Think of his list of accomplishments: twelve NBA championships as a player and coach, two NCAA rings and an Olympic gold medal. This makes him one of the eight players in history who has achieved the “Triple Crown” of basketball.
In fact, winning and Jones went so hand in hand that the standing joke was the “C” in KC represented championships.
Jones died this week at the age of 88, the Boston Celtics announced Friday.
The team did not report any cause of death or say exactly when he died.
“KC Jones was one of the most decorated champions in the history of our game,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “KC’s extraordinary achievements and impacts will be remembered.”
Jones ’death was the second pass for an iconic Celtics figure this year.
The university years
KC is his first name. It was named after his father, who had been christened the name of a legendary railroad engineer Casey Jones.
Her parents separated when she was 9 years old. Jones moved with his mother and siblings to San Francisco.
“There he learned to play basketball on a piece of gravel in an impoverished neighborhood,” the profile states.
Jones attended the University of San Francisco. He was soft-spoken but a formidable presence.
The 6-foot-1 guard left his mark with defensive plays, clinging to opponents like the tail, denying them chances and frustrating them to the end.
In college, he teamed up with Bill Russell (another player’s name and the word “legend” are synonymous) and won two NCAA championships.
The two were also part of the American squad that won the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
After two years in the army, Jones joined the Celtics. He was on his way to sealing his place in the history books.
The years of play
“In NBA history, only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have more championship rings during their professional careers,” the Celtics said in a statement, explaining Jones ’achievements.
Jones played nine seasons in the NBA, all in Boston.
Eight finished in NBA championships.
After the Celtics lost to the 76ers in the 1967 Eastern Division finals, Jones decided it was time to retire.
And when he did, the Celtics withdrew the No. 25 jersey.
His winning days were over. His winning days as a coach were about to begin.
The years of coaching
After coaching Brandeis University, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Bullets, Jones returned to the Celtics.
He was named head coach of the Celtics in 1983. In four of the five seasons he played that role, he led the team to the NBA Finals.