Arnold J. "Red" Auerbach

Red Auerbach was the architect and mastermind behind one of the most dominant franchises in professional sports history, the Boston Celtics. The cigar-chomping Auerbach expertly steered the Celtics to eight straight NBA championships, a streak unmatched in NBA history. Aggressive, demanding, and often volatile on the bench, Auerbach was the first coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games, his coaching brilliance showcased in a winning streak of eleven straight All Star contests. Under Auerbach’s watchful eye, the Celtics took ten Eastern Division titles in 16 years. After leaving the bench, Auerbach presided over the Celtics franchise as general manager and president and was affiliated with 16 NBA titles. In 1980, the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America named Auerbach the greatest coach in the history of the NBA. Auerbach was a maverick and the chances he took on personnel, strategy, and front office moves paid off for the Celtics time and time again.