Tom Heinsohn

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Lore & Background

Heinsohn's playing career began with immediate impact. Selected as a territorial pick in 1956, he won Rookie of the Year and his first championship ring in his debut season, scoring 37 points and grabbing 23 rebounds in a double-overtime Game 7 victory. Standing at 6-7, he developed a line drive jump shot due to low ceilings in his high school gym and a signature running hook from the corners. Coach Red Auerbach called him "the ideal forward," praising his offensive rebounding, shots, and defense when motivated. From 1959 to 1965, Heinsohn was part of a squad that won seven consecutive titles, leading the team in scoring from 1960 to 1962 with averages over 20 points per game. He became the first player to score 1,000 points in NBA Finals history and maintained an unmatched streak of reaching the Finals every season of his nine-year career. Off the court, he served as the second president of the NBA Players Association from 1958 to 1966, leading a crucial strike threat at the 1964 All-Star game that secured a pension plan for players.

In Their Own Story

In 1973, Heinsohn guided the Celtics to their best regular season record in franchise history, posting a league-best 68–14 mark. Although they fell short in the playoffs against the eventual champion New York Knicks, his leadership earned him the Coach of the Year award. The following season, he redeemed that loss by securing an NBA title for Boston, adding another championship in 1976. Between 1972 and 1976, his teams won at least 50 games annually. However, the 1977–78 season proved difficult; after a poor start where the team fell to 11–23 following a loss to the Chicago Bulls in late December, Heinsohn stepped down as head coach. He was replaced by his former teammate and assistant, Tom "Satch" Sanders. Despite this abrupt end, he finished with an impressive career coaching record of 427–263. His tenure as a broadcaster began even earlier, starting in 1966 before his coaching days, eventually forming one of the longest-tenured tandems in sports history alongside play-by-play man Mike Gorman on PRISM New England and later local networks.

Reader's Guide

To understand Tom Heinsohn's legacy is to recognize his unique status as a triple threat: player, coach, and broadcaster. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice—first for his playing contributions and again on February 14, 2015, as a coach. His jersey number 15 was retired by the Celtics in 1966. As a broadcaster starting in 1981 with Mike Gorman, he created traditions like the "Tommy Points" for hustle and the "Tommy Award," given to one player per game for exceptional effort. He also called four NBA Finals from 1984 to 1987 on CBS, often featuring Celtics matchups against the Lakers, and covered NCAA tournaments extensively until 1990. Following his death in November 2020, the team honored him by lowering eight championship banners representing his legacy and wearing "Tommy" patches. The franchise continues this tradition by holding "Tommy Heinsohn nights" and awarding the "Tommy" Award after every game to the player displaying the best hustle.

Did You Know?

• Heinsohn was the only person to hold an official team capacity role in each of the Celtics' first 17 championships.
• As a rookie, he scored 37 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in a double-overtime Game 7 to win his first title.
• He served as president of the NBA Players Association from 1958 to 1966 and led a strike threat that secured player pensions.
• He was the first player in NBA history to score 1,000 points in the NBA Finals.
• His broadcasting duo with Mike Gorman is considered one of the longest-tenured tandems in sports history.