Bill Russell shows love to Sam Jones, the Boston Celtics, following his unexpected passing at the age of 88.
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Sam Jones was quite the anomaly when you think about the way he played the game during his incredible run with the Boston Celtics in the ‘60s. His quick first step was something that not many dabbled with at the time, and of course, his iconic bank shot opened the doors for 100s of players down the line to use the glass to their advantage.
Sam Jones was surrounded by basketball royalty from the get-go, having been coached by the Hall of Fame collegiate bench boss, John McLendon. His arrival in the NBA was heralded by Red Auerbach, a man who never saw Jones play prior to selecting him 6th overall in the 1957 NBA Draft.
‘Mr. Clutch’ earned his nickname over years and years of Game 7 performances that continually stunned crowds, everything from dropping 47 against the Cincinnati Royals in 1963 to having a light 37 in the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals.
When talking about Sam and his clutch factor, Bill Russell said, “In the seventh game of a championship series, I’ll take Sam over any player who has ever walked on a court.”
Bill Russell and his tribute towards Sam Jones.
Bill Russell and Sam Jones shared the court as teammates on the Boston Celtics for over a decade and so it’s obvious that the two had quite the relationship, spanning well over half of a century. The 11x champ took to Twitter to show love to Bill Sharman’s successor.
“When I got the call from Sam’s family last night, my *heart broken emoji*. I can’t express my sadness, the loss of a 60+ years friendship is devastating. This happened fast and was unexpected. He was the last of the good guys. The purist shooter I have ever seen. The Bank is closed.”
Jones won every championship he ever did with Bill Russell down low holding down the defense in the interior. He amassed 10 championships from 1959-1969, one shy of Russell’s 11 which he won in 1957, two years prior to Sam’s arrival in Boston.
