Photo by johnhavlicekbasketball.com
Boston Celtics legend John Havlicek passed away on Thursday at the age of 79 in Jupiter, Florida after a long battle with Parkinsons Disease.
Havlicek is still the all-time Celtics leader in career points (26,395), minutes (46,471), and games played (1,270). He won eight NBA titles with Boston starting in his rookie season in 1962-63. He also won an NBA Finals MVP and was named one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all time. His #17 hangs from the rafters at TD Garden.
Boston selected Havlicek with the seventh pick in the 1962 NBA draft. He had led his Ohio State team to the 1960 National Title. Havlicek was also drafted by the Cleveland Browns of the NFL in 1962, but basketball was his calling. One of the most famous Havlicek moments was in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, when he deflected and stole an inbounds pass in the final seconds to clinch a Celtics win as radio announcer Johnny Most coined the proclamation, “Havlicek stole the ball”.
No word yet on whether there will be any services private or public for Mr. Havlicek.
