The Celtics roster could reach unprecedented territory if Rajon Rondo is named as a reserve to the NBA’s Eastern Conference All-Star team this week as expected. Shaq, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O’Neal already give the Cs a seldom seen 5 All-Stars on their roster. They have all appeared in at least four All Star games to boot. Rare company indeed.
I couldn’t find a team with 6 in the past quarter century. The record-setting Chicago Bulls of 1995-1996 that won 72 games? They only had 3 All-Stars in Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman (Ron Harper was a borderline All-Star for the Cavs and Clippers before injuring his knee but was never named). One of, if not THE greatest Celtics teams ever in 1985-1986 had 5 in Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Bill Walton and Dennis Johnson. The 2003-2004 Los Angeles Lakers, who were upset by Detroit in the NBA Finals, also had five All-Stars in Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Gary Payton, Karl Malone and Horace Grant. Finally, the 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 Houston Rockets also had five All-Stars in Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Kevin Willis and Eddie Johnson.
It will be interesting to see Rondo in the All Star game as the up and down tempo will be a good fit for his game and the flashy play that he sometimes displays. It’s been fun watching him develop into an actual* point guard *and a very good one at that. The kid is earning his stripes. Can we call it the Big Four now?