John Havlicek

John Havlicek was an American professional basketball player who played under jersey no. 17 for Boston Celtics. Havlicek won 8 National Basketball Association (NBA) championships. The right-handed player was named the Celtic's captain and played as a forward and Guard for Boston Celtics. 

John Joseph Havlicek was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, on April 8, 1940. John was of Czech and Croatian descent from his parents and grew up in Ohio, his birth city.  Havlicek created moments that are ineradicable in the history of the NBA. He was a warm-hearted and humble player who led well life during and after his career.

John Havlicek's Cause of Death

The legendary Celtic grew old as time moved on, and even though John was robust, he got infected with Parkinson's Disease. Parkinson's disease causes unintended or uncontrollable movements and difficulty with balance and coordination of motor controls.

As Parkinson's affected his body, John Havlicek was slowly degrading in terms of his health. John was cared for by his wife Beth, son Chris Havlicek and daughter Jill Havlicek Buchanan. John Havlicek breathed his last breath on April 25, 2019, in Florida, U.S.

John will be lovingly remembered by his grandchildren, Elizabeth Grace Havlicek, John II Havlicek, Virginia Mae Havlicek, and his daughter's side grandchildren, Walker Buchanan, Drew Buchanan, Logan Buchanan, and Connor Buchanan.

17 Celtics Tribute and Memorial

NBA fans, teammates, and opponents heavily mourned John Havlicek's demise on April 25, 2019. John's body was buried in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was immortalized there.

Bill Russel, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, and more paid tribute following the death of Legendary Celtics John Havlicek. Boston Celtics also uploaded a tribute for John on their official Twitter page: @celtics

His wife sorrowfully mourned John Havlicek's death, she wrote a statement on the passing of her beloved husband.

Havlicek's Wife, Beth Havlicek

John Havlicek and Beth Havlicek met each other while both were attending Ohio State University. Havlicek found the one with whom he was destined to be till his last breath. The two love birds fell deeply and tied the knot in 1967. John and Beth were made for each other and were irreplaceable. Beth's maiden name was Beth Evans.

John and Beth were gifted with two children, a boy and a girl named Chris Havlicek and Jill Havlicek.  Havlicek was an outdoor enjoying person and liked to travel. He also liked enjoying quality time with his wife, Beth. Beth ensured that her family was involved in the community's activities.

In their old age, couples were actively organizing charity programs.  John Havlicek's son played collegiate basketball for the University of Virginia in the early 1990s, and his daughter, Jill Havlicek, married Brian Buchanan, a former Major League Baseball outfielder, and coach.

John Havlicek's Net Worth in 6 figures and Investments

 John's 16 years of professional basketball earned him a great name, fame, and wealth. Havlicek had a net worth which is estimated to be around $70 million. He lived blissfully and lavishly in his family and humbly donated to charities.

John was clever with his money and invested much of his income in Wendy's fast food chain. The investment helped him in his old age and increased his career earnings. In the 1970s, he endorsed products ranging from Nike sneakers, socks, shaving gear, footwear, and processed foods. 

John Havlicek was drafted with the no. 7 overall pick by Boston Celtics. On September 1, 1962, John signed a multi-year contract, and then he extended his multi-year contract on October 4, 1976, with the Celtics. John ended his 16 years career after the 1977-1978 NBA season. Havlicek became a corporate speaker and ran charity programs with his wife, Beth.  

Also Read: Ivory Latta and Ray McCallum, Jr.

Havlicek Stats During His Career's Peak

Havlicek's professional basketball career began in his 20s, and he retired after 16 years.  He still leads the Celtics in all-time points scored with 26,395. John averaged 20.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 1270 regular season games.

Read More.Shay Murphy

John Havlicek had the knack for deducing the opponents' position and was a good enough ballhandler who clutched in many games.  Havlicek could average about 6-7 rebounds a game and would rarely miss it. He shared the court with lifelong friend Bobby Knight and great teammate Jerry Lucas from 1958-62. 

The under-rated Celtic was described as the "guts of team"  by Celtic's head coach. John played a total of 1,270 games and scored 26,395 points, 8,007 rebounds, and 6,114 assists in his professional career. Havlicek became a better and more confident shooter the older he got; the swingman could play as an all-rounder. John Havlicek won 1 Finals MVP and was indicted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.

Havlicek and NBA championships

In 1962, the Boston Celtics of the NBA drafted John Havlicek. Havlicek had high stamina, and competitors said it was challenging to keep up with him. In the 1965 Eastern Conference championship, He was immortalized for his clutch in the seventh-final game between the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

Philadelphia 76ers only needed to inbound the ball to secure the victory. When Hal Greer of the Philadelphia 76ers pass came inbounds, Havlicek spun, leaped, and swayed the pass to Sam Jones.

The Celtics were filled with powerful basketball players like Bill Russel,  Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, and Satch Sanders. John Havlicek helped the Boston Celtics win 8 NBA championships ( 1963-1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976 ). He is one of four players to have won eight championships in their playing careers.

John Havlicek's Early Life

John was the third child born to his parents. He had 3 siblings two sisters, Rose and Marilyn, and a brother Fred grew up in Ohio. John Havlicek and his siblings helped their Croatian and Checz descent parents operate a general store.

John was a three-sport basketball, baseball, and football athlete at Bridgeport High School. He played basketball with future seven-time NBA All-Star Jerry Lucas at Ohio State University.

John Havlicek was named as an alternate of the 1960 United States national team that competed in the 1960 Olympics. After that, he was drafted by the  Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). In a short span of time, John left Cleveland Browns to focus on his professional basketball journey.

Post NBA Life Of John Havliek

In 1978 13-time NBA All-star Havlicek retired. He was third points behind Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson. The success of their investment in Wendy's fast food chain provided him comfortable income after retirement, and John never had to work to generate income after his retirement.

After retirement, He served as a corporate speaker and was a member of the board of the Genisis Foundation, which helps children with disabilities and genetic disorders.

The old couple held celebrity fishing tournaments for more than 3 decades, with funds going to Genisis Foundation. John also enjoyed fishing with his grandchildren.

Read More.James Michael McAdoo

Havlicek's Accolades And His Robust Physique

John Havlicek was one of the most talented all-rounder players in NBA history.  He helped Celtics win 8 times NBA championships. John was awarded the basketball hall of fame in 1984. Havlicek was 13 times NBA All-star from 1966-1978 and was NCAA champion in 1960.

John Havlicek had a mighty physique with a towering height of 6 feet 5 inches and weighed 203 pounds (92 K.G). He had stamina like non-other, and opponents couldn't match his speed on the court. John was considerate about his stamina and didn't drink coke or any other sodas.

Read More.Joel Embiid

Havlicek was nick named "Hondo" of the NBA

John Havlicek was the first player to score 1,000 in 16 consecutive seasons. John's nature was humble, generous, and thoughtful; He wasn't egoistic like some players.

John Havlicek altruistically played for Celtics and didn't care about his popularity.  John was a burning example of what it meant to be the ultimate sixth man. NBA decided to name the Sixth Man of the Year award after Havlicek. 

John Havlicek's nickname "Hondo" was inspired by John Wayne's movie of the same name. His leadership and stellar play served as the utmost example of playing a vital role in the team's betterment. Havlicek was among the most accomplished and underrated players in Boston Celtics history.

Read More.Jamal Mashburn Jr.