Basketball Hall of Fame member KC Jones, owner of eight NBA championship teams as a Boston Celtics player and winner of two more titles as the team’s coach, has died, the team confirmed. He was 88 years old.
Jones, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989, played nine seasons in the NBA (all with the Celtics) from 1958-67 and won championships in eight of them – the third most in NBA history behind only his former teammate Bill Russell (11) and Sam Jones (10).
Jones returned to Boston as an assistant coach in 1977 – winning another championship ring) before leading Larry Bird and the Celtics to two more titles as head coach in 1983-84 and 1985-86.
“I just received a call informing me about my roommate / teammate and, above all, the great friend that great KC Jones passed away this morning,” Russell tweeted on Friday. “Prayers for your family. We’ve been friends for almost 60 years, this is our last photo together. Friends forever. # 2020USuck! #REST IN PEACE”
Jones was also Russell’s teammate at the University of San Francisco, winning two NCAA titles. He is one of only seven players to win championships in college and in the NBA and an Olympic gold medal (1956) – along with Russell, Jerry Lucas, Clyde Lovellette, Magic Johnson, Quinn Buckner and Michael Jordan.
“My father passed away today at 4:55 am. Thank you all for your love for the Celtics and especially for Dad, ”tweeted Jones’s daughter Bryna.
The 6-foot-1 guard averaged just 7.4 points per game in his career, surpassing Bob Cousy’s starting lineup in 1963. But his defensive tenacity and playing skills made him an important part of the Celtics dynasty of the years 60, and his uniform number 25 was retired at the end of his playing career in 1967.
“I just didn’t see how a man who shot as badly as KC could stay in the NBA,” Cousy, 92, told ESPN. “’I really didn’t think his other skills would be enough to keep him around. But I was wrong. The man turned out to be incredible in defense and ended up learning to score enough points that rival teams could not afford not to protect him.
Jones coached three seasons with Washington in the 1970s, including defeats to the Golden State in the NBA finals in 1975. He returned to the Celtics as assistant coach to Bill Fitch in 1977 and was promoted to coach in 1983, defeating the Lakers for the championship in his first season with a team of Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Dennis Johnson.
This group reached the NBA finals for four consecutive years, adding another ring in 1986 before moving to the lead in 1988. The Texas native also coached Seattle and Detroit, ending his career with 522 NBA victories.
The other of his twelve NBA championship rings came as a technical assistant to the Lakers in 1972.
“Where KC Jones went, victory will certainly come,” said the Celtics in a statement. “In NBA history, only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have more championship rings during their careers as players. … KC’s coaching career was equally illustrious and one of the most notable head coach races the NBA has ever seen.
“KC also demonstrated that one can be a fierce competitor and a gentleman in every sense of the word. He made his teammates better and made the most of the players he coached. Without ever seeking credit, his glory was found in the most fundamental of basketball ideals – being part of a winning team. The Celtics family mourns his loss as we celebrate his remarkable career and life. “