In the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), among the four people who won the NBA championships eight times, John Havlicek is one of them. His whole professional life, he wore the jersey of the Boston Celtics. In 1984, the name of this eminent player was inserted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Everyone who enjoys basketball is curious about him. So in this article, we will let them know about John Havlicek’s total worth, personal life, and career history.
John Havlicek Net Worth- $70 Million
The life of John Havlicek is enriched with wealth and fame. He is famous for his successful career in the arena of basketball. With an impressive performance, his team won the 1974 NBA Championship, and he won the NBA Finals MVP. In 1976, the Havlicek team won the NBA Championship. Here he also presented himself as a game-winner. The net worth of this successful man is $70 Million. His assets are from his professional income and the income of his successful business.
The preliminary stage of life
This prominent player was born in Martins Ferry, Ohio, on April 8, 1940. His father was Czech, and his mother was Croatian. They worked in a general store. His full name was John Joseph “Hondo” Havlicek. “Hondo” is his nickname. His educational life began at Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio. In his school life, he was friends with Phil Niekro, who is a Baseball Hall of Famer.
John Havlicek’s Professional NBA Career
His college career in basketball began at Ohio State University. In his professional career, he played in both the guard and the forward positions. He was such a player that the players of the opposition party could hardly control him. He had great stamina as he could not easily get tired. To play with him was just a challenge for the opposition parties. Before playing with the team of Havlicek, the opposition party had to adopt a special strategy for controlling him. For his impressive playing tactics, he was called the “guts of the team.”
At the early stage of his professional life, he had to choose between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League in 1962. He competed with Jerry Lucas in that season. He was selected by the Boston Celtics for the NBA draft and also selected by the Cleveland Browns to play with them in the National Football League. In this situation of dilemma, he took the decision to play in the NBA draft for the Boston Celtics. He spent the entire professional career of his life with this team.
Career Records and Stats
He played in the NBA for the Boston Celtics as the sixth man. The 1965 Eastern Conference championship was the first memorable tournament in his career. In this tournament, a tight competition was held between his team and the Philadelphia 76ers in the final. In this match, he was famous for his clutch steal in the closing seconds.
Another chance to unveil his talent came in the Eastern Division Finals in 1986. In the fifth match of this tournament, he made a record. In making a record of a near triple-double with 29 points, nine rebounds, and ten assists, he favored his team in the defeat of the 76ers.
He made another record in the 7th match of the tournament. After recording 21 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in a 100–96 road game, he favored his team to win against the 76ers. The outstanding performance enabled the team to overcome a 3-1 playoff series deficit and become the first NBA team to do so.
Retirement and post-retirement life
Like the others, after his retirement, he did not choose the coaching profession as the next profession in his life. During professional times, he invested his income in the business. In investing in Wendy’s fast-food chain, he gained success and more money, which made him wealthy. After the life of the NBA, he needs no conventional salary for this favor of luck. He became a corporate speaker, and as a successful man, he motivated many entrepreneurs for their initiatives.
He worked with children with disabilities and genetic disorders, being a member of the board of the Genesis Foundation. As part of the recreational activities, he and his wife organized the John Havlicek Celebrity Fishing Tournament, which has been going on for more than three decades.
Wife and Children
Havlicek married his university friend, Beth Evans, in 1967. In the family of Havlicek and Beth, they have two children named Chris and Jill. His son is a basketball player who attended the University of Virginia on a basketball scholarship in the early 1990s. His daughter, Jill Havlicek, married a former baseball professional, Brian Buchanan.
Jersey Number and Height
The height of the Havlicek was 6 feet, 5 inches. The weight of this man was 92 kg. The positions he played in his career were small forward and shooting guard. He played for the Boston Celtics, wearing jersey number 17. His jersey number 17, which he wore, is still remembered fondly by his fans.
John Havlicek’s Death
After a 16-year-long career, he retired from professional basketball in the 1977–78 NBA season. In the last phase of his life, Havlicek suffered from Parkinson’s disease. On April 25, 2019, in Jupiter, Florida, he took the last breath of his life.
My favorite quotes from John Havlicek:
“We win because we play together as a team.“— John Havlicek
“Over the years, I’ve had hundreds of shots blocked. You’ve got to go in and take chances.“— John Havlicek
” If you are honest with yourself and can look into a mirror and believe that you have given 100 percent, you should feel proud. If you cannot, then there is more work to be done.”— John Havlicek
“Whether I start or come off the bench makes no difference to me. My game has always been go as hard as I can as long as I can.”— John Havlicek
Full Biography Chart:
| Total Estimated Net Worth: | $70 Million |
| Salary Per Year: | $5-9 Million |
| Full Name: | John Joseph Havlicek |
| Nick Name: | Hondo |
| Birth Date: | April 8, 1940 |
| Birth Place: | Martins Ferry, Ohio, USA |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Eye Color: | Blue |
| Ethnicity: | White |
| Position: | Small Forward and Shooting Guard |
| Nationality: | American |
| Wife/Girlfriend: | Beth Evans |
| College Education: | Ohio State University |
| Achievements: | NBA 50th Anniversary Team, NBA All-Star team, Most Valuable Player, NBA Championship, etc. |
| Jersey No: | 17 |
| Height: | 6ft 5 inches |
| Weight: | 92 kg |
| Death: | April 25, 2019 |
References:
Biography- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Havlicek
Career Stats- https://www.nba.com/stats/player/76970/career
NBA Contract History- https://www.nytimes.com/1976/03/21/archives/top-nba-stars-were-subsidized-court-records-here-show-nba.html
Over the past five years, Rick C. Nees has written hundreds of NBA players' biographies, some of which have already been published in famous newspapers. He previously worked as- Commentator, Basketball Analyst, Basketball Player, Newspaper Sports Editor, Radio sports presenter. Rick grew up watching basketball leagues. He was a state-level high school basketball player who followed all NBA events since he was a child.
