The Boston Celtics have drafted three players from Nebraska across NBA history. The selections arrived in the 1954 draft with a first-round choice at the fifth pick and 94th overall. Additional picks followed in the 1971 and 1976 drafts.

The 1971 selection occurred in the 13th round at the sixth pick and 201st overall. The 1976 selection came in the third round at the 17th pick and 51st overall. These three picks represent the complete list of Nebraska players taken directly by Boston in the draft.

The Celtics have relied on the draft more than any other method to build their teams over the decades. That approach has produced more fruit than trades or free agency for the franchise's best players. The strategy delivered Hall of Famers and role players alike while allowing the front office to control incoming talent at the rookie scale.

Even players from smaller programs have joined the roster through the annual event. Nebraska stands as one example of how the Celtics have cast a wide net in search of value. The Cornhuskers have never ranked among the primary pipelines for Boston, yet the three selections show the team's willingness to find contributors outside traditional blue-blood programs.

Countless Celtics alumni have arrived via the draft rather than only top stars. Schools of all sizes have supplied talent to Boston's storied rosters. The Nebraska selections fit into that pattern of scouting across programs and reflect a front office that has long valued depth accumulated through multiple rounds.

The three picks span more than two decades and illustrate the team's consistent use of the draft to add depth. No further Nebraska players appear on the list of Celtics draft selections. Boston's success in the draft helped construct championship rosters that mixed elite first-round talent with later-round finds who could contribute to winning culture.