K. C. Jones
Encyclopedia
K. C. Jones is a retired American professional basketball
player and coach. K. C. Jones is his full name.
at the University of San Francisco
and, along with Bill Russell
, led the Dons to two NCAA
championships in 1955 and 1956. Jones also played with Russell on the 1956 United States men's Olympic basketball team, which won the gold medal at the Melbourne Summer Games
. During his playing days, he was known as a tenacious defender. Jones spent all of his nine seasons in the NBA
with the Boston Celtics
, being part of eight championship teams from 1959 to 1966. In NBA history, only teammates Bill Russell
and Sam Jones
have won more championship rings during their playing careers. After Boston lost to the Philadelphia 76ers
in the 1967 playoffs, Jones ended his playing career.
in Dallas at the Reunion Arena
beating the Western squad 139-132.
, serving as the head coach from 1967–1970. Jones then reunited with former teammate Bill Sharman
as the assistant coach for the 1971–72 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers
during the season the team won a record 33 straight games. The following season, Jones became the first coach of the San Diego Conquistadors
, an American Basketball Association
franchise which would have a very short life. A year later, in 1973 he became head coach of the Capital Bullets
(which became the Washington Bullets
one year later), coaching them for three seasons and leading them to the NBA Finals in 1975.
In 1983, he took over as head coach of the Boston Celtics, replacing Bill Fitch. Jones guided the Larry Bird
-led Celtics to a championship in 1984 and 1986. The Celtics won the Atlantic Division in all five of Jones's seasons as head coach and reached the NBA Finals in 4 of his 5 years as coach. He briefly coached the Seattle SuperSonics
in 1990 and 1991 as well.
In 1994, Jones joined the Detroit Pistons
as an assistant coach for one season. The Pistons head coach at that time, Don Chaney
, had previously played for Jones with the Celtics.
Jones returned to the professional coaching ranks in 1997, guiding the New England Blizzard
of the fledgling women's American Basketball League (1996–1998) through its last 1½ seasons of existence. The Blizzard made the playoffs in Year 2, but they were summarily dispatched by the San Jose Lasers
.
Athletic Office and does the color commentary for the University of Hartford
Men's Basketball.
| align="left" |CAP
| align="left" |
|82||47||35||.573|| align="center" |1st in Central||7||3||4||.429
| align="center" |Lost in Conference Semifinals
|-
| align="left" |WSB
| align="left" |
|82||60||22||.732|| align="center" |1st in Central||17||8||9||.471
| align="center" |Lost in NBA Finals
|-
| align="left" |WSB
| align="left" |
|82||48||34||.585|| align="center" |2nd in Central||7||3||4||.429
| align="center" |Lost in Conference Semifinals
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||62||20||.756|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||23||15||8||.652
| align="center" |Won NBA Championship
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||63||19||.768|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||21||13||8||.619
| align="center" |Lost in NBA Finals
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||67||15||.817|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||18||15||3||.833
| align="center" |Won NBA Championship
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||59||23||.720|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||23||13||10||.565
| align="center" |Lost in NBA Finals
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||57||25||.695|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||17||9||8||.529
| align="center" |Lost in Conference Finals
|-
| align="left" |SEA
| align="left" |
|82||41||41||.500|| align="center" |5th in Pacific||5||2||3||.400
| align="center" |Lost in First Round
|-
| align="left" |SEA
| align="left" |
|36||18||18||.500|| align="center" |(fired)||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |—
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |Career
| ||774||522||252||.674|| ||138||81||57||.587
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 and coach. K. C. Jones is his full name.
Playing career
Jones played college basketballCollege basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and, along with 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...
, led the Dons to two NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
championships in 1955 and 1956. Jones also played with Russell on the 1956 United States men's Olympic basketball team, which won the gold medal at the Melbourne Summer Games
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
. During his playing days, he was known as a tenacious defender. Jones spent all of his nine seasons in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
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...
, being part of eight championship teams from 1959 to 1966. In NBA history, 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...
have won more championship rings during their playing careers. After Boston lost to 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...
in the 1967 playoffs, Jones ended his playing career.
Hall of Fame legacy
K.C. Jones was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989. Prior to the Doc Rivers-coached Celtics championship of 2008, he was the last African-American head coach to have led a team to the NBA Championship (1986). Ironically, his 1986 Celtics are also the last NBA champion to have a majority of Caucasian players on their roster (and a majority in their starting lineup). Jones is the only African American coach to win multiple NBA championships solely as a head coach. (Bill Russell also won two titles as head coach, but he was also doubling as a player.) Also in 1986, Jones led the Eastern squad in the 1986 NBA All-Star Game1986 NBA All-Star Game
-Score by periods: *Halftime: East, 69-66*Third quarter: West, 102-100-Rosters:- External links :*...
in Dallas at the Reunion Arena
Reunion Arena
Reunion Arena was an indoor arena, in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas . It held 18,293 for basketball and 17,001 for ice hockey.It was demolished in November 2009 and the site was cleared by the end of the year.-History:...
beating the Western squad 139-132.
Coaching career
Jones began his coaching career at Brandeis UniversityBrandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, serving as the head coach from 1967–1970. Jones then reunited with former teammate Bill Sharman
Bill Sharman
William Walton "Bill" Sharman is a former professional basketball player and coach. Sharman completed high school in the rural city of Porterville, California and is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what some consider the greatest...
as the assistant coach for the 1971–72 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
during the season the team won a record 33 straight games. The following season, Jones became the first coach of the San Diego Conquistadors
San Diego Conquistadors
The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's", were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. They were the only expansion team in the history of the ABA. The team played from 1972 to 1975. They were replaced in the ABA by the San Diego Sails.-San Diego...
, an American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
franchise which would have a very short life. A year later, in 1973 he became head coach of the Capital Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
(which became the Washington Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
one year later), coaching them for three seasons and leading them to the NBA Finals in 1975.
In 1983, he took over as head coach of the Boston Celtics, replacing Bill Fitch. Jones guided the Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
-led Celtics to a championship in 1984 and 1986. The Celtics won the Atlantic Division in all five of Jones's seasons as head coach and reached the NBA Finals in 4 of his 5 years as coach. He briefly coached the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in 1990 and 1991 as well.
In 1994, Jones joined the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
as an assistant coach for one season. The Pistons head coach at that time, Don Chaney
Don Chaney
Donald Ray Chaney is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most notable for his long stints as a player on the Boston Celtics.-Career as a player:...
, had previously played for Jones with the Celtics.
Jones returned to the professional coaching ranks in 1997, guiding the New England Blizzard
New England Blizzard
The New England Blizzard was a women's professional basketball franchise based in Hartford, Connecticut. The Blizzard was a charter member of the American Basketball League...
of the fledgling women's American Basketball League (1996–1998) through its last 1½ seasons of existence. The Blizzard made the playoffs in Year 2, but they were summarily dispatched by the San Jose Lasers
San Jose Lasers
The San Jose Lasers were a women's professional basketball team in San Jose, California. It was a member of the American Basketball League.The team folded along with the rest of the league during the third ABL season in 1998....
.
Life after the NBA
Today, Jones works for the University of HartfordUniversity of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
Athletic Office and does the color commentary for the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
Men's Basketball.
Head coaching record
|-| align="left" |CAP
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
| align="left" |
|82||47||35||.573|| align="center" |1st in Central||7||3||4||.429
| align="center" |Lost in Conference Semifinals
1974 NBA Playoffs
The 1974 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1973-1974 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks, four games to three in the NBA Finals...
|-
| align="left" |WSB
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
| align="left" |
|82||60||22||.732|| align="center" |1st in Central||17||8||9||.471
| align="center" |Lost in NBA Finals
1975 NBA Finals
The 1975 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1974-75 NBA season of the National Basketball Association. The Golden State Warriors of the Western Conference played against the Washington Bullets of the Eastern Conference...
|-
| align="left" |WSB
| align="left" |
|82||48||34||.585|| align="center" |2nd in Central||7||3||4||.429
| align="center" |Lost in Conference Semifinals
1976 NBA Playoffs
The 1976 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1975-1976 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns, four games to two in the NBA Finals; the series was...
|-
| align="left" |BOS
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...
| align="left" |
|82||62||20||.756|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||23||15||8||.652
| align="center" |Won NBA Championship
1984 NBA Finals
The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1983-84 NBA season. In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Game 7 111-102. Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the award of...
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||63||19||.768|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||21||13||8||.619
| align="center" |Lost in NBA Finals
1985 NBA Finals
The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984–85 NBA season.The Boston Celtics were looking to repeat as NBA Champions for the first time since the . The Celtics had homecourt advantage for the second year in a row as they finished the regular season with a 63-19...
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||67||15||.817|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||18||15||3||.833
| align="center" |Won NBA Championship
1986 NBA Finals
The 1986 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1985-86 NBA season. It pitted the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets. The Celtics defeated the Rockets four games to two to win their 16th NBA championship. The championship would...
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||59||23||.720|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||23||13||10||.565
| align="center" |Lost in NBA Finals
1987 NBA Finals
The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1986-87 NBA season. The match took place between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won 4–2, beating the Celtics in the Finals. The key moment of the series was Magic Johnson's junior sky hook in Game 4...
|-
| align="left" |BOS
| align="left" |
|82||57||25||.695|| align="center" |1st in Atlantic||17||9||8||.529
| align="center" |Lost in Conference Finals
1988 NBA Playoffs
The 1988 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1987-1988 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons four games to three in the Finals...
|-
| align="left" |SEA
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
| align="left" |
|82||41||41||.500|| align="center" |5th in Pacific||5||2||3||.400
| align="center" |Lost in First Round
1991 NBA Playoffs
The 1991 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1990–91 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship via a four-games-to-one victory over the Western Conference champion Los...
|-
| align="left" |SEA
| align="left" |
|36||18||18||.500|| align="center" |(fired)||—||—||—||—
| align="center" |—
|-class="sortbottom"
| align="left" |Career
| ||774||522||252||.674|| ||138||81||57||.587