In the annals of the greatest point guards, Bob Cousy stands alone. The first great floor general, he set the standard for next generation of point guards with his unparalleled ball distribution and fast paced style of play.
A Celtics legend, Cousy was originally drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (currently the Atlanta Hawks). Cousy, who had attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, did not want to move to the Tri-Cities area, and refused to play for the Blackhawks. He was then signed by the Chicago Stags, and when they folded, he was assigned to the Boston Celtics.
Cousy’s fast and flamboyant style of play was initially derided by many scouts and NBA personnel. Red Auerbach, the legendary Celtics coach, and Celtics owner Walter A. Brown were two of the many people who did not think Cousy would succeed in the NBA. Cousy would soon prove all those doubters wrong. In his first season, Cousy was selected for the first of 13 NBA All Star teams he would make in his career, and led Boston to the playoffs, where they would lose to the New York Knicks. In his next season, Cousy grew even further, making his first All-NBA First team selection, only to fall short in the playoffs, again losing to the Knicks.
The next four seasons continued the pattern of individual success with team frustration. Cousy lead the league in assists all four seasons, and made the All-Star four times, the All-NBA first team four times in that span. Cousy would consistently impress, and his electric style of play captivated observers. However, team success still eluded the Celtics, and despite adding new pieces, they still failed to make their mark in the playoffs.
This all changed when the Celtics drafted Bill Russell with the 2nd pick of the 1956 NBA draft. Russell and Tommy Heinsohn, who was drafted in the same year, were the catalysts that helped Cousy and the Celtics break through the playoff barrier. Cousy reached a new level in the 1956-57 NBA season, averaging 20.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and a league leading 7.5 assists on his way to winning the NBA MVP. Cousy and the Celtics won the NBA finals over the Atlanta Hawks in 7 games. Cousy would again lead the league in assists the next season, as the Celtics again made the finals, but a Bill Russell injury resulted in a loss to the Hawks. In the next two seasons, Cousy led the league in assists both times, and the Celtic experienced more success, winning the title in both years. In the 1960-61 season, Cousy again made the All-Star and All-NBA first team, but he failed to win the assists crown after eight seasons. Cousy’s next two seasons saw a statistical decline, as he failed to win the assists crown and made the All-NBA second team in both seasons. After the 1962-63 season, Cousy retired, after a long and fruitful career, winning a litany of awards and cementing his stature as one of the greatest point guards of all time.
In addition to his on-court exploits, Cousy was one of the pioneers of the players’ revolution. In 1954, Cousy organized the National Basketball Players’ Association (NBPA) the first trade union in any of the four major North American sports leagues. Cousy even served as its first president, and consolidated the position of players in the NBA.
Bob Cousy is one of the greatest point guards of all time, a trailblazing force both on and off the court, whose name with forever be etched in the pantheon of the NBA legends.
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