Kevin McHale

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Lore & Background

McHale's journey began at Hibbing High School, where he was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball in 1976 before attending the University of Minnesota from 1976 to 1980. There, he earned two first-team All-Big Ten selections and set team records that still stand, including ranking second in school history for career points (1,704) and rebounds (950). In a famous locker room anecdote, while congratulating the Gophers on a victory, Minnesota Viking Chuck Foreman asked the then-unknown McHale what he did for a living. After being drafted by Boston, McHale initially held out for a larger contract but signed a three-year deal. He spent his first five seasons as the sixth man, winning NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1984 and 1985. His nickname 'the Torture Chamber' was coined for his mastery of low-post moves that allowed him to out-leap and out-spin defenders. Dominique Wilkins famously called him 'A Man With a Thousand Moves.' In 1986, after Cedric Maxwell's trade, McHale became a full-time starter, forming what is arguably the greatest frontcourt in NBA history with Bird and Parish.

In Their Own Story

McHale's scoring prowess exploded during the 1984–1985 season. On March 3 against the Detroit Pistons, he delivered his greatest scoring night, setting the Celtics' single-game record with 56 points. Just two nights later, he scored 42 points against the New York Knicks; these 98 combined points in consecutive games remain a Celtics' record. Nine days after McHale's 56-point performance, Larry Bird set a new mark with 60 points versus Atlanta. Earlier, in his rookie season, McHale helped save a Game 6 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference finals by rejecting an Andrew Toney shot and securing the rebound with 16 seconds left to protect Boston's one-point lead. In the 1984 NBA Finals against the Lakers, after a hard foul on Kurt Rambis touched off a bench-clearing scuffle in Game 4, McHale played a pivotal role as Boston won in overtime to tie the series, eventually prevailing in seven games for their 15th championship. In the 1986 Finals against Houston, McHale led all scorers with an average of 25.8 points per game.

Reader's Guide

McHale's career evolved from a sixth-man role to becoming the cornerstone of Boston's interior dominance. After being selected third overall in 1980 via a lopsided trade involving Robert Parish, he backed up Cedric Maxwell and immediately made an impact, earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. The Celtics finished his rookie season with a league-best 62–20 record. Following a contract dispute where the New York Knicks signed him to an offer sheet, McHale re-signed with Boston at $1 million per season, making him the fourth-highest paid player in the NBA. His transition to a full-time starter occurred after Cedric Maxwell was traded prior to the 1985–1986 season. During this period, he averaged better than 20 points for the first time and finished 13th in MVP voting. In the 1986–1987 season, he set career highs in scoring (26.1) and rebounding (9.9), becoming the first player in NBA history to shoot 60% from the field and 80% from the line in the same season. His defensive impact was equally profound, earning him six All-Defensive Team selections. Injuries eventually forced his retirement following the 1992–1993 season.

Did You Know?

• McHale set the Celtics' single-game scoring record with 56 points on March 3 against the Detroit Pistons.
• He was the first player in NBA history to shoot 60% from the field and 80% from the free-throw line in the same season (1986–1987).
• Dominique Wilkins famously described McHale as 'A Man With a Thousand Moves'.
• McHale is of Croatian descent on his mother's side and Irish on his father's.
• In 1995, he was selected as the top player in the history of University of Minnesota men's basketball.