Hoops Habit
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Every single NBA team’s Mount Rushmore of stars

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 2, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) look on in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) look on in the first quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Boston Celtics Mount Rushmore, Larry Bird
Larry Bird – Boston Celtics Mount Rushmore (Photo by Jerry Wachter/Sports Imagery/Getty Images) /

The Mount Rushmore of the Boston Celtics

  • Larry Bird
  • Bob Cousy
  • John Havlicek
  • Bill Russell

The list of players who could make this list is tenfold, but the first and most obvious choice is Bill Russell. Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unfathomable 11 NBA championships, was a five-time regular season MVP, and has his name on the Finals MVP award—literally, it’s named after him.

What makes Russell even more incredible is that he also won two championships as the player-coach of the Celtics. He was leadership personified.

Larry Bird joins Russell as top-10 all-time players who played their entire careers in Celtic green. He joined Russell and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to win MVP in three consecutive seasons, and won back-to-back titles to boot during that reign of dominance.

Bird finished his career as a three-time NBA champion, had two 50-40-90 seasons, and effectively saved the Association through his compelling rivalry with Magic Johnson.

Not to be overshadowed, Bob Cousy was the NBA’s original dominant point guard. He led the Association in assists on eight separate occasions, won six titles alongside Russell, and is one of 10 players to have been named All-NBA First Team in 10 separate seasons.

Cousy also won the 1957 NBA MVP award and led the Celtics to their first-ever championship during that very season.

Rounding out the Mount Rushmore is a player who only pales in comparison to Russell amongst legends who won a ridiculous number of rings: John Havlicek. Hondo was equal parts humble and competitive, accepting any role that was asked of him and thriving on the biggest of stages.

Havlicek finished his career as an eight-time NBA champion, an 11-time All-NBA honoree, and an eight-time All-Defense selectee.

That’s an impressive feat considering Hondo debuted six years before the All-Defensive Teams even existed in the NBA.

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