John Havlicek
(1940-2019)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1984
Card Shown:
2009-10 Panini Hall of Fame
Famed Signatures
Position: SF/SG
Height: 6’5″
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John Havlicek, also known as “Hondo,” was a star at Ohio State University before winning eight championships in the NBA with the Boston Celtics. He helped lead two generations of Celtics to basketball glory and was known for his incredible endurance which allowed him to literally run circles around his opponents. Bigger and stronger than most guards and quicker than most forwards, Havlicek was a tough cover for the opposing team. At 6’5″, John could handle the ball well. He was an effective shooter and a top defender. Havlicek starred as a sixth-man on his early Celtic teams and was usually on the court during the crucial ending of games. He went on to lead the next generation Celtics to two more championships in the 1970s.
Awards and Honors
- Havlicek played on Ohio State teams that included Jerry Lucas, Bob Knight, and Larry Siegfried. His Buckeye teams finished with a record of 78-6 during his time at the university, including an NCAA championship in 1960.
- John won eight NBA championships with the Boston Celtics, playing alongside such Celtic greats as Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Tom Heinsohn, Frank Ramsey, Clyde Lovellette, Bailey Howell, Dave Cowens, and Jo Jo White. He won his first NBA championship as a rookie in 1962 and his final championship thirteen years later, in 1976.
- During his sixteen-year career, spent entirely with the Celtics, Havlicek was chosen as an NBA All-Star thirteen consecutive times from the 1965-66 season through his final season in 1977-78.
- John was continually recognized as one of the top players in professional basketball. He was a four-time All-NBA First Team selection, a seven-time All-NBA Second Team selection, a five-time All-Defensive First Team selection, and a three-time All-Defensive Team selection. In addition, Havlicek was on the NBA All-Rookie First Team and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the 1974 NBA Finals.
- Havlicek was selected as one of The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
Points of Interest
- John was an All-State selection in basketball, football, and baseball at Bridgeport High School in Ohio. At Ohio State, Havlicek did not play football and batted over .400 during his freshman year on the baseball team. He chose, however, to focus on basketball. After graduating from Ohio State, John was drafted by both the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and the NBA’s Boston Celtics. He played a few preseason games for the Browns as a receiver before going on to star for the Celtics.
- Havlicek was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 1962 NBA Draft. Also selected in the draft that year were college teammate Jerry Lucas, Dave DeBusschere, Zelmo Beaty, and Chet Walker.
- One of the plays that has helped immortalize John in the minds of basketball fans occurred in the 1965 Eastern Division Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was the seventh and deciding game of the series. With five seconds left in the game and the Celtics holding on to a slim one-point lead, Havlicek deflected a ball being inbounded by the 76ers. Sam Jones grabbed the deflection, sealing the victory for Boston. Johnny Most’s famous call of this play can be heard in the videos below.
- Havlicek started investing early in his basketball career with an eye on providing for himself and his family in retirement. He invested a portion of his $15,000 rookie salary and continued to invest throughout his career. John was friends with Wendy’s fast food restaurant founder Dave Thomas and invested early in Wendy’s. He ended up owning three franchises in New York which he held for over thirty years.
- John finished his illustrious NBA career with averages of 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
Statistics
John Havlicek Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com