Honors by the Numbers: Two Rings, One FMVP, Eight All-Stars

Laid out, Cowens' honors are a "pragmatist's"lavish list:

• 2 NBA championships (1974, 1976; 1974 was his core title year);
• 1 Finals MVP (1973, his only FMVP);
• 8 NBA All-Star selections (1971-1978 consecutive);
• 1973 All-Star Game MVP;
• multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive team selections;
• Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame (1991);
• Boston Celtics No. 18 retired.

Note: of Boston's two 1970s titles (1974, 1976), Cowens was the absolute interior core in 1974; in 1976 he remained a starter, but that year's FMVP went to Jo Jo White. Cowens' highest individual honor remains the 1973 Finals MVP.

This list does not stack scoring titles or MVP counts, but balances "championship + All-Star + defensive recognition." For a 4th-pick, undersized center, it is a legendary return.

Related Reading

• Rookie of the Year and All-Star: Cowens’ Route to Honors
• 1973 NBA MVP: Dave Cowens (Boston Celtics)
• Dave Cowens: Hard Work and Role Model— The Rebounding Philosophy of a Small Center
• Dave Cowens: Auerbach’s "Stolen" Small-Center, the Blue-Collar Core of the Celtics
• Historical Standing: Why Cowens Is the Best Value Championship Big