World

Boston Celtics John Havlicek Dies at Age 79

John "Hondo" Havlicek, an American retired basketball player, has died at the age of 79, The Boston Globe report says.
Sputnik

The Celtics said the Hall of Famer died Thursday in Jupiter, Florida. The cause of death wasn't immediately available, AP reports.

It is known that Havlicek had suffered from Parkinson's disease ​for approximately three years, the Boston Herald report says.

The Boston Celtics have expressed their condolences in a tweet and in a separate statement, noting that the "Celtics Legend"  will be "dearly missed by his Celtics family".

"He was a champion in every sense, and as we join his family, friends, and fans in mourning his loss, we are thankful for all the joy and inspiration he brought to us," Celtics statement reads.    

​John Havlicek played for the Boston Celtics team from 1962 to 1978. He played 16 seasons, winning eighth NBA championships. He  was also named to the All-Star team 13 times, ESPN reports. 

Havlicek's numbers were among the most enduring in Celtics history. He remains the Celtics' career leader in points (26,395), minutes (46,471) and games played (1,260), according to the Boston Herald.

Havlicek was honored as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history when the league released the list to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 1996, Reuters report says.

Discuss