Dave Gavitt Hall of Fame NBA

Dave Gavitt was one of the primary architects of modern basketball, wielding immense influence at the collegiate, professional, and international levels. While he began his journey as a successful coach—leading Providence College to the 1973 Final Four—Gavitt is best remembered as a visionary administrator.

In 1979, he founded the Big East Conference, transforming a group of independent Eastern schools into a media powerhouse that redefined the business of college sports through a groundbreaking partnership with the then-fledgling ESPN. Gavitt's impact reached the NBA when he joined the Boston Celtics as Senior Executive Vice President and CEO in 1990, succeeding the legendary Red Auerbach as the franchise's primary decision-maker.

He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2006.

Gavitt's Awards and Records

• National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (2006)
• John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award (1987)
• Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Basketball (1993)
• Olympic Head Coach (1980 - U.S. Boycott year)
• 5x New England Coach of the Year