Rick Barry
American basketball player
Red Auerbach was an iconic American basketball coach and executive who led the Boston Celtics to unprecedented success, winning 16 NBA championships as a coach, general manager, and team president. He was a pioneer in breaking down racial barriers, drafting the first African-American player and hiring the first African-American head coach in North American sports history.
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About the Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob “Red” Auerbachwas an American professional basketball coach and executive. He served as a head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Boston Celtics. Auerbach was also the head coach of the Washington Capitols and Tri-Cities Blackhawks. As a coach, Auerbach set NBA records with 938 wins and nine championships. After his coaching retirement in 1966, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death. As general manager and team president of the Celtics, he won an additional seven NBA titles for a total of 16 in a span of 29 years, the most of any individual in NBA history, making him one of the most successful team officials in the history of North American professional sports.
Auerbach is remembered for being a pioneer of modern basketball, redefining basketball as a game dominated by team play and defense and introducing the fast break as a potent offensive weapon. He coached many players who went on to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Auerbach was vital in breaking down color barriers in the NBA. He made history by drafting the first African-American NBA player, Chuck Cooper in 1950, introducing the first African-American starting five in 1964, and hiring Bill Russell as the first African-American head coach in North American sports in 1966. Famous for his polarizing nature, he was also well known for smoking a cigar when he thought a victory was assured, a habit that became, for many, “the ultimate symbol of victory” during his Boston tenure.
In 1967, the NBA Coach of the Year award, which he had won in 1965, was named the “Red Auerbach Trophy”, and Auerbach was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969. In 1970, Auerbach was named President of the Boston Celtics, and first held the presidency from 1970 to 1997. In 2001, after having spent four years as the team’s vice-chairman, he returned to the role of team president and served in that capacity until his death in 2006. In 1980, he was named the greatest coach in the history of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America, and was NBA Executive of the Year in 1980. In addition, Auerbach was voted one of the NBA 10 Greatest Coaches in history, inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and honored with a retired number 2 jersey in the TD Garden, the home of the Boston Celtics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Red Auerbach was an American professional basketball coach and executive, best known for his long tenure with the Boston Celtics, where he won a record 16 NBA championships as a coach, general manager, and team president.
As a coach, Auerbach set NBA records with 938 wins and nine championships. He was a pioneer of modern basketball, redefining the game with an emphasis on team play and defense, and introducing the fast break as a potent offensive strategy.
Auerbach made history by drafting the first African-American NBA player, Chuck Cooper, in 1950, introducing the first African-American starting five in 1964, and hiring Bill Russell as the first African-American head coach in North American sports in 1966.
Auerbach was famous for smoking a cigar when he thought a victory was assured, a habit that became a symbolic ,ultimate symbol of victory, during his tenure with the Boston Celtics.
In 1967, the NBA Coach of the Year award was named the ,Red Auerbach Trophy,, and Auerbach was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969. He was also named the greatest coach in NBA history by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980.
Auerbach served as the head coach of the Celtics, then later as the team’s president and front office executive, winning an additional seven NBA titles for a total of 16 in a span of 29 years, the most of any individual in NBA history.
Auerbach was a pioneer who redefine basketball with an emphasis on team play and defense, introducing the fast break as a potent offensive strategy. He coached many players who went on to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and was a trailblazer in breaking down racial barriers in the NBA.
8 Quotes by Red Auerbach
- 1.
Basketball is like war in that offensive weapons are developed first, and it always takes a while for the defense to catch up.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)
- 2.
The best way to forget ones self is to look at the world with attention and love.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)
- 3.
The only correct actions are those that demand no explanation and no apology.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)
- 4.
To a father, when a child dies, the future dies; to a child when a parent dies, the past dies.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)
- 5.
Just do what you do best.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)
- 6.
An acre of performance is worth a whole world of promise.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)
- 7.
He who believes in nobody knows that he himself is not to be trusted.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)
- 8.
Natural abilities are like natural plants; they need pruning by study.
Red AuerbachAmerican basketball coach (1917-2006)