17 championships do not come easily. A huge part of the Boston Celtics' success starts off with their amazing college scouting and decisions during the NBA Draft. This storied tradition has been going on for more than half a century and it will continue to do so. From Red Auerbach's ability to scout John Havlicek and Larry Bird to the franchise landing Paul Pierce, here are the best draft picks that the Green has made in their franchise's history.

10. Jo Jo White (1969 NBA Draft, ninth overall)

The 1976 Finals MVP needs little introduction. He led the Celtics against the Suns in astonishing fashion. Along his Hall of Fame career, he notched seven NBA All-Star appearances and two All-NBA selections. The two-time NBA champion may have spent time with other teams but his best years were with Boston.

9. Frank Ramsey (1953 NBA Draft, sixth overall)

The Kentucky Colonel has got to be the best player to have come from the Celtics off the bench. He was an instant offensive booster. Ramsey spent four seasons among the top 20 points scorers and also had the same amount of true shooting percentage success in the NBA. Fouling him was one of the worst defenders could make. He spent seven years in the top 20 for free throw percentages. Much like any player in the Celtics rotation, Frank had six seasons at the top of the league in defensive win shares.

8. Tom Sanders (1960 NBA Draft, eighth overall)

Satch not only became the first African-American head coach in the Ivy League but his impact as part of the Celtics remains to be one of the greatest. He was the ideal role player that any coach could ask for and Red Auerbach benefitted from that the most. He was also hailed as an All-Defensive selection.

7. Paul Pierce (1998 NBA Draft, 10th overall)

He was an offensive weapon and that was the truth. The Celtics were always chasing for championships to top off Pierce's career. He finally got one when Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett came to Beantown. But, Paul already had a big impact on the franchise before Jesus Shuttlesworth and The Big Ticket arrived.

He spent six seasons in the top 20 for offensive win shares and five in Player Efficiency Rating. He was also not a slouch on defense. Pierce had six seasons where he was in the top 20 of the league for his defensive win shares as well. This netted him a Hall of Fame career with 10 NBA All-Star appearances and four All-NBA selections.

6. KC Jones (1956 NBA Draft, 14th overall)

A lot of NBA players are loved for having “that dog in them” and Coach Jones was one of these players. He was the living heart and soul of the team that would hound any star player on defense. A glance at his statistics makes it seem that he may not look like much but he did a lot for the Celtics.

Blocks, steals, and all these other hustle stats were not yet recorded during his reign with the Celtics. However, his impact and legacy still remain. He spent seven years as one of the top defenders in the league. This meant nearly a decade of dominance given that Jones sat at the top 20 of defensive win shares in the league. Ball distribution and finding the open man is also one of his specialties. This is why he had a six-year stretch in the top 20 for total assists.

5. Tommy Heinsohn (1956 NBA Draft, sixth overall)

Before Tommy Gun became the beloved commentator of the Celtics community, he was one of the best defenders of his era. He dominated any player that was placed in front of him for over a decade. Tommy was in the top 20 in defensive win shares during a nine-year stretch.

When paired with his elite scoring capabilities, he was unstoppable. He had seven years of scoring success in the top 20 for points and points per game. This allowed him to get eight championships, four All-NBA team nods, and six All-Star appearances.

4. Kevin McHale (1980 NBA Draft, third overall)

If Shaquille O'Neal were to be commentating during the reign of the 1980s Celtics, ‘Barbeque Chicken' would be the only words to come out of his mouth when watching McHale. His nickname ‘Black Hole' was given birth because he would devour opponents in the post and they rarely stood a chance. He terrorized the Big Ten conference with this style of play and carried it over to the NBA. Unsurprisingly, it worked which earned him three NBA championships.

He gave Larry Bird time to rest while he heated up off the bench. His impact was then rewarded with two Sixth Man of the Year honors. The Herman Munster also notched seven All-Star appearances and six nods as an All-Defensive selection. McHale only got one All-NBA selection but that surely understates his impact.

3. Sam Jones (1957 NBA Draft, eighth overall)

Before Damian Lillard, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant entered the scene, Sam Jones was the king of the clutch. Getting the trust of his coaches was huge for Jones. He often had to prove that he was worthy of the ball in front of John McLendon and then Red Auerbach during the dying minutes of the game. This persistence and effort to never give up paid dividends.

Jones has the second-most titles as part of the Celtics. He put up 10 banners for the Celtics during his tenure. Along the way, he picked up five NBA All-Star selections and was part of three All-NBA teams. Notably, he would have gone to the rival Minneapolis Lakers but he decided to go back to college and earn his degree. Fans could only imagine how different of a timeline it would have been if he had played in the league earlier. But, as a famous musician said, “I guess we will never know.”

2. John Havlicek (1962 NBA Draft, ninth overall)

The late great Hondo was more than good at being crafty with the ball, he was a legend on both sides of the ball. John Havlicek had already been part of a great tradition of winning at the Ohio State basketball program. Country Boy then exceeded more expectations in the NBA with Red Auerbach.

Along with Bill Russell, he won eight championships for the Celtics. Havlicek was a 13-time All-Star who netted 11 All-NBA team selections. John also made eight All-Defensive team selections while he was at it. Currently, he still holds the franchise record for most points at 26,395. This was after he became the first player in NBA history to notch 1,000 points in 16 straight seasons. It is no surprise that Bill Russell called him “the best all-around player that he ever saw.”

1. Larry Bird (1978 NBA Draft, sixth overall)

Bill Russell and Larry Bird are the only two answers that may come to mind when thinking of the Celtics. Unfortunately for the great legend, he was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks and picked up by Red Auerbach after. This is why the Hick from French Lick has to take the top spot.

Falling all the way to number six was a blessing for Boston. They had found the star that would carry them into title contention for over a decade. Larry Bird's accolades speak for themselves. He is a three-time NBA champion and has also won the Most Valuable Player award in the same amount. Bird was a 12-time NBA All-Star and, in nine of those years, he was also picked for the All-NBA first-team. One could only wonder about the amount of dominance the Celtics would have if he did not have a painful back injury.