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Engraved portrait of Bob Cousy
Sports · 1950s

Bob Cousy

In memoriam 1928–
Basketball (point guard)Sport
Boston Celtics (1950-1963); brief 1969-70 return with Cincinnati RoyalsTeams
Six NBA championships; 1957 NBA MVPTitles
Eight consecutive assist titles; 13-time All-StarRecords
Robert Joseph Cousy in New York CityBorn
The Turning Point

Robert Joseph Cousy, the son of French immigrants, grew up in New York speaking French before English and starred at Holy Cross. The Boston Celtics acquired him by chance in 1950 after his name was drawn from a hat. He became a national star when he led the NBA in assists for the first time and dazzled crowds with his ball-handling wizardry.

Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics, 1957
Bob Cousy of the Boston Celtics, 1957

French-Speaking New Yorker

Bob Cousy was born in New York City in 1928 to French immigrant parents and spoke French before English. He became a college star at Holy Cross. In 1950 the Celtics landed him almost by accident when his name was drawn from a hat to settle a dispersal of a defunct team's players.

Houdini of the Hardwood

Cousy revolutionized the point guard position with flashy passing and ball-handling that thrilled fans. He led the NBA in assists eight straight seasons and won the 1957 MVP award. Paired with Bill Russell, he helped build the Celtics dynasty of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Enduring Legend

Cousy retired in 1963 with six championships and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971. He was later honored among the NBA's 50 Greatest and 75th Anniversary players. As of 2026 he remains alive, one of the last surviving links to the league's founding era.

Career Timeline

  1. 1928Born in New York City
  2. 1947Stars at College of the Holy Cross
  3. 1950Joins Boston Celtics via name drawn from a hat
  4. 1953Scores 50 in a four-overtime playoff game
  5. 1957Named NBA MVP; wins first title with Celtics
  6. 1959Begins run of championships with Bill Russell
  7. 1960Leads NBA in assists for eighth straight year
  8. 1963Retires after sixth Celtics championship
  9. 1971Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame
  10. 1996Named one of NBA's 50 Greatest Players
  11. 2021Named to NBA's 75th Anniversary Team

Biggest Hits

1963
Six NBA ChampionshipsWon titles with Boston from 1957 to 1963
1957
NBA Most Valuable PlayerLed Celtics to their first championship
1960
Eight Straight Assist TitlesLed the league in assists 1953 through 1960
1963
13-Time NBA All-StarSelected every season of his Celtics career
1996
50 Greatest Players HonorRecognized among NBA's all-time greats
1971
Hall of Fame InductionEnshrined as a pioneer of guard play
Did You Know
  • He joined the Celtics only because his name was literally drawn from a hat after a team folded and its players were dispersed.
  • Nicknamed the 'Houdini of the Hardwood,' he popularized the behind-the-back dribble and no-look pass in the early NBA.

Portrait: Unknown author · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

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