One of the two most historic franchises in the NBA, the Celtics have had their share of Hall of Famers - 36, to be exact. You know the names like Russell, Bird, Havlicek and Cousy. But did you know that these nine other basketball icons once suited up for Boston?
This week begins the NBA portion of our weekly series (click for NYY | BOS | NYM | NYG | NYJ... note all of the New England Patriots' Hall of Famers spent at least four years with the team, so no one qualifies):
Dave Bing: A seven-time All-Star, Bing spent the majority of his career with Detroit, where he won the 1968 scoring title. He moved onto Washington from 1975-77, making his final All-Star appearance in his first season with the Bullets. He ended his career with a final season in Boston, where he averaged 13.6 points for a Celtics team that finished 32-50.
Carl Braun: An early star of the NBA, Braun returned from military duty in 1952 and made five consecutive All-Star games with the Knicks, with whom he spent his first 12 professional seasons. His final year, however, came with the Celtics in 1961-62, where he played sparingly. Averaging just 8.6 minutes and 3.7 points per game, he did end his career with a championship on dynastic Boston.
Artis Gilmore: An ABA All-Star in all five of his seasons with the Kentucky Colonels, Gilmore's transition to the NBA was smooth as could be. Over the next dozen years - seven with Chicago and five with San Antonio - he made five more All-Star appearances and averaged a double-double over that time frame. However, he was a 38-year-old big man when 1987-88 started. In making a return to Chicago he played just 24 games before finishing up his NBA career with Boston. In 47 games he averaged just 3.5 points before playing one final pro season overseas.
Bob Houbregs: The younger you are, the likelier you are to say: "Who?" One of the best Canadian players of all-time, Houbregs was the second overall pick in the 1953 NBA after being named NCAA Player of the Year at Washington. Starting his career with Milwaukee before moving to Baltimore, Houbregs joined the Celtics for part of the 1954-55 season. He averaged 9.3 points per game for his career and was inducted into Springfield in 1987.
Clyde Lovellette: Another early NBA star, Lovellette made four All-Star games over a career mostly spent with the Minneapolis Lakers and St. Louis Hawks. The final two years of his career were spent in Boston, where he helped the Celtics win titles in 1963 and '64. He's one of just seven players ever to win a NCAA Championship (Kansas in 1952, where he was the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player), a NBA championship (three times) and an Olympic gold medal (1952).
Shaquille O'Neal: You likely know Shaq for his time with the Magic, Lakers or Heat. However, by the time he hit 35 he became a bit of a nomad. After his time in Miami came to an end, O'Neal had pit stops in Phoenix, Cleveland and, lastly, Boston. As a 38-year-old in 2010-11, Shaq appeared in 37 games for the Celtics, averaging 9.3 points, but was limited by a variety of lower-body injuries and played only 12 total minutes over two playoff rounds. He retired that offseason.
Gary Payton: Similar to O'Neal, after 13 legendary seasons in Seattle, Payton traveled around the block late in his career, largely in search of a ring. After his lone year with the Lakers ended in a Finals loss to Detroit, he was dealt to Boston for 2004-05. Unhappy with the deal, he did start 77 games and average 11.1 points for the division-winning Celtics, with quite the twist: midway through the year he was traded to Atlanta. The Hawks immediately waived the Glove, and the next week he re-signed with Boston. The next year he signed with Miami and finally won a ring.
Arnie Risen: Another early-NBA star, all four of Risen's All-Star seasons came with the Rochester Royals. His final three seasons, however, came in Boston, from 1955-58. In that span he never averaged double-figures in scoring or rebounding - he'd have averaged a double-double for his career otherwise - but he did win his second championship in 1957.
Paul Westphal: Before he made five straight All-Star games with the Suns and Knicks and had his No. 44 retired by Phoenix, Westphal was on the Celtics. The 10th overall pick to Boston in 1972, he averaged 7.3 points over three seasons with the C's, including a championship-winning season in 1974, before he was dealt to Phoenix prior to 1975-76. That first year with the Suns his scoring average more than doubled - from 9.8 points to 20.5 - and his Hall of Fame career was off and running.
