The Boston Celtics have seen hundreds of players come and go. Some have been forgotten, but Aron Baynes isn’t one of them. On paper, Baynes’ 150 games in green might seem unremarkable. Why remember a center who averaged 5 points and 5 rebounds per game? Because he was one of a kind.
A special connection with Brad Stevens
Brad Stevens might be Baynes’ biggest fan. In interviews, he often praised Baynes’ professionalism and reliability. Al Horford also highlighted how much Baynes helped him on the court:
“It makes everything a lot easier for us, for me. It allows me to be all over the place.”
Every teammate had great things to say about Baynes, or Sour Cream, as CelticsBlog’s Oliver Fox likes to call him. They were ready to fight for him, just as he would fight for them. However, his connection with Brad Stevens might have been the strongest.
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Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Before joining the Celtics, Baynes hadn’t attempted a single three-pointer in his career. But under Stevens’ guidance, things changed. For his first training in Boston, Baynes made 30 of his first 34 two-point jump shots, which prompted Stevens to have him try corner threes—a much more valuable shot.
Even after missing his first dozen attempts, Baynes kept shooting. And when it mattered most—against Joel Embiid’s drop coverage in the Eastern Conference Semifinals—Baynes’ new skill became a weapon. He went just 1-for-14 from the corners in the regular season but shot 9-for-15 in the playoffs!
The following season, 20% of his shot attempts came from beyond the arc. And in March 2020, while playing for the Phoenix Suns, Baynes tied a franchise record by hitting nine three-pointers in a game. This leap wouldn’t have been possible without Stevens’ coaching. Stevens loved working with Baynes so much that he once tried to guard him in the post—but ended up on the floor.
If Stevens was Baynes’ biggest fan, the Celtics crowd—and the late Tommy Heinsohn—weren’t far behind.
A fan favorite
Baynes embodied everything Celtics fans admire: toughness, selflessness, and fearlessness. He became known for occasionally being dunked on, but he never backed down.
Throughout his two seasons in Boston, he adapted to whatever role the team needed. Whether starting alongside Al Horford or coming off the bench, Baynes used his large, strong Australian frame to deliver.
In 2018, he exceeded expectations, becoming a vital piece of a beloved Celtics team that pushed the LeBron-led Cavaliers to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Few anticipated the impact Baynes would have on the Celtics or the career he would build.
Celtics fans, Brad Stevens, and teammates alike are grateful for Baynes’ contributions to Boston. May his retirement be as joyful as the Celtics’ 2018 playoff run.
Aron Baynes left his mark on the Celtics, and the Celtics changed the trajectory of his career—a virtuous circle you wish to see more often in life.
