Celtics draft record: Five Tennessee players selected since 1948
A review of draft history reveals a limited but distinct connection between the Boston Celtics and the University of Tennessee, with only five players selected over a 75-year period.
The Boston Celtics have historically utilised the NBA draft as a primary mechanism for roster construction, with many of the franchise’s most significant contributors arriving through this channel or via trades executed on draft night. According to reporting by Yahoo Sports, the institution’s recruitment efforts have occasionally extended to the University of Tennessee, resulting in five players being selected by the franchise since 1948.
The earliest connection dates back to the 1948 BAA Draft, when the Celtics selected Marshall Hawkins in the third round. A forward who spent one season at Tennessee, Hawkins did not make the team, marking an early instance of draft selection without subsequent roster inclusion.
The next Tennessee-born draftee appeared 22 years later. Bobby Croft, a centre, was taken in the eighth round of the 1970 NBA Draft. Despite spending three seasons at the university, Croft also failed to make the Celtics’ roster, highlighting the long odds associated with mid-to-late round selections from non-traditional pipelines.
A shift in outcomes occurred in 1996 when the Celtics selected Steve Hamer, a centre, in the second round. Hamer, who had spent one season at Tennessee, went on to play four seasons with the franchise, establishing a tangible link between the university and the team’s historical roster.
The most recent successful tenure came from Grant Williams, selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft. A forward who spent three seasons at Tennessee, Williams also played four seasons with the Celtics, mirroring Hamer’s duration of service and reinforcing the franchise’s ability to develop talent from this specific collegiate source.
The most recent selection from the university is Julian Phillips, chosen in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. While the draft selection is confirmed, current data regarding the number of seasons Phillips has played with the Celtics remains unreported in available records.
The Celtics’ draft history demonstrates a reliance on both high-profile programmes and lesser-known schools to build their roster. The five players from Tennessee represent a small but specific segment of this broader strategy, illustrating the varied origins of talent within the franchise’s long-standing history.
