Can you guess which 11 NBA players have won at least four championships in a row at one point in their careers?
Any NBA player will tell you that winning an NBA championship is the hardest thing to do in their career. If winning one is difficult, going back-to-back is even harder. Achieving a three-peat is so rare that only three teams have done it in the history of the NBA. Then, there are the NBA players who have been fortunate enough to be a member of four or more championship teams in a row. That last one is so rare that only 11 players in the history of the game have been able to say they did it.
Taking it one step further, of those 11 players who have four-peated in NBA history, only one was not a member of the 1960s Boston Celtics teams that won eight championships in a row from 1959 through 1966. Regardless of when or how these 12 players joined this very exclusive club, winning this many NBA championships in a row will always be celebrated and acknowledged as one of the greatest feats in NBA history.
Today, we will break down these 11 players and their contributions to those championship runs. Some were leaders and directly impacted every championship they were a part of. Others were just fortunate enough to be along for the ride with minimal impact and minimal contribution. Either way, their names will forever be etched in the history books for doing something that less than 0.5% of NBA players in history have ever done.
These are the only players to have four-peated in NBA history.
Gene Guarilia – 4-Peat (1960-1963)
Credit: Fadeaway World
Gene Guarilia may just be the luckiest of all 11 players to make it on this list. Guarilia would only play four seasons in total in his NBA career from 1960 through 1963 for the Boston Celtics. During that time, Guarilia would play a total of 129 games in the regular season at just 8.4 minutes per game and averaging 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds per game.
The Celtics would go on to win an NBA championship every season in which Guarilia was with the team. Guarilia would see time on the court for just two of those playoff runs. In 1960, he appeared in seven playoff games and averaged 2.0 points per game on 22.2% shooting. After riding the pine for the 1961 title, Guarilia would appear in five playoff games in 1962 and averaged 1.2 points per game on 25.0% shooting.
As you can see, Guarilia’s impact was next to nothing for Boston, but nevertheless, he is one of the 12 players to win four NBA championships in four seasons. Guarilia would retire following the Celtics’ 1963 championship run.
John Havlicek – 4-Peat (1963-1966)
Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
John Havlicek is well-known for being one of the greatest forwards in NBA history. Havlicek debuted for the Celtics during the height of the Bill Russell era in Boston, and on the back half of their magical eight NBA championships in a row from 1963 through 1966. In those early years, Havlicek was just scratching the surface of his true abilities but still averaged 17.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in the regular season.
He was consistent and even more valuable to Boston during the playoffs. During these four championship runs, Havlicek would average 18.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. His best playoff run came in 1963 when he averaged 23.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists to help the Celtics win their eighth straight championship and Havlicek’s fourth straight.
Havlicek would go on to appear in four more NBA Finals in his career, winning them all for a perfect 8-0 record in his Finals career. He was named the 1974 Finals MVP as well and went down as one of the greatest players in the history of the Boston Celtics franchise.
Steve Kerr – 4-Peat (1996-1999)
Credit: Fadeaway World
Steve Kerr is the only player on this list to never have appeared in an NBA game for the Boston Celtics. The sharpshooter turned legendary coach got his start with the Cavaliers and would make his way to the Chicago Bulls for the 1993-94 season. He would remain with the Bulls for five seasons from 1994 through 1998 and, with clutch shots and timely three-pointers off the bench, helped Chicago capture three NBA titles in a row from 1996 through 1998.
In the NBA playoffs for the Bulls during their championship seasons, Kerr would average 5.5 points and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 43.8% overall and 38.2% from three. In the 1997 NBA Finals, Kerr would have his most iconic NBA moment when Jordan swung him the ball late in the game against the Utah Jazz. Kerr would knock down a jumper to give the Bulls their fifth NBA championship of the Michael Jordan era.
After the 1998 season, Kerr would join the San Antonio Spurs. He would appear in 44 games off the bench in the regular season and average 4.4 points per game. In the NBA playoffs that season, Kerr would play just 11 games for San Antonio, seeing less than 9.0 minutes per appearance. He averaged 4.9 points per game on 46.3% shooting from three for his fourth NBA championship in a row. Kerr would add a fifth title in 2003 with the Spurs as well and has a total of nine between his time as a player and coach for the Golden State Warriors.
Bob Cousy – 5-Peat (1959-1963)
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There is no doubt that Bob Cousy is one of the greatest point guards in the history of the NBA. He was a pioneer of the position and well ahead of his time in terms of the way he handled the ball, as well as his passing abilities. Cousy would win a total of six NBA championships in his career, but no stretch was more dominant than the Celtics’ run from 1959 through 1963.
During this time, Cousy would win two of his eight career assists titles during the regular season. Overall, he averaged 17.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game for Boston. Although his scoring numbers would dip, Cousy did everything else better in the NBA playoffs to help Boston go 5-5 in the NBA Finals during this time. He averaged 16.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game from 1959 through 1963 in the NBA playoffs to give him and the Celtics five NBA championships in a row.
Cousy would retire following the 1963 title but did briefly return to action for the Cincinnati Royals in 1970 at 41 years old. Cousy would play seven games, averaging 0.7 points per game in those appearances, but would never play again after that.
Jim Loscutoff – 6-Peat (1959-1964)
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The next three players on our list are all fortunate to have had a chance to win six NBA championships in a row. Eat your heart out Michael Jordan. All jokes aside, Jim Loscutoff, who was a seven-time NBA champion overall, played for the Celtics for nine seasons from 1956 through 1974. In his career with Boston, Loscutoff would average just 6.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in a total of 511 games.
Loscutoff was slightly better in the NBA playoffs, but not by much. The 6’5’’ small forward would appear in nearly every playoff game for the Celtics during this incredible run. In 1959, Loscutoff would contribute 8.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game to the championship that started their run of dominance during the 60s.
Over the course of the rest of his playoff career, Loscutoff had a minimal impact on the outcome of Boston’s championships. In their next five championship runs combined, he would average just 3.6 points and 3.4 rebounds while playing just 11.4 minutes per game. In nine total seasons, Loscutoff would win seven NBA titles with Boston.
Frank Ramsey – 6-Peat (1959-1964)
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As opposed to Loscutoff’s minimal impact on six NBA championship teams, Frank Ramsey was a vital part of Boston’s success on the court during his nine-year career from 1955 through 1964. In his career with the Celtics, Ramsey averaged 13.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during the regular season. He would help the team win a total of seven NBA championships, including a six-peat from 1959 through 1964.
During their first championship run of the six-peat in 1959, Ramsey would average 23.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in the playoffs as a key member to helping Boston get back on top after dropping the 1958 Finals. Over the course of their next five championships that followed, Ramsey played a smaller yet valuable role. He would average 11.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in the playoffs from 1960 through 1964 as Boston steamrolled the competition for five more championships.
Satch Sanders – 6-Peat (1961-1966)
Credit: Fadeaway World
The final player on the list of those to six-peat as NBA champions is Satch Sanders. With the Boston Celtics from 1961 through 1973, Sanders would win a total of eight NBA championships, including six in a row to begin his career. In the regular season, Sanders would average a modest 10.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game but his impact defensively was topped by only Bill Russell in the frontcourt.
The former All-Defensive Team selection was a Swiss Army knife on that side of the ball and could cover nearly all five positions on the court. As their starting forward during the NBA playoffs from 1961 through 1966, Sanders would average 11.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game while stifling the opposing team with his incredible defensive play.
Sanders would go on to win two more NBA championships in 1968 and 1969 with the Celtics as well to bring his total to eight in his career. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011, averaging 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds for his career.
Tom Heinsohn – 7-Peat (1959-1965)
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The next four players are perhaps the four most important to the Boston Celtics’ dominance in the 1960s. The first of these players was Tom Heinsohn, a prolific scorer and jump shooter who helped Boston win a total of eight NBA championships in his career. The former Rookie of the Year averaged 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds in his nine-year career with Boston, with the only season not winning a championship coming in 1958.
Heinsohn would be one of Boston’s biggest offensive threats over the course of their seven straight championships from 1959 through 1965. Overall, he would average 19.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game during this time while shooting 41.0% from the field. He had three different playoff runs of over 20.0 points per game and a career-high 24.7 points per game on their championship run in 1963.
Heinsohn would make six All-Star teams and four All-NBA Teams in his career on top of the seven championships. He was elected to the Hall of Fame as a player in 1986 and as a coach in 2015.
K.C. Jones – 8-Peat (1959-1966)
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K.C. Jones is one of the most peculiar names in the history of the Boston Celtics. He is undoubtedly a legend, even though his numbers do not add up to that status. Jones won an NBA championship every season of his career except in 1967, with Boston averaging just 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game for his career.
Jones was way more celebrated for his contributions on the defensive end of the court. On Boston’s seven championship runs, he averaged just 6.3 points and 3.6 assists per game, with just one run averaging over 10.0 points per game in 1966. Jones does not get the credit he deserves due to the lack of recorded defensive stats during his playing days, but any fan, teammate, or coach will tell you how much he meant to their success.
As a Head Coach with the Celtics from 1984 through 1988, Jones would win two more NBA championships in four appearances on the big stage. He would be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1989.
Sam Jones – 8-Peat (1959-1966)
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If you are looking for the most lethal and prolific offensive threat from Boston’s dynastic years, look no further than Sam Jones. Armed with a smooth jumper and natural high-level instincts, Jones would help Boston win a total of 10 NBA championships in 12 seasons with the team from 1958 through 1969.
Over the course of the regular season with the Celtics in his career, Jones would average 17.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Those numbers would frequently rise during the NBA playoffs. In 12 playoff appearances overall, Jones averaged 18.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 44.7% from the floor. His best playoff stretch would come in 1965, when he averaged 28.6 points per game. In total on their stretch of eight straight championships, Jones would average 20.6 points per game on 45.7% shooting.
Along with his 10 NBA championships, Jones would earn five All-Star appearances and three selections to the All-NBA Team. In 1984, Jones would be elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player as one of only two players in NBA history with 10 or more NBA titles to their names.
Bill Russell – 8-Peat (1959-1966)
Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY SPORTS
Now, we move on and finish our list with the backbone of the Celtics dynasty during the 1960s, Bill Russell. Over the course of 13 seasons, Russell led the Celtics to an 11-1 record in the NBA Finals with just one season in which he failed to reach them. Russell could have been an offensive juggernaut, taking more shot attempts and using his athleticism to dominate opponents.
Instead, Russell mastered the art of rebounding and defense to give his team the greatest chance of winning championships, and it paid off drastically. During his entire career, Russell averaged 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds per game but was a different animal during their run of eight straight titles from 1959 through 1966. During that time in the NBA playoffs, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 26.4 rebounds per game to fuel their dominant stretch.
As the greatest winner in NBA history, Russell earned five MVP awards, 12 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA Team selections, four rebounding titles, and an All-Defensive Team selection in 1969. Russell was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975 as a player and in 2021 as a coach for his role as a player-coach with the Celtics for their championships in 1968 and 1969.
