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FormerBoston Celticscoach and NBA player Chris Ford has died. He was 74.
Ford’s familyannounced his death on Wednesday, noting that he had died the day prior.
While no official cause of death was given,The Press of Atlantic Cityreported Fordsuffered a heart attackearlier this month.
“Ford went on to become the team’s eleventh head coach, leading his former teammatesLarry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish to multiple playoff appearances in the trio’s final days together,” the post read.
Prior to becoming part of the “elite group of Celtics' personnel who have earned championship rings as both a player and coach with the organization,” hebegan his NBA careeras a guard for theDetroit Pistonsin 1972.
According to theDetroit Free Press, afterbeing traded to the Celticsduring the 1978-79 season, he scored the first three-point shot in NBA history in the first quarter of Boston’s win over theHouston Rocketson Oct. 12, 1979.
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That season, he was voted the team’s MVP and became a member ofthree NBA World Championship Boston Celtics teams— one as a key player on the 1981 team and subsequently as an assistant coach for the 1984 and 1986 champs.
“Chris was such an important part of our success, as a teammate, Coach and friend. My thoughts and condolences are with the Ford family,” Bird, 66, said in a statement.
source: people.com
