6
Rings
1950
Rookie Year
Bob Cousy was the original showman of basketball — a dazzling ball-handler and passer who transformed the point guard position. "The Houdini of the Hardwood" led the Celtics to 6 NBA championships during the dynasty years, earning 13 consecutive All-Star selections and the 1957 MVP award. Cousy's behind-the-back passes and no-look dribbles were decades ahead of their time, inspiring generations of playmakers. His emotional final game at Boston Garden in 1963, where fans gave him a standing ovation that lasted several minutes, remains one of basketball's most moving moments.
Personal Life & Family
Bob Cousy dribbled and passed in ways the sport had never seen, won six championships with Boston, and became the first great Celtic. His #14 honors the man who invented modern point guard play.
Subscribe for in-depth player analysis and stat breakdowns delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe to newsletter1970
Retired
14
Seasons
2
Teams
Boston Celtics
1950-1963
Cincinnati Royals
1969-1970
6x NBA Champion
1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963
1x NBA MVP
1957
13x NBA All-Star
1951-1963 (every season with Celtics)
8x NBA Assists Leader
1953-1960 — eight consecutive seasons
Houdini of the Hardwood
Pioneered behind-the-back dribble and no-look pass
10x All-NBA First Team
1952-1961
16,960 Career Points
18.4 ppg career average
6,955 Career Assists
7.5 apg career average — revolutionary for his era
All-Star MVP
2x All-Star Game MVP (1954, 1957)
Point Guard Pioneer
Defined the modern point guard position with showmanship and passing
Career Earnings
~$500K (pre-modern era)
Estimated total NBA career salary
Endorsements
Basketball Camps
Pioneered the concept of player-branded basketball camps
1960s-1980s
Presidential Medal of Freedom
Awarded by President Trump in 2019
2019
Partner
Missie Cousy (married 1950, until her passing in 2013)
Children (2)
Parents & Siblings
Off the Court
Lifelong civil rights advocate
Close friend and ally of Bill Russell during the civil rights era
Did You Know?
Innovated the behind-the-back dribble and pass in competitive basketball
The Celtics originally did not want to draft him — they got him through a dispersal draft
Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 at age 91
Born to French immigrant parents in Manhattan and grew up speaking French before English
Career Honors
© 2026 143 Basketball Haven
