Celtics to retire Pierce's No. 34 during 2017-18 season

No other Boston Celtics player will ever wear the No. 34 again, with team co-owner Steve Pagliuca confirming Thursday that Paul Pierce's jersey will be officially retired at some point during the 2017-18 campaign.

"It’s going to be fantastic," said Pagliuca, according to The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach. "For our era, the most recent era, he embodied the Celtics’ leadership, the Celtics’ brand and was the MVP of the championship team. So it’s going to be fantastic to see that happen."

Pagliuca wouldn't give an exact date for the ceremony, but did hint that details would be coming very soon, according to ESPN's Chris Forsberg.

Pierce will be the 22nd player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining such Celtics legends as Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, and Robert Parish hanging in the rafters at Boston's TD Garden.

After spending the 2016-17 season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Pierce signed a one-day contract to retire a member of the Celtics, who drafted him 10th overall back in 1998.

He played the first 15 years of his storied career donning Celtic green, averaging 21.8 points, six rebounds, and 3.9 assists during his tenure. Pierce was also a 10-time All-Star with Boston, and was part of a Big 3 that won a championship in 2008.

The now 39-year-old ranks first overall in Celtics history in steals and free throws made and attempted, and ranks second and third in points and total appearances, respectively.