Who Are The Fastest Celtics Players of All Time?

Speed is an elusive concept in the game of basketball. On the one hand, we understand its importance as fans.

It is what pushes the pace of play. It's what results in transition scoring and breakaways. It's how elite teams apply pressure to their competition.

At the same time, basketball isn't horse racing. We don't clock speed the same way that TwinSpires clocks racehorses.

What Celtics players best embody this important yet difficult-to-define quality? In this article, we take a look at five players from franchise history who were very good at getting the ball to the hoop in a way that demonstrated both speed and stamina.

Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo wore a Celtics uniform from 2006-2014. During this time, he saw the franchise through its championship contention seasons, of which they were successful in 2008.

Rondo was a consistent source of stability regardless of what state the team itself was in. He made it as an all-star four times during his tenure with the Celtics and contributed great speed both in breakaway points and in his ability to facilitate in transition.

Rondo led the league in assists three times and was known for both lightning-fast outlet passes and steals that resulted in breakaway points.

Dee Brown

Dee Brown played with the Celtics from 1990-1998, during which time the team experienced admittedly modest success. Four times during his tenure, they made it to the playoffs but never advanced beyond the second round.

Regardless, Dee Brown is remembered fondly by fans of the franchise for his explosive first step that beat defenders consistently.

He was known both for his quick transitions and his soaring ability to dunk the ball in a fashion that very nearly resembled flight.

Tony Allen

Tony Allen played for the Celtics during their famous Big Three period of the early 2000s. During which time he helped bring the franchise to its well-remembered 2008 championship win.

He was known for his defensive speed and his ability to facilitate fast-break points. His nickname “the Grindfather” would come after his time with the Celtics, but the qualities that would help him earn it were clearly on display during his time in Boston.

Allen's swiftness was not just about getting up and down the court quickly, but about seeing opportunities before other players and acting on them. It was this basketball IQ that made him one of the toughest defenders in the league.

Jo Jo White

Jo Jo White won't be remembered by fans of a certain age. Regardless, his legacy lives on in franchise history. He wore a Celtics uniform from 1969-1979. During that time, he played a key role in their championship campaigns.

Two times in that period the Celtics brought home the big trophy. They reigned victorious in 1974 and 1976. In the 1976 victory, Jo Jo White was the finals MVP during a campaign in which he scored an average of almost twenty-two points per game in the series.

He was also a seven-time all-star and known for his ability to push the pace of play. It was his tendency to get to his desired spots on the court that made him so difficult to beat as an offensive player.

Nate "Tiny" Archibald

Archibald had one overlap year with Jo Jo White, playing with the team from 1978 to 1983. He was already established at this point as one of the fastest players in the league and played as a point guard in the 1981 series, during which time the Celtics won a championship.

He's one of only two players in league history to lead in both scoring and assists in the same season and is a six-time all-star overall. His nickname of Tiny is relative - Archibald stands at six foot one.

It was his ability to push the pace of play and penetrate defenses that made him one of the best Celtics players of all time.

Speed and Basketball

With basketball, there are different kinds of swiftness, all of which impact the trajectory of a game. Yes, a player's ability to move quickly up and down the court is important, but their ability to think quickly, facilitate with swiftness, and convert points before the other team realizes what they are up to are equally, if not more important. There are a few stat categories that can reflect a player’s speed. Steals. Breakaway points. Even these fail to fully reflect the ways that swiftness and agility can influence the outcome of a basketball game.

The players on this list demonstrated all types of basketball speed, but there are many other Celtics players worthy of inclusion. Who is your favorite?