Today, in Boston Celtics history, Sam Jones’ jersey number was raised to the rafters of the Old Boston Garden, recognizing his storied career in Boston as one of the most successful players in professional basketball history.
Jones retired with ten championships, a record surpassed only by his friend and teammate Bill Russell, who won 11 championships as a player or player-coach. Jones’ No. 24 jersey was permanently retired in honor of “The Shooter,” as he was affectionately known. Ironically, he was originally drafted by the then-Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers), but the Wilmington, North Carolina, native chose to return to college for one more year. He was subsequently selected by Red Auerbach and the Boston Celtics with the eighth overall pick in the 1957 NBA Draft.
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When he retired, he was also the team’s career scoring leader.
historical milestones
It was also on this day that the Celtics defeated the New York Knicks 148-128 at home in 1960, becoming the first team in league history to win 60 games in a single season.
March 5, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen on the court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trail Blazers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Celtics forward Tommy Heinsohn scored 21 points and 8 rebounds, and big man Bill Russell also scored 20 points and 25 rebounds.
Going too fast
This was also the day former Celtics center Clyde Lovellette left us in 2016. Lovellette was born on September 7, 1929, in Petersburg, Indiana, and played for Kansas at the NCAA level before being drafted by the Lakers with the 10th overall pick in 1952.
March 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The NBA logo can be seen on the court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Portland Trail Blazers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
He spent time with the then-Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) and the (then) St. Louis Hawks (now Atlanta) before his contract was sold to Boston. Lovellette averaged 6.6 points and 2 rebounds per game during his time with the Celtics – rest in peace.
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics History: Jones’ jersey retired; CS first to win 60 games; Lovellette passes
