On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion ex-Celtics point guard KC Jones was hired as head coach of the team he won eight titles with as a player. He went on to win two more titles with the Celtics as a coach in 1984 and 1986 and was named head coach of the All-Star game four times.
Jones amassed a 308-102 regular-season record and a 65-37 playoff record, good for .751 and .637 winning percentages, respectively. To the surprise of many, Jones resigned as head coach following the 1987-88 NBA season. The job was taken over by longtime Celtics assistant coach Jimmy Rodgers.
“It’s something I wanted to do,” Jones would say of his resignation in an interview at his home with the Associated Press.
Even on his exit from the team, Jones was a Celtics lifer, and he made sure to let the media know it.
“I’m still with the Celtics,” he made clear. “It’s a love affair with the Celtics.”
“I’ve been giving it consideration since last summer,” he added. “It’s good for me; it’s good for the family; it’s good for Jimmy (Rodgers).”
He remained with the team one season further in the front office before leaving to join the Seattle Supersonics as an assistant coach.
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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire