Mr. Celtic, Himself

There is one common thread through all of Boston’s 17 NBA World Championship titles: Tommy Heinsohn. From player to coach to color commentator, Heinsohn lived up to his “Mr. Celtic” nickname. “When people think of me,” Heinsohn said, “they don’t think of me as an artist, they don’t think of me as an insurance guy … I’m a Celtic.” His bobblehead day in 2004 commemorated his 50th year involved in basketball and illustrated his lifelong dedication to the sport. Upon his death in November 2020, teammate Bill Russell tweeted, “We were rookies together and friends for life. In life there are a limited number of true friends, today I lost one. RIP Heiny.”