Hanging from the Rafters - Boston Celtics

Here's our (probably) longest list of retired numbers. There's 21 actual Celtics jerseys hanging from the rafters. Or 23 if you want to count "LOSCY" and Johnny Most's microphone. And actually, there's only 19 players that have had their jerseys retired because Walter Brown (owner) and Red Auerbach (coach) have #1 and #2 respectively. Personally, I think it's ridiculous to retire actual numbers for non-players. I'm all for giving them banners, but players wear numbers, not coaches and owners and other personnel. Anyway, let's see if my list of criteria ends up being longer than the actual Celtics list.



This time, I'm going to list the guys that qualify via my standards first, and then go over the one's who actually have their jerseys retired but didn't make my cut afterwards.


#00 - Robert Parish

Qualifies under #1 (254.3 rating), #3/#4 (1,106 games & Hall of Fame)

#3 - Dennis Johnson

Qualifies under #4 (541 games & Hall of Fame)

#5 - Kevin Garnett

Qualifies under #1 (137.6 rating)

#6 - Bill Russell

Qualifies under #1 (733.9 rating), #2 (MVP in 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, & 1965), #3/#4 (963 games & Hall of Fame)
#7 - Tiny Archibald
Qualifies under #4 (329 games & Hall of Fame)

#10 - Jo Jo White

Qualifies under #1 (147.2 rating), #2 (Finals MVP in 1976)

#14 - Bob Cousy

Qualifies under #1 (412.6 rating), #2 (MVP in 1957), #3/#4 (917 games & Hall of Fame)

#15 - Tom Heinsohn

Qualifies under #1 (217.8 rating), #4 (654 games & Hall of Fame)

#16 - Tom Sanders

Qualifies under #3 (916 games)

#17 - John Havlicek

Qualifies under #1 (479.1 rating), #2 (Finals MVP in 1974), #3/#4 (1,270 games & Hall of Fame)

#18 - Dave Cowens

Qualifies under #1 (237.2 rating), #2 (MVP in 1973), #4 (726 games & Hall of Fame)

#19 - Don Nelson

Qualifies under #1 (75.9 rating), #3 (872 games)

#20 - Ray Allen

Qualifies under #1 (96.7 rating)

#21 - Bill Sharman

Qualifies under #1 (276.2 rating), #4 (680 games & Hall of Fame)

#22 - Ed Macauley

Qualifies under #1 (164.8 rating), #4 (416 games & Hall of Fame)

#23 - Frank Ramsey

Qualifies under #4 (623 games & Hall of Fame)

#24 - Sam Jones

Qualifies under #1 (290.0 rating), #3/#4 (871 games & Hall of Fame)

#25 - K.C. Jones

Qualifies under #4 (676 games & Hall of Fame)

#31 - Cedric Maxwell

Qualifies under #2 (Finals MVP in 1981)

#32 - Kevin McHale

Qualifies under #1 (272.7 rating), #3/#4 (971 games & Hall of Fame)

#33 - Larry Bird

Qualifies under #1 (654.9 rating), #2 (MVP in 1984, 1985, & 1986, Finals MVP in 1984 & 1986), #3/#4 (897 games & Hall of Fame)

#34 - Paul Pierce

Qualifies under #1 (228.5 rating), #2 (Finals MVP in 2008), #3 (964 games)


Well, the only players that are actually honored by the Celtics that don't qualify under my rules (assuming Allen, Garnett, and Pierce all get theirs retired eventually) are Jim Loscutoff (not even close by my standards) and Reggie Lewis (another player who basically died playing basketball for the team.)


And I just thought of trying this, so I'll have to go back and do it for the Hawks, too. But here's a list of the top five "close calls" in each category. (I didn't include guys in one category if they qualified to have their jersey retired in another category.)


75.0 Greatness Rating
1. (#9) Rajon Rondo - 60.2 rating
2. (#44) Danny Ainge - 58.8 rating
3. (#18) Bailey Howell - 54.1 rating
4. (#35) Paul Silas - 54.0 rating
5. (#8) Antoine Walker - 49.2 rating


739 Games Played
1. (#12) Don Chaney - 652 games
2. (#44) Danny Ainge - 556 games
3. (#8) Antoine Walker - 552 games
4. (#18) Jim Loscutoff - 511 games
5. (#11) Steve Kuberski - 499 games


329 Games Played & Hall of Fame Inductee
1. (#18) Bailey Howell - 323 games
2. (#19) Arnie Risen - 174 games
3. (#17) Andy Phillip - 137 games
4. (#4) Clyde Lovellette - 106 games
5. (#5) Bill Walton - 90 games