Power Ranking Larry Bird and the Most Influential Boston Celtics Post-Retirement

Twenty-one NBA finals appearances, 17 NBA championships and over 30 Hall-of-Fame talents has this Boston Celtics franchise boasting some of the most influential players in basketball history.

Yet, in spite of the plethora of talents to grace Boston, there are five former Celtics that have been as influential as any player in league history.

From Red Auerbach to Larry Bird, the Celtics have been one of the stronger teams of any sport since the team was established in 1946.

Bird was also one of the more influential players post-retirement, as his career continued on in the league with the Indiana Pacers coaching staff.

Here are Larry Bird and the most influential Boston Celtics post-retirement.

No. 5: Larry Bird

A three-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, Larry "Legend" is arguably the most dominant scorer in franchise history.

Yet off the court, following his exceptional career, Bird was able to move back to his home state of Indiana and work as a head coach with the Pacers from 1997 to 2000. Since 2003, he has been the Pacers' President of Basketball Operations.

Bird continues to make his presence felt in the league even after his remarkable career as a player, as his Indiana Pacers are in the midst of a breakthrough season.

No. 4: Tommy Heinsohn

The image of the Boston Celtics on New England's Comcast SportsNet,  Tommy Heinsohn makes a sure entry at No. 4 on the countdown.

Heinsohn continued to have his presence felt in the league upon retiring, coaching the Celtics from 1969-1978, and he was able to lead the Celtics to multiple NBA championships.

As a broadcaster, this is his 25th season both as the image and voice of the Celtics with FSN New England.

Both from the sidelines and with the headset, Heinsohn has clearly made his presence felt.

No. 3: Danny Ainge

Although he may be more recently remembered for being guilty of trading away Kendrick Perkins, Danny Ainge has turned around this Boston Celtics franchise as its General Manager and President of Basketball Operations.

In the 2007 offseason, Ainge traded for both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett—moves that would soon begin the era of the Big Three. Paul Pierce and the three were hot from the start, taking the team to an NBA championship in 2008.

Ainge would also make the move to keep Rondo throughout the process and eventually start him at PG, a decision that certainly can be argued as his most successful one as well.

Bringing a championship to Boston and making a consistent contender out of a team that failed to meet expectations since the departure of Larry Bird, Ainge will undoubtedly go down as one of the more influential Celtics post-retirement.

No. 2: Bill Russell

Former Celtics legend Bill Russell has the NBA Finals MVP award named after him, the Professional Writers Association of America named him the Greatest Player in the History of the NBA, and President Barack Obama named him the 2010 Medal of Freedom.

Talk about a mouthful.

Not to mention, Russell has had a truly remarkable lasting on this franchise, boasting 11 championships and 13  years with the team.

Without a doubt, his impact as a player has also carried over into his post-retirement, as the league was left with arguably the most talented center to play the game. His contributions off the court easily make him one of the more influential Celtics post-retirement.

No. 1: Red Auerbach

The image of cigar smoke drifting about the air was one of the more memorable images of Red Auerbach in his special tenure with the team.

Although never technically retired from the team, Red Auerbach not only made his presence felt with this team, he was—and is—the face of the Boston Celtics franchise.

Auerbach was a member of the Celtics franchise for a total of 57 years before passing away in October of 2006. He served as head coach of the team for 16 seasons and helped the Celtics to nine NBA championships with the help of star center Bill Russell.

He would also serve as the teams general manager and team president after stopping coaching in 1966. After his passing in 2006, Paul Pierce and the team dedicated the season to him, as he was hands down—without an ounce of doubt—the single most influential Celtic in team history off the court.