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Boston Celtics: Top 10 “Could Have Been’s” Since 1996

By Jamie Gallagher

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; General view of the stage before the start of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Number 2: Steve Nash

Career Averages: 14.3 Points/8.5 Assists/43% 3pt Field Goal Percentage

Awards: 2x NBA MVP/8x NBA All Star/3x All NBA First Team/2x All NBA Second Team/2x All NBA Third Team/6x League Leader in Assists/3rd All Time in Assists

In the 1996 NBA Draft the Celtics selected Antoine Walker with the 6th pick. Walker was a great scorer at the forward position during his time in Boston, but offered almost nothing else to the team. He was a below average defender and possessed an “all about me” mentality that eventually led to his departure from Boston.

Steve Nash was taken 9 picks later (15th overall) by the Phoenix Suns. While the hype surrounding Nash certainly didn’t compare to that of Walker at the time, Nash ended up becoming a Hall of Famer and one of the best point guards of all time while Walker went bankrupt and fell off the map.

If you have even the vaguest interest in basketball you know who Steve Nash is. You know that his ability to pass and handle the ball was out of this world.

The Boston Celtics have had their chances to land many great point guards over the years, such as Tony Parker and Chauncey Billups, but missing out on the guy who became one of the best of all time is just heartbreaking.

Nash finished his career 3rd all time on the NBA Assists list, and joined Magic Johnson (and soon to be Steph Curry) as the only point guards in the last 50 years to win multiple MVP Awards.

It’s fun to think about what the Boston Celtics would have looked like had they built a team around young stars and future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Steve Nash.

Next: The Great Mistake

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