Paul Pierce has retired as a member of the Boston Celtics!This post isn’t so much about how great Paul Pierce was. It’s more about my appreciation for him as a Boston Celtic. He embodied what it meant to be a Celtic. He was electrifying. He was magical. He was, simply, The Truth.

I remember being nine-years old when the C’s won their 17th NBA Championship. It was the end of Pierce’s prime and he won his first ring against his childhood favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers. That series truly cemented my fandom for the NBA. Not only had my favorite team won the chip in my first year watching basketball at the professional level, but it showed me that, to quote KG: “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.”

It was pure emotion for me and my dad, who had been a Boston fan since that 1976 triple-overtime game against the Suns, as we watched our beloved team celebrate under the confetti. Pierce, of course, was the Finals’ MVP. After Ray Allen left, Boston historically robbed Brooklyn of all of it’s assets for Pierce, Kevin Garnett and others.

Here are some pictures from the Celtics showing Pierce officially signing his contract and shooting some hoops.

From a C’s fan who has immortalized you as my favorite player ever: Thank you.