Paul Pierce played basketball.
Paul Anthony Pierce ( born October 13 , 1977 ) is an American former professional basketball player who played 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He became a bone fide star as captain of the Celtics , earning ten All-Star nods and becoming a four-time All-NBA team member . After nine seasons of leading the Celtics as their sole star player , Pierce combined with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in 2007 to form a `` Big Three '' that together led Boston to the NBA Finals in 2008 and 2010 , winning the 2008 NBA Championship .