7 Best undrafted talents to play for the Boston Celtics

3. Arnie Risen

The Celtics employed two undrafted players that turned into Hall of Famers throughout their storied history. Risen was a 6’9 big man out of Ohio State that went undrafted in 1948 back when it was still the BAA and there were only 12 teams. The draft consisted of 113 picks, but none of them were Risen.

All he went on to do was play a decade in the NBA where he was a four-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion. Risen helped the Celtics win their first NBA championship in 1957, but he was no longer a star at that point. The 6’9 big man played off the bench behind Bill Russell.

Arnie Risen played seven seasons for the Rochester Royals before finishing his career in Boston. In his three years with the Celtics, Risen twice played in the NBA Finals, and he helped start the dynasty. Boston won 11 championships in 13 years from 1957 to 1969. The undrafted four-time All-Star was a veteran early in that run that assisted the Celtics in winning their first title.

Risen was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, and he led the BAA in field goal percentage in 1949.