John Havlicek
Inducted:
1984
Player Stats
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
203 lb (92 kg)
Born
April 8, 1940
Martins Ferry, Ohio, U.S.
Died
April 25, 2019
Jupiter, Florida, U.S.
Position
Small forward
Shooting guard
College
Ohio State (1959–1962)
John Havlicek was one of the most complete and durable players in NBA history. Spending his entire 16-year career with the Boston Celtics from 1962 to 1978, he became known for his relentless energy, clutch scoring, and strong defense. Havlicek helped lead the Celtics to eight NBA championships and was a key figure during both the Bill Russell and post-Russell eras.
He was a 13-time NBA All-Star and earned All-NBA honors 11 times. His famous steal in the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals remains one of the most iconic plays in league history. Havlicek retired as the Celtics’ all-time leading scorer and one of the league’s most respected two-way players. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984, recognizing a career defined by consistency, leadership, and winning.
Havlicek's Awards & Records
- NCAA champion (1960)
- Consensus second-team All-American (1962)
- Third-team All-American – AP (1961)
- 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1961, 1962)
- 17 retired by Boston Celtics
NBA Records
- 8× NBA champion (1963–1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976)
- NBA Finals MVP (1974)
- 13× NBA All-Star (1966–1978)
- 4× All-NBA First Team (1971–1974)
- 7× All-NBA Second Team (1964, 1966, 1968–1970, 1975, 1976)
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (1963)
- NBA anniversary team (35th, 50th, 75th)
NBA Team
Boston Celtics (1962–1978)
NBA Draft
1962: 1st round, 7th overall pick
Boston Celtics
Number Worn
17
NBA Stats
Season:
16 (1962–1978)
Games Played:
1,270
Points:
26,395 (20.8 ppg)
Rebounds:
8,007 (6.3 rpg)
Assists:
6,114 (4.8 apg)
Steals:
476 (1.2 spg)
Blocks:
117 (0.3 bpg)
Field Goal(%):
43.9
Free Throw(%):
75.6