K.C. Jones

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Lore & Background

Jones's journey began in San Francisco after moving there at age nine. At Commerce High School, he considered himself a better football player than a basketball player, yet his talent on the gravel courts caught attention. He attended the University of San Francisco, where he formed a legendary partnership with Bill Russell. Together, they guided the Dons to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, establishing a then-record 55-game win streak that included an undefeated 29–0 season in 1955–56. Their synergy helped pioneer the alley-oop play. Jones's dominance extended beyond college; he won Olympic gold with the US national team in Melbourne in 1956, where they defeated opponents by an unsurpassed average margin of 53.5 points per game. After serving two years in the Army (1956–1958), he faced a crossroads: try out for the Los Angeles Rams or join the Celtics. Having been drafted by the Rams in the 30th round of the 1955 NFL draft, Jones tried his hand at football as a defensive halfback in 1958. However, realizing he wanted to play basketball, he left the Rams on September 2, 1958, to report to Boston.

In Their Own Story

In the NBA, Jones spent all nine of his seasons with the Boston Celtics from 1958 to 1967. Known as a tenacious defender, he was part of eight championship teams consecutively from 1959 to 1966. His playing career ended only after the Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1967 Eastern Division finals. As a player, Jones achieved an unsurpassed 8–0 record in NBA Finals series, tying for third all-time in total championships (eight). After retiring, he transitioned to coaching, starting at Brandeis University (1967–1970) and Harvard (1970–1971). He reunited with former teammate Bill Sharman as an assistant coach for the 1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers, a team that won a record 33 straight games. His head coaching journey took him to the ABA's San Diego Conquistadors in 1972 before returning to the NBA with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets (1973–1976). There, he compiled a 155–91 record but was not renewed after losses to the Warriors and Cavaliers. In 1983, Jones returned to Boston as head coach, replacing Bill Fitch. He guided the Larry Bird-led Celtics to championships in 1984 and 1986, also coaching the Eastern squad to victory in the 1986 NBA All-Star Game.

Reader's Guide

The K.C. Jones era is defined by a relentless pursuit of excellence that spanned decades. As a player, he was one of only eight men to achieve the basketball Triple Crown, winning an NCAA title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. He remains one of three players with an unsurpassed 8–0 record in NBA Finals series. His coaching resume is equally formidable; he is the only African-American coach besides Bill Russell to win multiple NBA championships. Under his leadership from 1983 to 1987, the Celtics won the Atlantic Division every season and reached the Finals four times. Jones's tenure concluded with a surprise retirement after the 1987–88 season, succeeded by Jimmy Rodgers. He later served as an assistant for the Seattle SuperSonics (head coach in 1990–92) and Detroit Pistons before returning to Boston as an assistant in 1996. His final professional coaching stint was with the New England Blizzard of the American Basketball League from 1997 until its folding. Jones was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989, followed by the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1986.

Did You Know?

• Jones was born with the initials 'K.C.' as his given name, inherited from his father who was named after the fabled railroad engineer Casey Jones.
• He holds an unsurpassed 53.5 points per game average margin of victory with the US national team at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne.
• Jones tried out for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams in 1958 as a defensive halfback but left on September 2 to join the Celtics because he wanted to play basketball.
• He helped pioneer the alley-oop play during his time with Bill Russell at the University of San Francisco, where they led the team to a 55-game win streak.
• Jones is one of only eight players in history to achieve the basketball Triple Crown (NCAA champion, NBA champion, Olympic gold medal).