The Celtics have had more than their fair share of legendary players donning their iconic green and white threads, and the great Bill Russell has to be at the top of the list. Russell had a storied 13-year career in Boston where he was able to bring home a record-setting 11 titles back to the Garden.
Russell is joined in the top five by two teammates who he won a number of championships with, John Havlicek and Bob Cousy. A Finals MVP in his own right, Havlicek was one of the best two-way players the league has ever seen, as he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times while also being named to the All-NBA First Team four times. Cousy, on the other hand, was an elite point guard for the Celtics. The 6'1" guard out of Queens was a league MVP and an eight-time assists leader.
These three icons then passed the torch to another all-time great, Larry Bird. Bird won the MVP trophy three times in his 13 years with the team and brought home the three titles. In two of those instances, he won the Finals MVP award. Bird became known as one of the best shooters, not just in Boston, but in the entire league.
Rounding out the top five Celtics of all time is swingman Paul Pierce. Pierce was the heart and soul of the Celtics in the 2000s, where he spent 15 seasons in Boston. His time in the Garden was highlighted by his 2008 NBA championship win over the long-time rival Los Angeles Lakers, where he also managed to win the Finals MVP.