On this day in 2019, legendary Boston Celtics forward John Havlicek died after a long fight with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 74 in Jupiter, Florida.
Hondo, as he was called, was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio in 1940, and would play his college ball at nearby Ohio State, where he would win an NCAA championship in 1960.
He was drafted 7th overall in the 1962 NBA Draft by Boston, and would play for the Celtics for 16 seasons, winning 8 NBA championships and being elected to 13 All-Star games, 11 All-NBA teams, and 8 All-Defensive teams among many other honors in that time.
Havlicek’s jersey was retired by Boston immediately after his playing career ended in 1978, and was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.