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13. Tom Heinsohn

13. Tom Heinsohn

Tom Heinsohn would play his entire playing career with the Boston Celtics (1956 to 1965), but that was just the beginning of what he would do with the team.  As a player, he would help Boston win eight titles while being named a Second Team All-NBA Selection at Power Forward for four straight years (1961-64).  He wasn't the team's primary star, but he didn't have to be, as he provided Bill Russell, the perfect frontcourt partner, since he was more adept at scoring than Russell was.  Heinsohn would average 18.6 Points per Game and had three 20 PPG years for Boston while also providing useful boarding metrics with an 8.8 average.

After his playing career ended, Heinsohn became the Celtics' Head Coach and won two more titles.  He would later become a longtime broadcaster for the franchise.

Heinsohn was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986 as a player and again in 2015 as a coach.  Boston also retired his number 15 in 1966.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Power Forward, Small Forward
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 6th Overall 4/30/56.
  • Departed: Retired after the 1964/65 Season.
  • Games Played: 654
  • Per Game Averages: 29.4 MP
    N/A eFG%*
    .790 FT%
    18.6 PTS
    8.8 RB
    2.0 AST
    N/A STL*
    N/A BLK*

    104 Playoff Games
    31.0 MP
    N/A eFG%*
    .743 FT%
    19.8 PTS
    9.2 RB
    2.1 AST
    N/A STL*
    N/A BLK*

    *eFG%, Steals, and Blocks were not statistics when Heinsohn played.
  • Advanced Stats: 17.8 PER
    .460 TS%
    N/A VORP**
    60.0 WS

    104 Playoff Games
    17.7 PER
    .450 TS%
    N/A VORP**
    9.1 WS

    **VORP was not a statistic when Heinsohn played.
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    NBA Champion (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 & 1965)
    Second Team All-NBA (1961, 1962, 1963 & 1964)
    All-Star (1957, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 & 1965)
    Rookie of the Year (1957)

     


     
  • Other Points of Note: Top Ten MVP Finishes:
    10th in 1960 & 7th in 1961

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