Jo Jo White

Celtics legend and 1976 Finals MVP who set a franchise ironman streak.

Joseph Henry White (November 16, 1946 – January 16, 2018) was an American professional basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics for ten seasons, winning the NBA Finals in 1974 and 1976 and being named Finals MVP in 1976. A seven-time NBA All-Star, White set a Celtics record with 488 consecutive games played. His No. 10 jersey was retired by the Celtics in 1982, and he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

Quick Facts

Born: 16 November 1946
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died: 16 January 2018
Place of death: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
High school: McKinley (St. Louis, Missouri)
College: Kansas (1965–1969)
Draft round: 1
Draft pick: 9

Lore & Background

White was born in St. Louis, the youngest of seven children. He played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks, where he was a two-time second-team All-American. He won a gold medal with the U.S. men's basketball team at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Drafted ninth overall by the Celtics in 1969, he endured a rebuilding season after Bill Russell's retirement but later led the team to championships. White made the All-NBA Second Team in the 1974–75 and 1975–76 seasons.

Reader's Guide

White was a point guard known for his durability, playing in all 82 games for five consecutive seasons. He was the MVP of the 1976 NBA Finals, scoring 33 points in Game 5, a triple-overtime win over the Phoenix Suns. After his playing career, he served as an assistant coach at Kansas and later worked in community relations for the Celtics until his death.