Larry Bird, Paul Pierce and more: Ranking the top 5 draft picks in the history of the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are one of the most successful NBA franchises of all time. With 17 championship rings in total, they are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Celtics dominated the early days of the league, but they've also been successful in the modern NBA. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the team to the 2022 NBA Finals.

Boston has had many amazing players throughout its history and many of them have been acquired through the draft. In this article, we will list the five best draft picks in Boston Celtics history.

1) Larry Bird - 6th overall pick,1978 NBA Draft

Larry Bird is one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. He revived the league during its dark times and his friendship with Magic Johnson was one of a kind.

Bird was a fantastic two-player player who was an exceptional shooter and rebounder. The forward spent his entire career with the Boston Celtics, winning three championships, three MVP awards, and many other accolades.

2) Sam Jones - 8th overall pick, 1957 NBA Draft

Like Larry Bird, Sam Jones spent his entire career with the Celtics. He joined the league in 1957 and won his first championship ring in the second year of his career.

Jones went on to win eight straight championships with the Boston Celtics, averaging 17.7 points per game during his 12-year NBA career. The 6-foot-4 guard made multiple All-Star and All-NBA teams as well, and he won 10 championships in total.

3) John Havlicek - 9th overall pick,1962 NBA Draft

John Havlicek was a very versatile player who was great on both ends of the floor. His 16-year NBA career was decorated with eight championships, eight All-Defensive selections, 13 All-Star selections, and many other accolades.

Havlicek was a cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty for many years and was very reliable, missing just a couple of games in every season of his career.

4) Paul Pierce - 10th overall pick, 1998 NBA Draft

Paul Perce is a Boston Celtics legend (Image via Getty Images)

Paul Pierce is the only player on the list not to spend his entire career with the Boston Celtics. But that doesn't take away from everything he's done for the franchise.

Pierce spent 15 seasons in Boston, averaging 21.8 points per game and winning a championship in 2008. He was also a 10-time All-Star who was one of the toughest players to guard during his prime.

5) Kevin McHale - 3rd overall pick, 1980 NBA Draft

Kevin McHale is considered one of the greatest power forwards in the history of the league. He was a great scorer and rebounder, and his post moves were simply incredible.

McHale won three championships with the Celtics and was named the best bench player twice in his career. The 6-foot-10 forward was amazing on both ends of the floor and achieved numerous accolades during his 13-year career in Boston.