Who were the Original Celtics?

The Original Celtics were a prominent all-white professional basketball team that served as a primary rival to the New York Rens during the early era of the sport. Led by notable players such as Joe Lapchick and Nat Holman, the team was widely considered the best in professional basketball at the time.1

Unlike the New York Rens, who sought entry into established leagues, the Original Celtics generally remained independent, opting to maximize their earnings by playing high-profile, one-off games against the best available professional competition. While the Rens initially struggled to match the Celtics' skill, they eventually refined their team defense and passing to achieve parity with them, creating one of the most significant rivalries in early professional basketball history.1

It is important to clarify that the Original Celtics are a distinct entity from the Boston Celtics, the modern NBA franchise founded in 1946.2