Havlicek, Celtics great with mighty steal, dies at 79
BOSTON >> John Havlicek’s legacy was built over 16 years with the Boston Celtics, eight of them as NBA champions, making him among the best to ever play the game.
One play immortalized him forever.
“Havlicek stole the ball! “Havlicek stole the ball!” Celtics radio announcer Johnny Most screamed, a moment that remains among the famous plays in NBA history.
Havlicek died Thursday in Jupiter, Florida, the Celtics said. He was 79. The cause of death wasn’t immediately available. The Boston Globe said he had Parkinson’s disease.
Voted one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players, Havlicek won eight titles with Boston and his steal of Hal Greer’s inbounds pass helped the Celtics hold off Philadelphia in the 1965 Eastern Conference final. He entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.
“John Havlicek is one of the most accomplished players in Boston Celtics history, and the face of many of the franchise’s signature moments,” the Celtics said in a statement. “He was a champion in every sense, and as we join his family, friends, and fans in mourning his loss, we are thankful for all the joy and inspiration he brought to us.”
Nicknamed “Hondo” for his resemblance to John Wayne, the 6-foot-5 Havlicek helped lead Ohio State to the 1960 national championship.
He was drafted ninth in the first round in 1962 by a Celtics team stocked with stars Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Tom Sanders, Tom Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey. Boston won championships in six of his first seven years.
“It is getting difficult each time I hear about another contemporary that passes!” Russell tweeted. “What is harder is when we lose guys like John Havlicek, he was not just a teammate & a great guy, but he was family. That is how our Celtics teams were.”
As Russell and others gradually moved on, Havlicek became the elder statesman and moved up to become a starter. The team won championships in 1973-74 and 1975-76 with Havlicek leading squads that included Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White.
“John Havlicek was a wonderful friend who represented the best of the NBA,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “He described himself as a man of routine and discipline — a humble approach that produced extraordinary results.”
Havlicek was the MVP of the 1974 Finals, and set Celtics career records for points and games.
As much as his deadly jump shot or his play in Boston’s triple-overtime NBA Finals victory over Phoenix in 1976, Havlicek was known for his durability. In his NBA career he scored 26,395 points in 1,270 games and played in 13 All-Star Games.