SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Basketball Hall of Fame Family celebrates the life and mourns the passing of legendary Boston Celtic K.C. Jones. Jones, enshrined as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989, has passed away at the age of 88.
“K.C. Jones was a great competitor and the type of selfless contributor that every championship team needs,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “His effort often translated to championships, as he is one of few players to have won on the college, professional and international stage. As both a player and coach, he played a large role in the success of the world-renowned Boston Celtics and he will be remembered warmly by the basketball community.”
K.C. Jones was best known as a hard-nosed, playmaking guard and defensive specialist with tremendous success at both the collegiate and professional level. Jones enjoyed a phenomenal collegiate career playing with fellow Hall of Famer Bill Russell under Hall of Fame coach Phil Woolpert at the University of San Francisco. The Dons won 57 of 58 games and captured back-to-back NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956. In 1956, Jones played on the U.S. Olympic gold medal team and soon after, joined the Boston Celtics where he was reunited with Russell. Jones played admirably on eight consecutive NBA championship teams. As head coach, Jones led Boston to the 1984 and 1986 NBA championships and earned 12 NBA championship rings total in his distinguished career.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.