John Havlicek

John Joseph Havlicek (April 8, 1940 – April 25, 2019), nicknamed Hondo, was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire 16-year career with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. A swingman, he played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1959 to 1962, winning an NCAA championship in 1960. The Celtics selected him in the 1962 NBA draft, and he played with the team until his retirement in 1978, later serving as the franchise's captain.

Havlicek won eight NBA championships and is one of three NBA players with an unsurpassed 8–0 record in the NBA Finals series. He was voted the NBA Finals MVP in 1974. A 13-time NBA All-Star, he was named to the All-NBA First Team four times and to the All-NBA Second Team seven times. On defense, he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times and to the All-Defensive Second Team three times. He was known for his stamina and his hustle as well as his all-around abilities.

During his career he became known for stealing the ball to preserve the game and the Celtics' playoff hopes near the end of game seven in the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals.