The Boston Celtics' legacy is woven with draft-night decisions that have shaped championship rosters for decades. From franchise icons to key role players, the annual NBA draft has been a primary pipeline for talent flowing into Boston, with many arriving either as direct selections or through savvy draft-night trades.

This tradition extends beyond just the household names. The Celtics' alumni rolls are filled with players from a diverse range of collegiate programs, from perennial blue bloods to smaller schools that produced hidden gems. It's a fascinating history of scouting and development. Today, we're focusing on one specific pipeline: the players drafted by the Celtics out of DePaul University.

While not the most frequent connection, the DePaul-to-Boston path has its own chapter in Celtics history. The journey begins in the league's early days, with the first Blue Demon to hear his name called by Boston.

The inaugural DePaul player drafted by the Celtics was selected in the 1947 BAA Draft, taken in the third round (second pick, 22nd overall). This pick marks the starting point of this unique collegiate-professional link.