Jo Jo White
(1946-2018)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2015
Card Shown:
2012-13 Panini Intrigue
Red White & Blue
Position: PG
Height: 2015
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Joseph Henry White (Jo Jo) was an incredibly talented basketball player, but more importantly, he was known as a gentleman and a gracious person off the court. Although he also excelled in football and baseball, White set his sights on the hardwood and became a basketball legend. He starred at the University of Kansas, for the USA in the Olympic Games, and as a member of the Boston Celtics.
Awards and Honors
- White played his college basketball at Kansas, where he averaged 15.3 points per game and was selected to the NCAA AP All-America team twice and was named the team’s MVP three times.
- Jo Jo, along with Spencer Haywood and Charlie Scott, helped lead the USA to the Olympic gold medal in Mexico City in 1968. Jo Jo averaged 11.7 points per game, second only to Haywood.
- White won two NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and 1976. His teammates on those title-winning teams included John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and Scott. Jo Jo was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1976.
- Jo Jo was chosen as an NBA All-Star seven consecutive times from 1971-1977.
- The Boston Celtics retired Jo Jo’s number 10 jersey on April 9, 1982.
Points of Interest
- On March 12, 1966, Jo Jo and the Kansas Jayhawks were defeated by the University of Texas-El Paso Miners 81-80. The Miners would go on to win two more games including a 72-65 victory over Kentucky to win the NCAA Championship. The Miners title run, including the victory over Jo Jo and the Jayhawks, was immortalized in the film Glory Road.
- White was a durable NBA player. He set a Celtic record by playing in 488 consecutive games.
- Jo Jo was a Hall of Fame basketball player as well as a generous and giving person off of the court. He served the Celtics as their director of special projects and made a positive impact in the community around him.
- White was such a gifted athlete that he was drafted by the Boston Celtics of the NBA, the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, and the Cincinnati Reds of MLB. He was also drafted into the US military, making him perhaps the only player ever drafted four times!
- One of the highlights of Jo Jo’s career was his play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns. White scored 33 points and led the Celtics to a 128-126 triple-overtime victory that broke a 2-2 series tie and propelled the Celtics to the NBA championship.
Statistics
Jo Jo White Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com