, can you do it in order?

The Boston Celtics have plenty of former players in Springfield, Massachusetts Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, and plenty more who may yet one day help people in its ranks. But the storied franchise has had plenty of stellar leadership on the other side of the clipboard as well, with six former coaches having earned immortalization in basketball’s Mount Olympus.

Celtics fans may not be very crazy about at least one of the five among the franchise’s least popular alumni, but he still counts and puts Boston among the league’s most decorated teams when it comes to historically recognized coaches on its payroll.

Let’s take a look at those Hall of Fame Celtics coaches, from the evil emperor himself to the greatest head coach in the history of the NBA.