COJ: Who's the captain now?



For the first time in team history, the Boston Celtics do not have an official captain. And on the surface, for such a storied history, that kind of makes sense. This team doesn't seem to currently have it's definitive leader; it doesn't have it's Paul Pierce, Larry Bird or Bob Cousy. That being said, it might have it's Dee Brown, Pervis Ellison or Dana Barros. Because as storied as this team was, and it's list of captains IS quite impressive, there certainly was an extended period of dark times - arguably highlighted most easily by the team's captain.

For reference, via NBA.com/celtics - here is the list of Celtic Captains

1950-63 Bob Cousy
1963-69 Bill Russell
1969-78 John Havlicek
1978-80 Dave Cowens
1980-92 Larry Bird
1992-93 Reggie Lewis
1993-94 Robert Parish
1994-95 Dee Brown and Dominique Wilkins
1995-96 Dee Brown
1996-97 Rick Fox
1997-98 Dee Brown, Pervis Ellison, Antoine Walker
1998-99 Antoine Walker
1999-00 Antoine Walker and Dana Barros
2000-03 Antoine Walker and Paul Pierce
2003-2013 Paul Pierce
2014 Rajon Rondo

Both in looking at the team's current roster, as well as their Captain history multiple captains is pretty much a give-in. It addresses the team's lack of a clear, definitive leader, and it kind of jives with the makeup of the team. Quantity in face of a lack of quality.

Here's who I'd go with

  1. Avery Bradley - Avery doesn't immediately scream 'Captain!' to you. Mostly because Avery is incapable of screaming. He's a silent assassin, not a somali pirate. But in entering his sixth season Avery's by far the most tenured member of the team, and he figures to be a contributing member of this team for the next few years
  2. Marcus Smart - Probably the most logical decision, in my opinion. Smart is the only player on the current roster who has 'superstar' potential, and he's a born leader. Inexperience is really the only knock.
  3. Isaiah Thomas - Kind of a political pick, here. My heart tells me that the final captain should be Jae Crowder - who seems to be more of the pulse of the team - but you kind of get the feeling that Thomas, the team's best scorer and probably currently it's best player, wouldn't be super chill w/ their being 3 captains and him not being one. 


Start Your Morning Off With: A joke from DeMarcus Cousins which is probably a joke, but we should probably take the right precautions just in case

on Rajon Rondo's upcoming free agency
“He ain’t going nowhere. I will kidnap him myself.”

TBT WTHHT: Dee Brown
written by TB727


Was it really almost 25 years ago? That Decovan Kadell Brown soared through the air, his right arm covering his eyes while dunking the ball with his left? That he pumped-up his shoes in front of a national audience, giving a new face to Celtics pride? It may also be so long that you forgot how well he held-his-own against a future Hall of Famer in the Celtics tough second round loss to the Pistons during his rookie year. If you followed the Celtics in the 1990s you absolutely remember Dee Brown.

The Celtics picked Dee #19 in the 1990 draft out of Jacksonville, surprising a few folks and also upsetting Jerry West who wanted the Lakers to draft him. Instantly he gave the Celtics a shot in the arm adding fast legs, a willingness to learn and an appreciation for the veteran leaders Boston had in place. Along with Reggie Lewis, Kevin Gamble and Brian Shaw, they became the "Zip Boys," leading to a memorable caricature t-shirt.

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