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Celtics legend Havlicek dead at 79

Dick Raphael / National Basketball Association / Getty

Boston Celtics Hall of Fame small forward John Havlicek died Thursday at age 79, the team announced.

Havlicek suffered from Parkinson's disease, according to the Boston Globe's John Powers.

"A trusted teammate who prioritized winning, John's passion and energy endeared him to basketball fans and made him a model for generations of NBA players," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "We send our deepest sympathies to John's wife, Beth, his son, Chris, and his daughter, Jill, as well as the entire Celtics organization."

After starring at Ohio State for three seasons, which included a national championship in his freshman year, Havlicek was selected by the Celtics with the seventh overall pick in the 1962 draft.

During the following 16 years - all with the Celtics - the man known to fans as "Hondo" played a significant role in eight NBA titles for Boston, including six from 1962 to 1969.

Dick Raphael / National Basketball Association / Getty

In addition to his team success starring alongside Hall of Famers Bill Russell, Tommy Heinsohn, Bob Cousy, K.C. Jones, and Sam Jones, Havlicek's trophy case wasn't short on personal hardware. He was selected to 11 All-NBA teams and eight All-Defensive teams, and was named to the All-Star Game in each of his final 13 seasons.

Havlicek was named the 1974 Finals MVP after he averaged 26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.9 steals per game in the Celtics' seven-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

His eight titles are tied among several of his Celtics contemporaries for the third most in NBA history, trailing only Russell's 11 and Sam Jones' 10.

Overall, he averaged 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 36.6 minutes per game. Havlicek stood alone atop several of the Celtics' all-time leaderboards when he retired in 1978, including points (26,395), games played (1,270), and minutes played (46,471). Those records still stand today.

Mike Lawrie / Getty Images Sport / Getty

"His defining traits as a player were his relentless hustle and wholehearted commitment to team over self," the Celtics said in a statement. "He was extraordinarily thoughtful and generous, both on a personal level and for those in need, as illustrated by his commitment to raising money for The Genesis Foundation for Children for over three decades through his fishing tournament.

"John was kind and considerate, humble and gracious. 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."

Havlicek's No. 17 jersey was retired in October 1978. He was among the 11 players selected to the "NBA 35th Anniversary Team" in 1980 and was named one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History" in 1996.

He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984 alongside former teammate and fellow Celtics lifer Sam Jones.

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