born august american retired professional basketball player played point guard briefly season demonstrated basketball abilities playing high school varsity team junior year obtained scholarship led ncaa tournament ncaa tournament named ncaa american seasons initially drafted overall pick round nba draft refused report picked boston successful career playing championship teams voted nba star games nba second teams winning nba valuable player award seasons nba led league assists straight times introduced new blend ball handling passing skills earned nicknames hardwood regularly introduced boston garden basketball playing career coached years short comeback age broadcaster games elected honor retired jersey hung boston garden named nba 25th anniversary team nba 35th anniversary team nba 50th anniversary time team making players selected teams president early years son poor french immigrants living new_york_city grew neighborhood manhattan east midst great depression father joseph cab driver earned extra income elder served german_army world war shortly war wife died pneumonia leaving young daughter married secretary french teacher time census family renting apartment queens month younger spoke french years life started speak english entering primary school spent early days playing environment regularly playing african americans jews ethnic minority children experiences strong anti racist sentiment attitude prominently promoted professional career family moved rented house queens summer elder payment house blocks away rented floors story building tenants help mortgage payments time high school took basketball age student elementary school immediately hooked following year entered basketball success immediate fact cut school team year later year joined basketball league sponsored developed basketball skills gained needed experience year cut school basketball team year fell tree broke right hand injury forced play left handed hand healed making effectively retrospect described accident fortunate event cited factor making versatile court game high school basketball coach saw play impressed star ability play hands invited come practice following day try junior varsity team permanent member squad continued practice day night junior year sure going promoted varsity failing citizenship course ineligible semester joined varsity squad midway season scoring points game intention attending college started basketball court started focus improving academics basketball skills easier college excelled basketball senior year leading team queens divisional championship points new_york_city high school basketball player named captain journal american team began plan college family wanted attend catholic school wanted outside new_york_city recruited considered accepting offer interested commuter student soon afterward received offer worcester massachusetts miles kilometers west boston impressed school accepted basketball scholarship offered spent summer working lodge playing local basketball league number established college players college basketball career varsity basketball team start season coach chose play bench team system player time court members second team come bench half minutes game relieve team starters play half game disappointed lack playing time went campus chapel practice pray julian chance basketball talents court early season got trouble julian accused court late season basketball static game depending slow deliberate player movement flat shots far different tempo like game marked play notable look half court passing playing time games score points season finishing highest total team team stars finished basketball season basis record got ncaa tournament seed team tournament game defeated navy sell crowd madison square garden led team scoring points navy coach decision players reputed shooter semifinal game faced coached game earliest led thirty points easily defeated championship game faced oklahoma coached sold game madison square garden followed point semifinal mere points title game far defeat played poorly scoring points shots new_england college win ncaa tournament arrival worcester team given hero welcome thousand cheering fans met train following season julian limited playing time point frustrated sophomore contemplated transferring wrote letter coach new_york informing considering transfer wrote considered julian finest basketball coaches america believed julian bad intentions restricting playing time told julian use later years team alerted transferring risky according ncaa rules player required sit year eligible play school transferred senior year fate changed match chicago boston garden minutes left trailing crowd started chant want coach julian relented minutes scored points hit game winning coming performance established team leader led straight wins number national ranking going time american ended college career ncaa tournament fell opening round game madison square garden win tournament ended college basketball career nick time following year college basketball biggest point scandal history sport years turned pro available nba draft concluded nba season poor win loss record draft pick strongly anticipated draft highly local favorite coach center saying supposed win local local press strongly criticized scouts skeptical viewing flamboyant ineffective scout wrote report time tries fancy dan stuff league ball throat result drafted point guard new employer trying establish driving school worcester massachusetts want left field consisting small towns compensation having driving school demanded salary owner offered refused report picked folded league commissioner declared available dispersal draft scoring champion owner club bosses invited later clear hoping tolerated want drew brown confessed fallen floor celtic brown reluctantly giving salary long brown changed minds average points rebounds assists game received consecutive nba team ups led team future memorial basketball hall record nba season nba playoffs beaten year added future guard averaging points rebounds assists game earned nba team nomination nonetheless lost nba playoffs following season progress averaging assists game won consecutive assists titles numbers despite fact nba introduced shot clock making game static putting prolific assist disadvantage powered quick dominated tactics won games beat nba playoffs game ended overtime thriller lauded game despite having injured leg scored points quarters scored team points overtime hit clutch free throw seconds scored boston points second overtime scored points overtime fourth overtime scored boston points played minutes scored points making standing record free throws attempts game regarded nba finest scoring feats line chamberlain point game time row beat boston round years firmly established league best point guards leading league assists seasons averaging points rebounds versatile earned nba team star honors valuable player nba star game terms playing style introduced array visually attractive street basketball moves described nba mix look passes feeds half court launches contrasted rest nba dominated muscular low post deliberate set shooters soon called hardwood crowd pleasing effective play drew crowd boston garden won coach longer saw liability essential building block future eventually added talented forwards future hall defensive specialist colleague unofficial bodyguard opposing players try hurt unable mark nba playoffs nba playoffs nba playoffs lost times row nationals attributed shortcomings fatigue stating tired end ball result sought defensive center easy rebounds initiate fast breaks close games dynasty years nba season acquired future hall forward defensive center powered new recruits went regular season averaged points rebounds league leading assists earning nba valuable won second nba star game mvp award reached powered offense rugged center russell defense beat hawks noted future hall fame power forward teammates finally won title nba season highly productive year points rebounds assists game leading nominations nba team star team led nba assists reached hawks russell succumbed foot injury game faded games losing nba playoff series play following nba season got revenge opposition powered inspired averaged points rebounds league high assists game won assists title pair nba team star team nominations late season dominance setting nba record assists game record broken years later set record assists half broken stormed playoffs total assists record game series defeated sweep nba season productive points rebounds assists game earning eighth consecutive assists title joint nba team star team nomination defeated opposition won nba finals hawks year later year old scored points rebounds assists game winning pair nba team star nominations failing win assists crown consecutive seasons won convincingly beating hawks nba season aging slowly began fade averaging points rebounds assists voted consecutive team nominations enjoyed satisfying postseason winning battles upcoming teams finals series especially dramatic guard failed second game won title finally nba season career averaged points rebounds assists collected star nba second team nomination won finished career high note fourth quarter game ankle helped bench went boston score credited providing emotional lift carried victory game ended throwing ball age held retirement ceremony march packed boston garden event known crowd response overwhelmed left caused planned minute farewell water worker massachusetts devoted fan love breaking tension crowd went cheers testament legacy president wired game bears stamp rare skills competitive daring post player career retiring player published autobiography basketball life year coach holiday basketball festival madison square garden providence defeated title game led american providence coached teammate men players seasons record wins losses named new england coach year led eagles appearances including berth championship tournaments including grew bored college basketball returned nba coach team fellow hall fame point guard later said engagement money offer couldn refuse year old late season comeback player boost ticket sales despite output points minutes playing time seven games ticket sales jumped percent continued coach team moved cincinnati kansas_city stepped kings coach early nba season record later life commissioner color analyst 1980s addition role basketball film blue chips played college athletic director today marketing consultant occasionally makes broadcast appearances celtic teammate coaching record college coaching record nba coaching record legacy nba health benefits pension plan minimum salary average player salary season combat organized trade union major north american professional sports leagues served president year game nba playing career finished points rebounds assists translating averages points rebounds assists game regarded great point guard nba winning assist titles league highly successful career winning nba titles mvp award star nba ups star mvp awards eye catching unorthodox passing popularized modern guard play raised profile entire nba fast paced playing style later emulated likes recognition feats inducted honored retired jersey owner said wouldn basketball town played new_york biggest thing new_york_yankees baseball legend think addition rated fifth greatest point guard time ahead time passing skills pointing point guards win nba valuable player award november college hoisted hart center halftime game numbers hang gymnasium ceiling personal life married college sweetheart december months graduated lived worcester massachusetts daughters died september suffering years known court public stance racism result upbringing environment played game segregated city charlotte north_carolina teammate african american nba history drafted denied hotel room instead taking hotel room insisted travelling cooper uncomfortable overnight train described visit segregated men toilet cooper prohibited clean whites bathroom use colored facility experiences life plight black star frequently victim racism close mentor head coach permitted arnold given instead nickname red
Bob Cousy