In Memory of Legend John Havlicek
The Boston Celtics and basketball fans mourn the loss of basketball legend John “Hondo” Havlicek, 79, who passed away on April 25 in Jupiter, Fla.
Because of his resemblance to John Wayne, Havlicek was given the nickname “Hondo” after the screen legend’s movie of the same name. But it is not his looks for which he is best known. His legacy is his defensive skills which led to one of the most memorable calls in NBA history during the 1965 Eastern Conference championship against the Philadelphia 76ers :
The play was by no means a fluke. He was well respected during his career, with NBA legends Jerry West, Bill Russell, and Red Holzman, among others, paying him high praises. His athleticism was well-recognized throughout the league.
“Superstar is a bad word,” Jerry West said. “In our league, people look at players, watch them dribble between their legs, watch them make spectacular plays, and they say, ‘There’s a superstar.’ Well, John Havlicek is a superstar, and most of the others are figments of writers’ imaginations.”
And West had a point: Havlicek has had a storied career with the Boston Celtics. He spent all 16 years of his Hall of Fame career with the franchise where he won eight championships (for which he ranks third among players with most championships in league history) and the 1974 Finals MVP. He ranks first in points (26,395), most minutes played (46,471), and most games played (1,270) while ranking second in assists and fifth in rebounds in franchise history.
“He is the best all-around player I ever saw,” said Bill Russell, who is among those who are mourning his passing:
Indeed, Havlicek was ahead of his time with physical conditioning. Raised by Czechoslovakian parents, he was not allowed to own a bicycle and had to run all over town to catch up with his friends. In college, he played for Ohio State, where teammate Gary Gearhart recalls he never smoked, barely drank, and was careful not to drink even a bottle of Coca Cola.
“On stamina alone, he’d be among the top players who ever played the game,” legendary New York Knicks coach Red Holzman said of Havlicek. “It would’ve been fair to those who had to play him or those who had to coach against him if he had been blessed only with his inhuman endurance. God had to compound it by making him a good scorer, smart ballhandler and intelligent defensive player with quickness of mind, hands, and feet.”
Aside from his athleticism, he is also known for his unselfishness. When he was relegated to the sixth man role, he relished it and perfected it. In a 1974 interview, Havlicek reminisced about his assignment as the sixth man.
“The first year, Frank Ramsey and I divided playing time,” said Havlicek. “Ramsey was near retirement, but he was still great. We were close. That’s when I first got to be called the ‘sixth man,’ Red said, ‘It doesn’t matter who starts, it’s who finishes.’ I wanted to finish. I’ve always taken pride in the ability to play guard and forward. No one else has really done it. Ordinarily, a sixth man can handle the offense at either position, but the defense gets him. A guard can’t always pin a good forward in the corner, a forward can’t stay with a guard up and down [the] court. My defensive background made it easier.”
The Celtics are honoring the memory of Havlicek with a “17” jersey patch, the legend’s retired jersey number, during the team’s remaining postseason games.
