Today would have been the 86th birthday of John Havlicek, who died in 2019. John "Hondo" Havlicek had one of the more under-publicized careers. He won eight NBA championships in 16 years (six with Bill Russell) and scored 26,395 points, without a 3-point line. He still ranks 22nd in points but when his career ended he was third in scoring behind Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson. He was a 13-time All-Star, made All-NBA 11 times and was All-Defense eight times.
Havlicek was one of my childhood heroes. What typified his game to me was the constant effort. He played hard and he played smart. He was an exceptional all-round basketball player and teammate.
Happy Birthday, Hondo.
