Tom Heinsohn
(1934-2020)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1986
Card Shown:
2014-15 Panini Flawless
Association Auto
Position: PF
Height: 6’7″
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Tom Heinsohn has spent over 60 years associated with the Boston Celtics. He had a great career as a player, earning individual accolades as well as winning eight championships as part of the outstanding Celtics teams in the late 1950s and 1960s. Heinsohn went on to win two more championships as the Celtics coach and continued his Celtics association by broadcasting games for over 30 years. Tommy Heinsohn is one of the most iconic figures in Celtic history.
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Awards and Honors
- Tom played his college ball at Holy Cross. In 1954-55 he received Third Team AP All-America honors and in 1955-56 he was a First Team AP All-America selection.
- Heinsohn was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 1956 NBA Draft and went on to win the 1956-57 Rookie of the Year award.
- Tom won eight NBA Championships with the Boston Celtics dynasty, playing alongside fellow Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Frank Ramsey, Bill Sharman, and John Havlicek,
- During the Celtics legendary NBA reign, Heinsohn was named to the NBA All-Star team six times, including his last five seasons in the league.
- In 2015, Tom became the fourth person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. The others who have achieved this honor are John Wooden, Lenny Wilkens, and Bill Sharman.
Points of Interest
- In his rookie year, Tom scored 37 points in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to help defeat the Bob Pettit and the St. Louis Hawks in double overtime. Bill Russell was the next highest scorer on the Celtics that game with 19 points.
- Heinsohn led the great Celtics teams in scoring for three consecutive years from 1960 to 1962 with averages of 21.7, 21.3, and 22.1 points per game.
- Heinsohn finished his nine-year NBA career with averages of 18.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game on Celtic teams with a multitude of star players.
- After his playing career ended, Tom became the Celtics coach, succeeding Bill Russell. After a tough first season, the Celtics continued to improve and eventually won the 1974 NBA Championship with a team that featured John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and Jo Jo White. Two years later, Heinsohn led the Celtics to the 1976 NBA title, defeating the Phoenix Suns in six games.
- Tom continued his Celtic ties by becoming a broadcaster and calling Celtics games for over 30 years. Celtics fans have loved his style. From player to coach to broadcaster, Heinsohn has been beloved by the Celtic faithful for decades.
Statistics
Tom Heinsohn Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com