
8. “We love ya, Cooz”
The Celtics never wanted Bob Cousy. They reluctantly signed “The Houdini of the Hardwood” after he was first taken by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, refused to report, and was eventually selected in a dispersal draft after the Chicago Stags folded.
Cousy played on six championship teams, led the league in assists eight straight years, was voted onto 13 NBA All-Star Games and was named NBA MVP in 1957. The Celtics honored him upon his retirement in 1963 in a ceremony dubbed “The Boston Tear Party.”
When die-hard Celtics fan Joe Dillon yelled “We love ya, Cooz,” the quiet, solemn crowd erupted into delirium. He was selected to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.
Next: No. 7