The Boston Celtics are no stranger to signing, drafting, or trading for international players, with some proving to be absolutely critical parts of the teams that have won a league-record 17 titles over the decades.
But which of them were among the highest-ranked European players of all time over that stretch of nearly eight decades? With a reputation — especially in the 1980s and 1990s — of being “soft” and overly technical players utterly underserved based on how many have played on making the leap to the NBA, the number might have been higher, but in a recent such exercise put together by the staff of our sister site HoopsHype, there were still quite a few Celtics alumni listed.
Let’s take a look at which and where they were ranked.
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No. 38 - Evan Fournier (France)
“Evan Fournier may not thrive in any one area on offense, but he’s a reliable three-level scorer who can get hot at a moment’s notice and doubles as a solid playmaker,” writes H/H.
“His defense may not be much to write home about, but he can do some scoring off the dribble with his soft shooting touch.”
No. 37 - Dennis Schroder (Germany)
“Schroder is already one of the best international point guards ever thanks to his confident scoring prowess out of the backcourt,” suggests H/H.
“He may be a bit inconsistent, but overall, he’s been a positive-impact player on the floor.”
No. 26 - Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia)
“A shot-blocking, 3-point shooting big man in a freakish 7-foot-3 package, Kristaps Porzingis appeared headed to a perennial All-Star career until injuries began to affect him,” recalls H/H.
“Now healthier than usual, Porzingis has really regained his early-career form as continues to go through his prime as an All-Star-level big man.”
No. 24 - Danilo Gallinari (Italy)
“A sharpshooting wing with great size, Danilo Gallinari can do more than just shoot from beyond the arc with his feet set, as he’s got an underrated face-up and post-up game,” writes H/H.
Even “though his defense leaves a bit to be desired.”
No. 23 - Dino Radja (Croatia)
“Radja formed a beyond-dominant duo in Europe along with (Toni) Kukoc on legendary Jugosplastika Split teams,” recounts H/H.
“One of the few bright spots for the lowly 90’s Celtics, Radja averaged nearly 20 points nightly in his third NBA season before returning to Europe a couple of seasons later to finish out his career.”
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