Boston Celtics great John Havlicek dies

John Havlicek, who played 16 years with the Boston Celtics, which won the NBA Championship in eight of those years, died Thursday in Jupiter, Fla., according to team officials. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Nicknamed “Hondo,” Havlicek was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.

“John Havlicek is one of the most accomplished players in Boston Celtics history, and the face of many of the franchise’s signature moments,” the Celtics said in a statement. “He was a champion in every sense, and as we join his family, friends, and fans in mourning his loss, we are thankful for all the joy and inspiration he brought to us.”

Before playing during two different championship eras for the Celtics in the 1960s and ’70s, the Ohio native helped lead Ohio State to the NCAA championship in 1960 and runner-up finishes in 1961 and 1962, losing to Cincinnati both times.