Boston Celtics: 25 Best Players To Play For The Celtics
By Phil Watson
18. <strong> How Acquired: </strong>9th overall pick from Kansas, 1969 NBA Draft. PG. 1969-79. Jo Jo White. 15. player
Jo Jo White was a two-time All-American at Kansas, earning the honor as a senior despite being limited to just 18 games because of injury.
His arrival with the Boston Celtics marked the beginning of a new era.
He was the ninth overall pick by the club in the 1969 NBA Draft and took over the point guard duties in the post-dynasty era.
White was a seven-time All-Star in Boston, earning two All-NBA nods. He was part of two NBA championships with the Celtics in 1974 and 1976, being named Finals MVP in 1976 after averaging 21.7 points and 5.8 assists per game in the six-game victory over the Phoenix Suns.
He was third in the NBA in minutes per game in 1976-77.
White stayed with Boston until January 1979, when he was traded to the Golden State Warriors for a first-round pick in 1979.
In parts of 10 seasons with the Celtics, White averaged 18.4 points, 5.1 assists, 4.3 rebound and 1.3 steals in 37.3 minutes per game, shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 83.3 percent from the line. He also set a franchise record by playing in 488 consecutive games.
White’s contract was sold to the Kansas City Kings in September 1980 and after a short stint with the Kings, he retired in November of the same year.
White was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 and is 47th all-time with an average of 35.8 minutes per game.
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