Latest news with #KCJones
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
When K.C. Jones called Larry Bird the best of all time after just six seasons: "Go down the list of the greats and I doubt you'll come up with anyone with all those credentials"
When K.C. Jones called Larry Bird the best of all time after just six seasons: "Go down the list of the greats and I doubt you'll come up with anyone with all those credentials" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Two championships under his belt (1981 and 1984), a league MVP in '84, a Finals MVP, Rookie of the Year honors, five All-Star nods, and just as many All-NBA selections — all that, and Larry Bird hadn't even completed his sixth season in the league. And as if that resume wasn't impressive enough, the Boston Celtics legend reached yet another milestone on a cold January night in 1985. Advertisement With 33 points against the Washington Bullets, Bird crossed the 10,000-point mark. It wasn't just the numbers or the clutch shots that kept the Celtics ahead in a tight 103-101 win. It was the way Bird usually did it — commanding the game, lifting his teammates, making the right play when it mattered most. And it was on that night that his head coach at the time, K.C. Jones, gave him the ultimate compliment. "He's the best (of all time). Not just because of his scoring. He is getting floor burns, he is getting assists and he is getting rebounds. Go down the list of the greats and I doubt you'll come up with anyone with all those credentials,"Jones said after the Celtics' win. Larry became a bona fide legend Bird's game only grew as the years went by. With each season, the hardware kept piling up, and so did the respect from fans, peers, and rivals. Advertisement By the time his career was in full bloom, Bird had added two more MVP trophies (1985, 1986), two more NBA titles (1986 being the crown jewel of the Celtics' 1980s dominance), and a Finals MVP in '86 to his legendary name. And it didn't stop there. Even in his twilight years, when the back pain started to take its toll, Bird delivered on the biggest stages — including at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where he helped, if not with his game, but with his presence, the Dream Team capture gold. Once a kid playing in the little town of French Lick, Indiana, became a legend and a man who made the NBA popular again, largely thanks to his iconic rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers and Magic Johnson. Related: "I had two perfect women and I messed it up" - Shaquille O'Neal opens up about destroying his past relationships Jones and Bird shared a special connection Coach Jones shared a special type of connection with Larry Legend. And those words are not some kind that you would tell to your star player to feel better, K.C. meant every single bit. Advertisement This was a man who had earned Bird's respect as an assistant during Larry's early years, and then as head coach, guiding the Celtics to glory. Together, they climbed the NBA mountain, and Jones had a front-row seat to witness Bird's brilliance night in and night out. K.C. even believed Bird had the same approach to basketball as Muhammad Ali had to boxing. "Larry has that Muhammad Ali kind of approach," the C's head coach said at the time, per the Boston Globe. "He gets to you and to your mind before the fight begins. By the time you step in the ring, you're 20 points down." Jones knew greatness when he saw it. And in The Hick from The French Lick, he saw a player who wasn't just piling up numbers — he was changing the game for decades to come. In many ways, Larry's aura mirrored that of Ali. The confidence, the swagger and the ability to make opponents crumble even before the game started. When K.C. called Bird the best of all time, he wasn't exaggerating. He was simply telling it like it was. Plain and simple. Related: Michael Jordan shows off his $115 million luxurious superyacht in Croatia This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 25 - K.C. Jones (1958-67)
The Boston Celtics have had players suiting up in a total of 68 different jersey numbers (and have three others not part of any numerical series) since their founding at the dawn of the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- the league that would become today's NBA), worn by well over 500 players in the course of Celtics history. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Celtics Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. Advertisement With 25 of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Celtics to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover. Unknown date; Los Angeles, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Lakers guard Mahdi Abdul-Rahman (42) drives to the basket agaibst Boston Celtics center Bill Russell (6) and K.C. Jones (25) at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Mandatory Credit: Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports And for today's article, we will continue with the first of one to wear the No. 25, Hall of Fame Boston guard alum K.C. Jones. After ending his college career at USF, Jones was picked up with the 14th overall selection of the 1956 NBA draft by the Celtics. The Taylor, Texas native would play all nine seasons of his pro career with Boston, winning eight titles over that stretch. During his time suiting up for the Celtics, Jones wore only jersey Nos. 25 and 27 and put up 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference. This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics jersey history No. 25 - K.C. Jones (1958-67)
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
On this day: KC Jones, Bill Sharman born
On this day in Boston Celtics history, point guard legend KC Jones was born in 1932 in Taylor, Texas. Jones played his college ball with fellow Celtics legend Bill Russell at the University of San Francisco, and was taken in the same draft class as Russell by the Celtics with the 13th overall pick of the 1956 NBA draft. The Texan guard would go on to win eight titles with Boston, the only club he played for over a nine-season career in the NBA. He would average 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game with the Celtics. He would also win two titles with the team as a head coach in the 1980s. Advertisement Jones would be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1989. Basketball: NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics K.C. Jones (25) in action vs Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Garden. Game 7. Boston, MA 4/15/1965 CREDIT: Walter Iooss Jr. (Photo by Walter Iooss Jr. /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X10705 ) It is also the birthday of ex-Celtic shooting guard Bill Sharman, who played for the team between 1951 and 1961. Sharman was born in 1926 in Abilene, Texas, and played in the NCAA ranks with the University of Southern California, and was selected by the Washington Capitals 17th overall in the 1950 NBA draft. That franchise would fold after Sharman's rookie season, with the (then) Fort Wayne (Indiana, now Detroit) Pistons drafting the former Trojan in the dispersal draft. The Pistons would then trade Sharman to the Celtics in turn. The Abilene native won four banners with the Celtics and was elected to eight All-Star games, seven All-NBA teams, and several other honors over his 10-season career with the team. He averaged 18.1 points, 3.9 points, and 2.4 assists per game in Boston. This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics history: KC Jones, Bill Sharman born
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On this day: KC Jones, Bill Sharman born
On this day: KC Jones, Bill Sharman born On this day in Boston Celtics history, point guard legend KC Jones was born in 1932 in Taylor, Texas. Jones played his college ball with fellow Celtics legend Bill Russell at the University of San Francisco, and was taken in the same draft class as Russell by the Celtics with the 13th overall pick of the 1956 NBA draft. The Texan guard would go on to win eight titles with Boston, the only club he played for over a nine-season career in the NBA. He would average 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game with the Celtics. He would also win two titles with the team as a head coach in the 1980s. Jones would be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1989. It is also the birthday of ex-Celtic shooting guard Bill Sharman, who played for the team between 1951 and 1961. Sharman was born in 1926 in Abilene, Texas, and played in the NCAA ranks with the University of Southern California, and was selected by the Washington Capitals 17th overall in the 1950 NBA draft. That franchise would fold after Sharman's rookie season, with the (then) Fort Wayne (Indiana, now Detroit) Pistons drafting the former Trojan in the dispersal draft. The Pistons would then trade Sharman to the Celtics in turn. The Abilene native won four banners with the Celtics and was elected to eight All-Star games, seven All-NBA teams, and several other honors over his 10-season career with the team. He averaged 18.1 points, 3.9 points, and 2.4 assists per game in Boston.
