 Heinsohn in 1970 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1934-08-26)August 26, 1934 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | November 9, 2020(2020-11-09) (aged 86) Newton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 218 lb (99 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Saint Michael's (Union City, New Jersey) |
| College | Holy Cross (1953–1956) |
| NBA draft | 1956:territorial pick |
| Drafted by | Boston Celtics |
| Playing career | 1956–1965 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 15 |
| Coaching career | 1969–1978 |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1956–1965 | Boston Celtics |
Coaching | |
| 1969–1978 | Boston Celtics |
| Career highlights | |
As player:
As coach:
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 12,194 (18.6 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 5,749 (8.8 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,318 (2.0 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
| Basketball Hall of Fame | |
| Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame | |
Thomas William Heinsohn (August 26, 1934 – November 9, 2020) was an American professionalbasketball player, coach, andbroadcaster. He was associated with theBoston Celtics of theNational Basketball Association (NBA) for six decades as a player, coach and broadcaster. He played for the Celtics from 1956 to 1965, and also coached the team from 1969 to 1978. He spent over 30 years as thecolor commentator for the Celtics' local broadcasts alongsideplay-by-play commentatorMike Gorman. He is regarded as one of the most iconic Celtics figures in the franchise's history, known during his lifetime for his charisma and loyalty to the team and its traditions. From this, he earned the nickname "Mr. Celtic".
Heinsohn was inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his contributions as a player. He was also inducted into the Hall of Fame for his success as a head coach. He also helped form theNBA Players Association. Heinsohn was the only person to have the distinction of being involved in an official team capacity in each of the Celtics' first 17 championships, as well as each of their first 21 NBA Finals appearances.
Thomas William Heinsohn was born on August 26, 1934, inJersey City, New Jersey. Heinsohn moved while in elementary school toUnion City, New Jersey, where he was a standout atSt. Michael's High School.[1]
Heinsohn accepted a scholarship toHoly Cross inWorcester, Massachusetts. As a freshman Heinsohn led the team in scoring averaging 17.6 points per game. As a sophomore in 1953-1954, Heinsohn scored 444 points – the most-ever by a Holy Cross first-year varsity player at the time. Heinsohn concluded the year by scoring 45 points in three games during theNational Invitation Tournament, earning All-NIT honors as Holy Cross claimed the championship. During the 1954-1955 season, Heinsohn led the Crusaders in scoring and rebounding while earning first team All-America honors. During his final year with the team in 1955-1956 he once again received first team All-America honors for the second time, setting what was then a school single-season scoring record with 740 points. Heinsohn left asthe school's all-time leading scorer with 1,789 points, an average of 22.1 points per game. During his senior year, Heinsohn scored a school-record 51 points in a game againstBoston College, and averaged 27.4 points per game and 21.1 rebounds per game for the season.[2][3]
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In1956, Heinsohn was chosen as theBoston Celtics'regional', or 'territorial', draft pick. In his first season, Heinsohn played in theNBA All-Star Game and was named theNBA Rookie of the Year over teammateBill Russell. He finished his rookie season by winning hisfirst championship ring, scoring 37 points and grabbing 23 rebounds in the double-overtime 7th game of the NBA Finals.[4]
Standing at 6-7, throughout his career Heinsohn’s two primary moves on offense were a line drive jump shot, which was developed due to the low ceiling at his high school gym. His other shot which separated him from the rest of the league was his the running hook, usually shooting it from corners. His coach Red Auerbach once described him as “the ideal forward,” “He could do it all: great offensive rebounding, great moves, great shots, including a beautiful soft hook, even great defense when he felt like playing it”[5]
Heinsohn was part of a Celtics squad that woneight NBA titles in nine years, including seven in a row between1959 and1965, leading the team in scoring from 1960 to 1962 averaging 20+ PPG each of those seasons. In NBA history, only teammates Russell andSam Jones won more championship rings during their playing careers, and Heinsohn's streak of going to the NBA Finals each season of his nine-year career is unmatched. Heinsohn was also the first in NBA history to score 1,000 points in the NBA Finals. Heinsohn retired after nine seasons due to a foot injury.[4]
During his playing career, Heinsohn was named to six All-Star teams.[4] On the day his teammate and fellow Holy Cross CrusaderBob Cousy retired, Heinsohn scored his 10,000th career point. His number 15 was retired by the Celtics in1966.
Off the court, Heinsohn played an important leadership role in theNBA Players Association. He was the association's second president from 1958-1966, following founding presidentBob Cousy, and was instrumental in the league's acceptance of a pension plan for players following a showdown at the All-Star game in1964, in which the All-Star players, led by Heinsohn, threatened to strike.[6]
Heinsohn became the Celtics' head coach beginning in the1969–70 season, followingBill Russell's retirement as both player and coach. Initially, the team missed Russell's impact, and the Celtics struggled in both 1969–70 and1970–71, failing to reach the playoffs in both seasons.
The team broke through thefollowing season, making the conference finals. Heinsohn then led the team to a league-best 68–14 record during the1972–73 season and was namedCoach of the Year, although Boston was upset in theplayoffs by the eventual championNew York Knicks. To date, this is the best regular season record in Celtics history.
Thenext season Heinsohn and the Celticswon the championship, and they claimed another title in1976. Between 1971–72 and 1975–76 seasons, the Celtics would win at least 50 games a season. The team would take a step back in the1976–77 season, finishing 44–38, and was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
He was selected as theNBA All Star game coach 4 times in 1972-1974 and one more time in 1976.
The Celtics started poorly in the1977–78 season, and were 11–23 after a loss to theChicago Bulls in late December. Heinsohn would leave the team shortly thereafter, replaced by his former teammate and coaching assistantTom "Satch" Sanders.[7] He accumulated a career coaching record of 427–263.
On February 14, 2015, it was announced that Heinsohn would be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for a second time as a coaching inductee.[8] He is one of five members of the class of 2015 who were directly elected and is just one of four people to be inducted as both a player and coach.[8]
Heinsohn's broadcasting career began in1966, callingplay-by-play forWKBG's Celtics broadcasts, after being asked byRed Auerbach.[9] He spent three seasons in this role before becoming coach in1969. From1990 to1999, Heinsohn was the Celtics' road play-by-play man onWFXT,WSBK andWABU. In1981, Heinsohn joinedMike Gorman ascolor commentator onPRISM New England, which held the Celtics' television broadcasts. They became one of the longest-tenured tandems in sports broadcasting history. Occasionally,Bob Cousy made appearances with the tandem of Heinsohn and Gorman. On Celtics broadcasts, Heinsohn liked to point out players who displayed extra hustle to help the team by giving them "Tommy Points." One player in each game had exceptional play and hustle highlighted for the "Tommy Award” During broadcasts he was known for his sense of humor and indignantly questioning game officials when he felt calls against the Celtics were made in error.[10] He continued to announce Celtics games all the way up till the 2019 season.[11]
For a time in the 1980s, Heinsohn was in the same capacity duringCBS's playoff coverage of the NBA (withDick Stockton), calling four Finals from 1984 to 1987, three of which involved the Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers. Heinsohn also teamed withBrent Musburger,Verne Lundquist,[12] andJames Brown during his time with CBS. Heinsohn also called NCAA college basketball during the Men's Tournaments starting with the 1986–87 season, later devoting more time to calling college games for CBS than the pros, being used for regular season as well as tournament games until the 1990 NCAA men's basketball tournament. For NCAA games, Heinsohn was typically paired with Verne Lundquist. After the 1987 NBA season, Heinsohn was moved from the primary color analyst role to 2nd on the network's depth chart, being paired with Brent Musburger for the 1987–88 season, calling solely playoff games.[12] Heinsohn in the 1988–89 season again only called playoff games, paired with Verne Lundquist.[12] In his final season, Heinsohn called a regular-season game for CBS as well as early-round 1990 NBA playoff games with James Brown.
In 2016 Heinsohn alongside his broadcasting partner Mike Gorman were inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasting Hall of Fame.[13]
Heinsohn was married to Diane Regenhard. Their marriage ended in divorce.[14] Tom and Diane Heinsohn had three children: Paul, David, and Donna. He had 5 grandchildren: Danielle, Victoria, Brooke, Adrian, and Christopher. Heinsohn's second wife was Helen Weiss, who died in 2008.[15]
Away from the court, Heinsohn enjoyedpainting and playinggolf; he once headed alife insurance company. In 1988, he wrote a memoir titled "Give 'em the Hook",[16] with writer Joe Fitzgerald.
Heinsohn died at his home fromkidney failure on November 9, 2020, at the age of 86.[17]
Following the first Celtics game after Heinsohn’s death The Celtics sported black "Tommy" patches on their jerseys in his honor, The team also lowered eight of the franchise's 17 championship banners to court-level, each of them representing a significant part of Heinsohn's legacy with the Celtics.[18] The team also held two “Tommy Heinsohn nights” in celebration of his life during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.[19] The Celtics still give out “Tommy” Awards at the end of every game to the player that represents the best play/hustle.[10]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| † | Won anNBA championship |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956–57† | Boston | 72 | 29.9 | .397 | .790 | 9.8 | 1.6 | 16.2 |
| 1957–58 | Boston | 69 | 32.0 | .382 | .746 | 10.2 | 1.8 | 17.8 |
| 1958–59† | Boston | 66 | 31.7 | .390 | .798 | 9.7 | 2.5 | 18.8 |
| 1959–60† | Boston | 75 | 32.3 | .423 | .733 | 10.6 | 2.3 | 21.7 |
| 1960–61† | Boston | 74 | 30.5 | .400 | .767 | 9.9 | 1.9 | 21.3 |
| 1961–62† | Boston | 79 | 30.2 | .429 | .819 | 9.5 | 2.1 | 22.1 |
| 1962–63† | Boston | 76 | 26.4 | .423 | .835 | 7.5 | 1.3 | 18.9 |
| 1963–64† | Boston | 76 | 26.8 | .398 | .827 | 6.1 | 2.4 | 16.5 |
| 1964–65† | Boston | 67 | 25.5 | .383 | .795 | 6.0 | 2.3 | 13.6 |
| Career | 654 | 29.4 | .405 | .790 | 8.8 | 2.0 | 18.6 | |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957† | Boston | 10 | 37.0 | .390 | .710 | 11.7 | 2.0 | 22.9 |
| 1958 | Boston | 11 | 31.7 | .351 | .778 | 10.8 | 1.6 | 17.5 |
| 1959† | Boston | 11 | 31.6 | .414 | .661 | 8.9 | 2.9 | 19.9 |
| 1960† | Boston | 13 | 32.5 | .419 | .750 | 9.7 | 2.1 | 21.8 |
| 1961† | Boston | 10 | 29.1 | .408 | .767 | 9.9 | 2.0 | 19.7 |
| 1962† | Boston | 14 | 31.8 | .399 | .763 | 8.2 | 2.4 | 20.7 |
| 1963† | Boston | 13 | 31.8 | .456 | .765 | 8.9 | 1.2 | 24.7 |
| 1964† | Boston | 10 | 30.8 | .389 | .810 | 8.0 | 2.6 | 17.4 |
| 1965† | Boston | 12 | 23.0 | .365 | .625 | 7.0 | 1.9 | 12.7 |
| Career | 104 | 31.0 | .402 | .743 | 9.2 | 2.1 | 19.8 | |
| Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
| Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 1969–70 | 82 | 34 | 48 | .415 | 6th in Eastern | Missed playoffs | ||||
| Boston | 1970–71 | 82 | 44 | 38 | .537 | 3rd in Eastern | Missed playoffs | ||||
| Boston | 1971–72 | 82 | 56 | 26 | .683 | 4th in Eastern | 11 | 5 | 6 | .455 | Lost inConference finals |
| Boston | 1972–73 | 82 | 68 | 14 | .829 | 1st in Atlantic | 13 | 7 | 6 | .538 | Lost inConference finals |
| Boston | 1973–74 | 82 | 56 | 26 | .683 | 1st in Atlantic | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 | WonNBA Championship |
| Boston | 1974–75 | 82 | 60 | 22 | .732 | 1st in Atlantic | 11 | 6 | 5 | .545 | Lost inConference finals |
| Boston | 1975–76 | 82 | 54 | 28 | .659 | 1st in Atlantic | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 | WonNBA Championship |
| Boston | 1976–77 | 82 | 44 | 38 | .537 | 2nd in Atlantic | 9 | 5 | 4 | .556 | Lost inConference semifinals |
| Boston | 1977–78 | 34 | 11 | 23 | .324 | 3rd in Atlantic | (released) | ||||
| Career | 690 | 427 | 263 | .619 | 80 | 47 | 33 | .588 | |||
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