Jim Loscutoff
The Celtics' hatchet man who helped win seven championships.
James Loscutoff Jr. (February 4, 1930 – December 1, 2015) was a professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A forward, Loscutoff played on seven Celtics championship teams between 1956 and 1964.
- Height:
- 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m)
- Draft Pick:
- Third non-territorial pick of the first round (1955)
- College Stats:
- 19.6 points per game, 17.2 rebounds per game (final season at Oregon)
- School Record:
- 32 rebounds in a single game
- Career Span:
- 1955–1964
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Loscutoff was selected with the third non-territorial pick of the first round in the 1955 NBA draft. He was originally drafted by coach Red Auerbach to provide defensive nerve for the Celtics. During his rookie year, Loscutoff set a then-record for the Celtics with 26 rebounds in a game. In the 1957 NBA Finals, he sank the final two free throws of a 125–123 double-overtime victory over the St. Louis Hawks in game seven, as the Celtics won their first NBA championship. Loscutoff missed most of the 1957–58 season due to a knee injury. He successfully returned and was a member of six more championship teams. His nicknames included 'Jungle Jim' and 'Loscy'. The organization wished to honor Loscutoff, but he asked that his jersey number (18) not be retired; instead, the Celtics added a banner with his nickname 'Loscy' to the retired number banners. The number was later retired in honor of Dave Cowens.
In Their Own Story
The organization deeply wished to honor Loscutoff by retiring his jersey number 18. However, Loscutoff declined the traditional retirement, insisting that the number remain available for a future Celtic player rather than hanging permanently in the rafters. True to his word, he never saw his name added to the banner display alongside other legends. Instead, the Celtics created a unique tribute: they added a special banner bearing only his nickname, "Loscy," among the retired numbers. The number 18 was eventually retired in honor of another great, Dave Cowens, but Loscutoff's selfless decision remains a singular story in Boston history.
Reader's Guide
Loscutoff coached the basketball team at Boston State College from 1964 to 1976, compiling a record of 219–92. In November 1980, he became head coach of the New England Gulls of the Women's Professional Basketball League, coaching six games (all losses) before being replaced in early January 1981. The Gulls folded less than a month later.
Did You Know?
- Loscutoff still holds the Oregon school record for rebounds in a game, with 32.
- He was a member of the inaugural class of inductees to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.
- His parents were Spiritual Christian Molokans from Russia.
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