NBA
NBA and Boston Celtics Legend Sam Jones has passed away
One of the greatest clutch shooters in NBA history, Boston Celtics great Sam Jones has passed away after an illness in Florida at the age of eighty-eight
Boston Celtics legend and Hall of Famer Sam Jones has passed away at the age of 88. He had been reported to be in failing health and was hospitalized near his St Augustine, Florida home.
As a guard who played his entire 12-year NBA career with the Celtics, Jones is second only to Bill Russell in NBA titles won with 10. He is also one of only three Celtics to be part of Boston’s eight consecutive championships between 1959 and 1966. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984 and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
In a statement released earlier, Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said, "Sam Jones was one of the most talented, versatile, and clutch shooters for the most successful and dominant teams in NBA history. His scoring ability was so prolific, and his form so pure, that he earned the simple nickname, 'The Shooter.' He was also known as 'Mr. Clutch.' The Jones family is in our thoughts as we mourn his loss and fondly remember the life and career of one of the greatest champions in American sports."
Ahead of the Celtics' afternoon game against the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Jones was remembered with a moment of silence.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver honored Jones in a Friday statement, saying in part, "An HBCU legend at North Carolina Central University and a member of the NBA's 25th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, Sam was a beloved teammate and respected competitor who played the game with dignity and class. We mourn the passing of a basketball giant and send our deepest condolences to Sam's family and the Celtics organization."
John L. Doleva, president and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame, released a statement saying, “Sam Jones was as much of a one-of-a-kind athlete as he was an individual. As one of the greatest champions in American sports history, Sam embodied what it means to be a winner both on and off the court. He was natural scorer and will forever be one the most clutch performers the game has ever seen. He will be tremendously missed by the entire Hall of Fame family.”