John Havlicek
Encyclopedia
John J. "Hondo" Havlicek ' onMouseout='HidePop("51315")' href="/topics/Martins_Ferry,_Ohio">Martins Ferry, Ohio
) is a retired American professional basketball
player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics
, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons.
In the NBA, only teammates Bill Russell
and Sam Jones
won more championships during their playing careers. Havlicek is considered one of the best NBA players in history, especially on defense, and was inducted as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. He was a three sport star at Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport
, Ohio
and one of his boyhood friends was Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro
. The Bridgeport High School Gymnasium was renamed the "John J Havlicek Gymnasium" in January 2007. He shares the honor with National High School Hall of Fame member Frank Baxter, a long time coach at Bridgeport High School. The court is named after Baxter.
One of the most famous play-by-play calls in NBA history came on April 15, 1965, when Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most
exclaimed "Havlicek steals it! Havlicek stole the ball!" after Havlicek intercepted Hal Greer
's inbound pass to clinch the Eastern Conference Championship against the Philadelphia 76ers
.
at Ohio State University
. That team, which also had future coaching legend Bobby Knight
as a reserve, won the 1960 NCAA title
.
He was named as an alternate to the 1960 Olympic Games
United States Team.
Havlicek was drafted by both the Celtics and the NFL's Cleveland Browns
in 1962. After competing briefly as a wide receiver in the Browns' training camp that year, he focused his energies on playing for the Celtics, with head coach Red Auerbach
later describing him as the "guts of the team." He was also known for his stamina, with competitors saying that it was a challenge just to keep up with him.
Nicknamed "Hondo
", (a name inspired by the John Wayne
movie of the same name), Havlicek revolutionized the "sixth man
" role, and has been immortalized for his clutch steal in the closing seconds of the 1965 Eastern Conference championship.
In the seventh and final game, played at Boston Garden
, the Celtics led the Philadelphia 76ers
110-109 with five seconds left, and only needed to inbound the ball underneath their basket to secure the victory and advance to the NBA Finals
. But Bill Russell
's pass struck a wire that hung down from the ceiling and helped support the baskets, the turnover giving the 76ers and Wilt Chamberlain
the ball and a chance to win the game—and the series. Hal Greer
was set to throw the inbounds pass for the 76ers. Havlicek stood with his back to Greer, guarding dangerous Chet Walker
.
But as Greer's pass came inbounds, Havlicek spun, leaped and tipped the pass to Sam Jones
, leading Celtics announcer Johnny Most
to make the most famous call of his legendary career:
Veteran referee Earl Strom
, who wrote about this in his memoir "Calling the Shots," called Havlicek's reaction one of the greatest plays Strom ever saw in his 32 years as a professional official.
John Havlicek is the Celtics all-time leader in points and games played, scoring 26,395 points (20.8 points per game, 11th all-time in points scored in the NBA), and playing in 1,270 games (17th all-time). He became the first player to score 1,000 points in 16 consecutive seasons, with his best season coming during the 1970-71 NBA season
when he averaged 28.9 points per game.
Havlicek shares the NBA Finals
single-game record for most points in an overtime period (9 in a May 10, 1974 game vs. the Milwaukee Bucks
), and was named that year's NBA Finals MVP.
In the second overtime of Game Five of the 1976 NBA Finals
("The Greatest Game Ever Played") Havlicek made a leaning, running bank shot that appeared to be the game-winner, as fans spilled onto the floor. But, Havlicek's shot went in with one second left and Phoenix was allowed one final shot (after Jo Jo White
sank the technical for Phoenix's illegal timeout), which Gar Heard
sank to force the third overtime. The Celtics went on to win the game in triple overtime.
Aside from being a great sixth man at the start of his career, Havlicek became known for his ability to play both forward and guard, his relentlessness and tenaciousness on both offense and defense, his outstanding skills in all facets of the game, his constant movement, and his untiring ability to run up and down the court. Because of his endurance, he was a devastating fastbreak finisher, one who could suddenly score in bunches when his Celtics team would shut out the other team and grab defensive rebounds. Although he did not have a high field goal percentage, he was a clutch outside shooter with great range. He was also the type of player who would do what it took to help his team score a victory, such as grab a clutch rebound, draw a charge or make a steal in a key defensive moment, or settle the team with a clutch basket or assist.
. In 1984 Havlicek became a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1997 he was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Havlicek was ranked #17 on SLAM Magazine
's Top 50 NBA Players of all time in 2009. He was also named the 13th best player of all-time in Bill Simmons
's The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy
.
Martins Ferry, Ohio
During the census of 2000, there were 7,226 people, 3,202 households, and 1,959 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,345.1 people per square mile . There were 3,680 housing units at an average density of 1,703.6 per square mile...
) is a retired American professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons.
In the NBA, only teammates Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
and Sam Jones
Sam Jones (basketball)
Samuel Jones is a retired American professional basketball player at shooting guard and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was known for his quickness and game-winning shots, especially during the NBA Playoffs...
won more championships during their playing careers. Havlicek is considered one of the best NBA players in history, especially on defense, and was inducted as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. He was a three sport star at Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Ohio
Bridgeport is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,831 at the 2010 census...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and one of his boyhood friends was Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro
Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro , nicknamed "Knucksie" because of his usage and skill level with the knuckleball, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997....
. The Bridgeport High School Gymnasium was renamed the "John J Havlicek Gymnasium" in January 2007. He shares the honor with National High School Hall of Fame member Frank Baxter, a long time coach at Bridgeport High School. The court is named after Baxter.
One of the most famous play-by-play calls in NBA history came on April 15, 1965, when Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most
Johnny Most
John M. "Johnny" Most was an American sports announcer, known primarily as the raspy radio voice of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association from 1953 to 1990....
exclaimed "Havlicek steals it! Havlicek stole the ball!" after Havlicek intercepted Hal Greer
Hal Greer
Harold Everett Greer is a retired American professional basketball player.He attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School in Huntington. He played college basketball at Marshall University and was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA in 1958...
's inbound pass to clinch the Eastern Conference Championship against the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
.
College and NBA career
Even though the 6'5" Havlicek is considered one of the best players in NBA history, he was mostly overlooked as a college player playing on the same team as Jerry LucasJerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. That team, which also had future coaching legend Bobby Knight
Bobby Knight
-Indiana:When Indiana University was seeking a new coach in 1971, they turned to Knight. Knight was given the nickname "The General" by former University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons coach-turned-broadcaster Dick Vitale....
as a reserve, won the 1960 NCAA title
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
.
He was named as an alternate to the 1960 Olympic Games
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
United States Team.
Havlicek was drafted by both the Celtics and the NFL's Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1962. After competing briefly as a wide receiver in the Browns' training camp that year, he focused his energies on playing for the Celtics, with head coach Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
later describing him as the "guts of the team." He was also known for his stamina, with competitors saying that it was a challenge just to keep up with him.
Nicknamed "Hondo
Hondo
-Places:*Rio Hondo, the name of several locations*Hondo, Texas, a city in the United States*Hondo, New Mexico*Hondo, Kumamoto, a city in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan: old name for the main Japanese island of Honshū-Fiction:...
", (a name inspired by the John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
movie of the same name), Havlicek revolutionized the "sixth man
Sixth man
The sixth man in basketball is a player who is not a starter but comes off the bench much more often than other reserves, often being the first player to be substituted in. The sixth man often plays minutes equal to or exceeding some of the starters and posts similar statistics. He is often a...
" role, and has been immortalized for his clutch steal in the closing seconds of the 1965 Eastern Conference championship.
In the seventh and final game, played at Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
, the Celtics led the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
110-109 with five seconds left, and only needed to inbound the ball underneath their basket to secure the victory and advance to the NBA Finals
1965 NBA Finals
The 1965 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1964-65 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1965 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics...
. But Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
's pass struck a wire that hung down from the ceiling and helped support the baskets, the turnover giving the 76ers and Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
the ball and a chance to win the game—and the series. Hal Greer
Hal Greer
Harold Everett Greer is a retired American professional basketball player.He attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School in Huntington. He played college basketball at Marshall University and was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA in 1958...
was set to throw the inbounds pass for the 76ers. Havlicek stood with his back to Greer, guarding dangerous Chet Walker
Chet Walker
Chester "Chet" Walker is a former pro basketball player.Walker played high school basketball for the Benton Harbor High School boys basketball team. He graduated from Bradley University in 1962 as the school's all-time leading scorer. The Bradley Braves won the NIT Championship in 1957 and 1960...
.
But as Greer's pass came inbounds, Havlicek spun, leaped and tipped the pass to Sam Jones
Sam Jones (basketball)
Samuel Jones is a retired American professional basketball player at shooting guard and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was known for his quickness and game-winning shots, especially during the NBA Playoffs...
, leading Celtics announcer Johnny Most
Johnny Most
John M. "Johnny" Most was an American sports announcer, known primarily as the raspy radio voice of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association from 1953 to 1990....
to make the most famous call of his legendary career:
Veteran referee Earl Strom
Earl Strom
Earl "Yogi" Strom was a professional basketball referee for 29 years in the National Basketball Association and for three years in the American Basketball Association . Strom is credited as the greatest referee in the history of the NBA and was known for his flamboyant style and ability to...
, who wrote about this in his memoir "Calling the Shots," called Havlicek's reaction one of the greatest plays Strom ever saw in his 32 years as a professional official.
John Havlicek is the Celtics all-time leader in points and games played, scoring 26,395 points (20.8 points per game, 11th all-time in points scored in the NBA), and playing in 1,270 games (17th all-time). He became the first player to score 1,000 points in 16 consecutive seasons, with his best season coming during the 1970-71 NBA season
1970-71 NBA season
The 1970–71 NBA season was the 25th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Baltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
when he averaged 28.9 points per game.
Havlicek shares the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
single-game record for most points in an overtime period (9 in a May 10, 1974 game vs. the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
), and was named that year's NBA Finals MVP.
In the second overtime of Game Five of the 1976 NBA Finals
1976 NBA Finals
The 1976 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round for the 1975-76 NBA season.-Background:The Phoenix Suns finished the season with 42 wins and 40 losses, but beat the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors in the playoffs and went on to play the Boston Celtics in the NBA...
("The Greatest Game Ever Played") Havlicek made a leaning, running bank shot that appeared to be the game-winner, as fans spilled onto the floor. But, Havlicek's shot went in with one second left and Phoenix was allowed one final shot (after Jo Jo White
Jo Jo White
Joseph Henry "Jo Jo" White is an American former professional basketball player.-Life and career:White was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of a minister...
sank the technical for Phoenix's illegal timeout), which Gar Heard
Gar Heard
Garfield "Gar" Heard, is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiately at the University of Oklahoma and was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the third round of the 1970 NBA Draft...
sank to force the third overtime. The Celtics went on to win the game in triple overtime.
Aside from being a great sixth man at the start of his career, Havlicek became known for his ability to play both forward and guard, his relentlessness and tenaciousness on both offense and defense, his outstanding skills in all facets of the game, his constant movement, and his untiring ability to run up and down the court. Because of his endurance, he was a devastating fastbreak finisher, one who could suddenly score in bunches when his Celtics team would shut out the other team and grab defensive rebounds. Although he did not have a high field goal percentage, he was a clutch outside shooter with great range. He was also the type of player who would do what it took to help his team score a victory, such as grab a clutch rebound, draw a charge or make a steal in a key defensive moment, or settle the team with a clutch basket or assist.
Legacy
A 13-time NBA All-Star, Havlicek retired in 1978 and his number 17 jersey was immediately retired at the Boston GardenBoston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
. In 1984 Havlicek became a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1997 he was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Havlicek was ranked #17 on SLAM Magazine
SLAM Magazine
SLAM Magazine is an American basketball magazine in circulation since 1994, published by Source Interlink. SLAM publishes nine issues a year to its circulation of over 500,000 readers worldwide.-History:...
's Top 50 NBA Players of all time in 2009. He was also named the 13th best player of all-time in Bill Simmons
Bill Simmons
William J. "Bill" Simmons III is a sports columnist, author, and podcaster. He currently writes columns and hosts podcasts for Grantland.com, which is affiliated with ESPN.com. He is a former writer for ESPN The Magazine and Jimmy Kimmel Live!...
's The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy
The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy
The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy is the second book by ESPN columnist Bill Simmons.-Background:Simmons has written under the name “The Sports Guy” for 12 years, 9 of them with ESPN, and currently receives 1.4 million page views per month...
.
Regular season
| Stat | High | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 43 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | |
| Points | 43 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Field goal percentage | |||
| Field goals made | 18 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Field goals made | 18 | vs. New York Knicks | |
| Field goal attempts | 42 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | |
| Free throws made, none missed | 15—15 | vs. New York Knicks | |
| Free throws made, one missed | 16—17 | vs. San Diego Rockets | |
| Free throws made, one missed | 15—16 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | |
| Free throws made, one missed | 15—16 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | |
| Free throws made | 19 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Free throw attempts | 24 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | |
| Rebounds | 20 | ||
| Offensive rebounds | |||
| Defensive rebounds | |||
| Assists | 16 | vs. Phoenix Suns | |
| Assists | 15 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Assists | 15 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Steals | |||
| Blocked shots |
Playoffs
| Stat | High | Opponent | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 54 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | April 1, 1973 |
| Field goal percentage | |||
| Field goals made | 24 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | |
| Field goal attempts | 36 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | |
| Free throws made, none missed | — | ||
| Free throws made, one missed | — | ||
| Free throws made | 14 | ||
| Free throw attempts | 16 | ||
| Rebounds | 16 | ||
| Offensive rebounds | |||
| Defensive rebounds | |||
| Assists | 13 | ||
| Steals | 6 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Blocked shots |
See also
- List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played
- List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association players with 50 or more points in a playoff game
- List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise