At the start of the first season (1978-79) the Boston Celtics were to play without Hall of Fame small forward John Havlicek since drafting him out of Ohio State in 1962, the team honored the Bridgeport, Ohio, native by retiring his No. 17 jersey to the Boston Garden rafters.
Hondo — as Havlicek was sometimes called as a nickname — was the NBA’s third-leading all-time scorer and had played more games than any player in league history, racking up 8 titles, 13 All-Star bids, 11 All-NBA elections and 8 All-Defensive team nods. He was one of the greatest players to ever play for Boston or in the NBA.
To see that historic moment where Havlicek’s jersey was forever immortalized at the old Boston Garden, watch the video embedded below, courtesy of YouTube channel Classic Sports.
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