Celtics Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn passes away at age 86

Tommy Heinsohn (Google Images)

According to Allen Kim of CNN on Tuesday, former Boston Celtics Hall of Fame forward Tommy Heinsohn of Jersey City, New Jersey has passed away at the age of 86. Heinsohn played nine seasons with the Celtics from 1956 to 1965.

In 654 regular season games with Boston, Heinsohn averaged 18.6 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, and two assists per game. In 1961-62, he had a career high 22.1 points per game. Twice Heinsohn averaged a double double. In 1957-58, Heinsohn averaged 17.8 points per game, and had 10.2 rebounds. Then in 1959-60, Heinsohn averaged 21.7 points per game, and had 10.6 rebounds.

In six of Heinsohn’s nine NBA seasons, he was an all-star. Heinsohn was selected to the 1957 NBA All-Star Game, and then five consecutive All-Star Games from 1961 to 1965.

In 1957, Heinsohn won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. He averaged 16.2 points per game, and had 9.8 rebounds that year. A second-team all-star in four straight years from 1961 to 1964, Heinsohn also won the NBA Finals in eight of his nine NBA seasons. The only year he did not win as a player was in 1958, when the Celtics were beaten by the St. Louis Hawks in six games. Heinsohn would have his number 15 retired by Boston in 1966.

Following the end of his playing career, Heinsohn would go on to coach the Celtics from 1969 to 1978. He posted a record of 427 wins and 263 losses. In 1974 and 1976, Heinsohn won the NBA Finals.

Heinsohn is one of four people to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and as a coach. The others are John Wooden, Bill Sharman, and Lenny Wilkens. Heinsohn was inducted as a player in 1986 and as a coach in 2015.

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