28-04-2025
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 17 - Don Barksdale (1953-55)
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 17 - Don Barksdale (1953-55)
The Boston Celtics have had players suiting up in a total of 68 different jersey numbers (and have three others not part of any numerical series) since their founding at the dawn of the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- the league that would become today's NBA), worn by well over 500 players in the course of Celtics history.
To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Celtics Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team.
With 25 of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Celtics to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover.
And for today's article, we will continue with the ninth of 11 people to wear the No. 17 jersey, Boston Hall of Fame forward alum Don Barksdale. After ending his college career at UCLA, Barksdale would go unselected in the 1947 BAA draft.
The Oakland, California native would instead sign with the (defunct) Baltimore Bullets in 1951 after a few seasons in other domestic leagues, and play the first two seasons of his pro career with the team before he was dealt to Boston in 1953. His stay with the team would span another two seasons, the last of his NBA career.
During his time suiting up for the Celtics, Barksdale wore only jersey No. 17 and put up 9.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
