K.C. Jones

K.C. Jones was an American professional basketball player and coach who became one of the most successful figures in the history of the National Basketball Association.

He has won 12 NBA championships in various roles with the Boston Celtics.

Player Profile and Early Life

K.C. Jones was born on May 25, 1932, in Taylor, Texas, and passed away on December 25, 2020, in Connecticut.

He stood 185 cm tall and his weight was last listed at 91 kg. His given name was actually "K.C.," inherited from his father who was named after the legendary railroad engineer Casey Jones.

As the oldest of six children, Jones's early life saw significant changes when his parents divorced when he was nine. He subsequently moved to San Francisco with his mother and two siblings, where he developed his basketball skills playing on gravel courts.

In his personal life, Jones married Beverly Cain, the sister of his Olympic teammate Carl Cain, in 1959. The couple had five children before divorcing. He later remarried to Ellen Jones, with whom he had a sixth child.

His son Kipper Jones played basketball at Bentley College, while his daughter Bryna Jones earned both basketball and volleyball scholarships at the University of Hawaii.

After battling Alzheimer's disease, Jones passed away at an assisted living center in Connecticut at the age of 88.

High School and College Career

Jones began his basketball journey at Commerce High School in San Francisco, California. He then attended the University of San Francisco from 1952 to 1956, where he became part of one of college basketball's most dominant teams.

During his collegiate career, he helped lead the Dons to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. His outstanding play earned him Consensus Second-Team All-American honors in 1956. Later on, the school retired his number 4.

Playing Career

Jones was selected as the 13th overall pick in the second round of the 1956 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. His playing career spanned from 1958 to 1967, during which he wore numbers 27 and 25.

His entire playing career was spent with the Celtics (1958-1967), where he was part of eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959 to 1966. The Celtics later retired jersey number 25 in his honor.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Jones embarked on an extensive coaching career from 1967 to 1998.

He began at the collegiate level with Brandeis (1967-1970) and Harvard (1970-1971) before moving to the NBA.

His NBA coaching journey included assistant roles with the Los Angeles Lakers (1971-1972), Milwaukee Bucks (1976-1977), Boston Celtics (1978-1983), Seattle SuperSonics (1989-1990), Detroit Pistons (1994-1995), and the Celtics again from 1996 to 1997.

As a head coach, he led the San Diego Conquistadors, Capital/Washington Bullets, Boston Celtics, and the Seattle SuperSonics.

He concluded his coaching career with the New England Blizzard as head coach.

His coaching achievements include two NBA championships as a head coach (1984, 1986), two as an assistant (1972, 1981), and five NBA All-Star Game head coaching selections (1975, 1984-1987).

He was recognized as one of the Top 15 Coaches in NBA History and received

Career Highlights

As Player

• 1959-1966 - NBA Champion (8x)

As Coach

• 1972, 1981 - NBA Champion as Assistant Coach (2x)
• 1984, 1986 - NBA Champion as Head Coach (2x)
• 1975, 1984-1987 - NBA All-Star Game Head Coach
• 1955, 1956 - NCAA Champion
• 1956 - Consensus Second-Team All-American
• 2016 - Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2021 - Named to NBA's Top 15 Coaches in History
• Jersey Number 25 Retired by Boston Celtics
• Jersey Number 4 Retired by San Francisco Dons

Medal Record, Men's basketball, Representing the United States

• Gold - 1956 Olympic Games Melbourne