For the first time since 2010, the NBA Finals are back in Boston.
The Celtics' storied history includes 22 trips to the NBA Finals, 17 of which ended with an NBA title. Over the franchise's 75-year history, some of the greatest players to ever play the game suited up in the green and white, contributing to their record-tying 17 titles.
Alongside the 17 NBA championship banners that hang at TD Garden are the numbers — or name — of 24 legends that made their mark in the history of the Celtics franchise.
MORE: When was the last time the Celtics won the championship?
Most recently, Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett was immortalized in Celtics' lore when his jersey was raised to the rafters in March of 2022.
However brief it may have seemed, Garnett made his mark in Boston, winning Defensive Player of the Year of the 2007-08 season, making him the first player in franchise history to win the honor.
Not long after Garnett was crowned as the league's best defender did he help the Celtics win the 2008 NBA championship, the most recent title in franchise history.
As the Celtics look to add another championship banner to the rafters in 2022, look back at the list of historic figures that have received the ultimate honor of having their number hang from the rafters in Boston.
MORE: Watch the NBA Finals live with Sling TV
Boston Celtics retired numbers
Here is the complete list of every number retired by the Boston Celtics.
| No. | Name | Seasons |
| 00 | Robert Parish | 1980-1994 |
| 1 | Walter Brown* | 1946-1964 |
| 2 | Red Auerbach** | 1950-2006 |
| 3 | Dennis Johnson | 1983-1990 |
| 5 | Kevin Garnett | 2007-2013 |
| 6 | Bill Russell | 1956-1969 |
| 10 | Jo Jo White | 1969-1979 |
| 14 | Bob Cousy | 1950-1963 |
| 15 | Tom Heinsohn | 1956-1965 |
| 16 | Tom "Satch" Sanders | 1960-1973 |
| 17 | John Havlicek | 1962-1978 |
| 18 | Dave Cowens | 1970-1980 |
| 19 | Don Nelson | 1965-1976 |
| 21 | Bill Sharman | 1950-1961 |
| 22 | Ed Macauley | 1950-1956 |
| 23 | Frank Ramsey | 1954-1964 |
| 24 | Sam Jones | 1957-1969 |
| 25 | K.C. Jones | 1959-1967 |
| 31 | Cedric Maxwell | 1978-1985 |
| 32 | Kevin McHale | 1980-1993 |
| 33 | Larry Bird | 1979-1992 |
| 34 | Paul Pierce | 1998-2013 |
| 35 | Reggie Lewis | 1987-1993 |
| LOSCY*** | Jim Loscutoff | 1955-1964 |
Other notable Celtics with jersey retired
No. 6 Bill Russell, won an NBA-record 11 NBA championships and is the namesake of the NBA Finals MVP trophy
No. 31 Cedric Maxwell, 1981 NBA Finals MVP and current radio analyst for the Celtics
No. 33 Larry Bird, three-time NBA champion and the namesake of the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy
No. 34 Paul Pierce, the most recent Celtic to win NBA Finals MVP, doing so during the team's 2008 NBA title run
*Brown is the founder and the first owner of the Boston Celtics franchise
**No. 2 "signifies that Auerbach is second only to Walter Brown as the most significant person in the history of the Boston Celtics organization"
***Loscutoff wore No. 18 but asked that his number not be retired so that a future player could wear it. No. 18 would later be retired for Cowens.
Why did Kevin Garnett wear No. 5 with the Celtics?
When Garnett joined the Celtics prior to the 2007-08 season, he switched from No. 21 to No. 5. Although the Hall of Famer wore No. 21 during his first 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, that number was already retired in Boston for Bill Sharman.
Garnett wore No. 5 for six seasons with the Celtics before switching to No. 2 following his trade to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013.
How many championship rings does Kevin Garnett have?
Garnett won the 2008 NBA championship with the Celtics. During Boston's run to the title, Garnett averaged 20.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in 26 games throughout the 2008 playoffs.
That was Garnett's only championship. He led the Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2010 where they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.
