KC Jones, who personified the win as a point guard and then coach of the Boston Celtics during a career in the Hall of Fame, has died, Celtics announced on Friday. He was 88 years old.
KC was Jones’ first name, although some joked that “C” was the championship. It was easy to see why.
He played nine seasons in the NBA, all with the Celtics, and won titles in eight of them – the third most in league history, behind only longtime teammates Bill Russell (11) and Sam Jones (10). Success was transferred to his coaching days, when he won three titles (one as an assistant, two as head coach) during his 1980 Boston success with Larry Bird & Co.
He also won a championship in 1972 as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jones was not bright, and his playing days were not full of naughty lines; he averaged just 7.4 points in his career. But the 6-foot-1 guard was a perfect team player, whose defense matched opposing stars, such as Jerry West and Oscar Robertson, and whose game made the Celtics engine work.
“I just didn’t see how a man who shot so badly as KC could stay in the NBA,” recalled Bob Cousy, the famous Celtics goalie Jones initially backed up and then replaced as a starter. “Cooz” is back. in 1963. “I really didn’t think his other skills would be enough to keep him around. But I was wrong. The man proved to be amazing in defense and eventually learned to score enough so that rival teams could not afford not to guard him. “
Jones was part of the Celtics title-winning teams from 1959 to ’66, an unparalleled eight-year career in professional sports. The only season he did not win a championship was 1966-67, and Jones, 34, retired shortly thereafter.
But Jones remained in the game, first as a coach at Brandeis University outside of Boston and then as an assistant or head coach in the NBA or ABA before returning to the Celtics as an assistant under Bill Fitch in 1977. Fitch left the team four years later. later, and Jones replaced him, inheriting a group led by Bird and his renowned colleagues Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Three weeks after Jones took over, the Celtics made a move to acquire Dennis Johnson.
Together, they reached the NBA Finals for four consecutive seasons (1984-87), winning titles in 1984 and ’86. Jones’s relaxed attitude was criticized by some, but his players welcomed him.
“He has our respect as a coach and as a person,” Bird once said.
Jones left the Celtics after the 1987 season, moving to the Celtics front office before ending his coaching career in Seattle and Detroit.
His number 25 is retired by the Celtics and was introduced in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989.
“KC has also shown that someone could be both a fierce competitor and a gentleman in every sense of the word,” the Celtics said in a statement Friday. “He made his teammates better and made the most of the players he coached. Never someone to seek credit, his glory was found in the most fundamental ideals of basketball – being part of a winning team .
“The Celtics are mourning their loss as we celebrate their remarkable careers and lives.”
Born in Texas, Jones played alongside Russell at the University of San Francisco, winning NCAA titles in 1955 and 56. The summer after the second title, the two led the U.S. team to a gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics.
So far, Jones is just one of seven players to win basketball and NBA titles as well as Olympic gold, joining Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Jerry Lucas, Quinn Buckner and Clyde Lovellette.