POWER POINT |
The Jo Jo White
Interview
By: Michael D. McClellan | Monday, April 7th,
2003
The exquisite jumper
and boundless energy were nonpareil, yet
these attributes barely tell the story of how Jo Jo White became one of
the most important Boston Celtics of all time. He is perhaps most
famous for his role in “The Greatest Game Ever Played”, the
triple-overtime victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the 1976 NBA
Finals, and yet his was a career built on the dual pilings of longevity
(10 seasons in a Celtic uniform, seven seasons an NBA All-Star) and
durability (a team record 488 consecutive games played). He was the
ideal teammate, willing to suppress his considerable offensive talents
in order to make those around him better. He was a superbly conditioned
athlete and the catalyst of a vaunted fast–break attack that won two
world championships in the mid-70s. He was, above all else, the
consummate Boston Celtic; like Frank Ramsey and Satch Sanders before
him, White understood his roll and played it to perfection, and in the
process continued the Celtic tradition of placing team-centric
accomplishments ahead of individual honors.
Jo Jo White was
another in a long line of Red Auerbach masterstrokes; while highly
coveted in the 1969 NBA Draft, the Kansas All-American slipped to the
Celtics because of what was believed to be a two-year military
obligation. White found himself in the Marine Reserve program instead,
and Auerbach suddenly had the foundation on which to build a
post-Russell title winner. A year later, Auerbach would add
swashbuckling center Dave Cowens to the mix; by 1974 the Boston Celtics
were once again atop the basketball world.
White, who grew up
playing sports in St. Louis, was such a gifted all-around athlete that
both the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Reds drafted him. A consensus
All-American at Kansas, White helped the United States to Olympic gold
in Mexico City as the U.S. erupted for 17 unanswered points to begin the
second half against the Yugoslavians. (White would score eight points
in the onslaught.)
Still, his name will
forever be linked to "The Greatest Game Ever Played", and on that
sweat-box of a stage otherwise known as Boston Garden, Jo Jo White came
to play. Thirty-three points. Hellish defense. Sixty-plus minutes on
the court in a pivotal, triple-overtime Game 5 that put the Celtics up
3-2 in the series. White's performance catapulted Boston to its 13th
NBA title, guaranteed him the NBA Finals MVP award, and solidified his
place in the pantheon of Celtic immortals.
I had the good
fortune of speaking with Mr. White just hours before his beloved
Jayhawks were to square off against Syracuse for the NCAA Championship
in New Orleans. He was very accommodating despite a hectic schedule
that includes his role as Director of Special Projects and Community
Relations with the Boston Celtics. Intelligent, articulate and
thoughtful, Jo Jo White epitomizes what Celtic greatness is all about. |
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CELTIC-NATION
Your Kansas Jayhawks play Syracuse tonight for the national
championship. Congratulations are certainly in order – you must
certainly be thrilled. Please give me your thoughts on this Kansas team
and its coach, Roy Williams.
JO JO WHITE
This
Kansas team has jelled tremendously as the season has progressed. I’m
very impressed by the way that they’ve pulled together, and I’m hoping
that they can win the national championship tonight. I don’t want to
jinx them [laughs], because I’ve picked Kansas to win it all before and
they’ve fallen short.
While this KU squad might not have as much talent as some of the Kansas
teams of the past, it’s an experienced group that plays well together.
That says a great deal about the players, and it also speaks volumes
about Coach Williams.
It should be a competitive game regardless of the outcome. Both teams
are extremely well-coached, and very deserving of the championship. I’m
looking forward to it.
CELTIC-NATION
Any plans to watch the game with Celtic star and fellow KU alum Paul
Pierce?
JO JO WHITE
No –
after that tough loss yesterday (against the Wizards), I’m sure that
Paul will be focused on Boston’s next game in Washington.
CELTIC-NATION
You were born on November 14th, 1946 – just five months after Walter
Brown founded the Boston Celtics. Please tell me a little about your
childhood – where you lived, and some of the things that helped to shape
you as a person.
JO JO WHITE
I was
born and raised in St. Louis. Although I was playing basketball by the
age of six, sports in general had a big influence on my childhood. They
taught me many valuable lessons, such as teamwork, discipline and
commitment. So, sports – all sports, not just basketball – were a very
large part of my life. Sports also brought our community closer
together. By that I mean everyone in the neighborhood played.
Still, I always found myself migrating back to basketball. It was a
great game to play, and as I developed, I just got more and more into
it.
CELTIC-NATION
Who were some of the role models that you looked up to during your
childhood?
JO JO WHITE
I
didn’t have to look far for role models. I was the youngest of seven –
I have three brothers and three sisters – and my parents were the ones
that I looked up to and emulated. They were the ones who had the most
influence on me.
I attribute my success to the good upbringing and raising from my
parents. They always talked with us about expectations for ourselves,
how we should carry ourselves, and how to treat people. Obviously, they
were very important in my development.
CELTIC-NATION
Being a St. Louis native, did you follow the St. Louis Hawks growing up?
JO JO WHITE
Oh yes,
I followed the Hawks closely. There were some excellent basketball
players on those teams, players like Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagen and Chico
Vaughn. Paul Silas, my former teammate and a member of two Celtic
championship teams, also played for the Hawks. This was a little later
on, mid-sixties timeframe. I was a Hawk fan, so I was very aware of the
players and their accomplishments. |
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CELTIC-NATION
In 1956 Walter Brown and Red Auerbach pulled off one of the biggest
trades in NBA history, sending “Easy” Ed Macauley and the draft rights
to Cliff Hagen to the Hawks in exchange for the right to draft Bill
Russell. Do you remember that trade, and did you follow the Celtics
during their incredible run throughout the 1960s?
JO JO WHITE
I
remember the trade, but I was very young at that time and didn’t
understand the historical significance of it. Looking back years later,
I could see the prominent role that the trade had in creating the Boston
Celtic dynasty.
I was in high school when the Celtics were winning all of those NBA
championships. Russell was such a dominant player, especially on the
defensive end. Obviously, it was a great, great trade for the Celtics.
CELTIC-NATION
Let’s talk about your career at Kansas, starting with the recruiting
process. While visiting Lawrence on a recruiting trip you watched the
Kansas football team knock off nationally ranked Oklahoma, 15-14. How
big an influence was that trip in your decision to play basketball at
Kansas?
JO JO WHITE
It was
big in terms of seeing Gale Sayers play. I was in awe of him, and
watching him perform was a huge thrill for me. That game was definitely
a big influence in my decision to attend Kansas, but there were a number
of other factors that played into it as well.
Kansas was the right place for me in terms of both athletics and
academics. Also, I didn't want to go to a school so far away that my
parents couldn't attend the games and I couldn't get back home. Kansas
was within that radius, which carried a lot of weight in the
decision-making process. The tradition was very high in basketball, and
at the same time they never had an All-American guard to graduate from
KU. This became a goal for me, which in turn became another reason to
go there.
CELTIC-NATION
Your coach at Kansas was Ted Owens. What was it like to play for him?
JO JO WHITE
Coach
Owens was a tremendous individual. He was a very astute coach, and a
great teacher of the fundamentals. He was also politically involved
within the college basketball community and well-versed when it came to
the issues surrounding the game. Coach Owens contributed greatly to my
growth as a basketball player. I enjoyed playing for him and I learned
a lot from being a part of his program.
CELTIC-NATION
In 1966, you became eligible to play at the start of the second
semester. Your abilities helped KU win seven straight games and claim
the Jayhawks' first outright conference title in nine years. What was
it like to come in and contribute to the rebirth of Kansas basketball?
JO JO WHITE
I was
very excited to have that opportunity. I wanted to play as soon as I
became eligible but I realized that the decision was in the hands of the
coaching staff. They could have opted to sit me out until the next year
but didn’t, so I was very fortunate in that regard.
Basically, the decision came down to our chances of winning it all that
year. Coach Owens felt that we had a legitimate shot at winning the
NCAA championship, and he also felt that those chances improved with me
on the floor.
CELTIC-NATION
It seems as if that KU team was truly close. When then-captain Riney
Lochmann was told that he may lose his starting job when you became
eligible, here is what he had to say: “Coach, it doesn’t matter whether
I start or not. We think Jo Jo can help us win the national
championship and we want him to play.” Please comment.
JO JO WHITE
I’m a
big Riney Lochmann fan. Riney is a solid individual and certainly
worthy of being our captain. He was always willing to make sacrifices
for the good of the team, even if this meant putting others ahead of
himself. The situation you just described is a perfect example of the
leadership that Riney brought to the team.
And yes, we were a closely knit group. This camaraderie certainly
played a large part in the success that we enjoyed. Not only did it
help us win our conference championship, it allowed us to enjoy success
in the NCAA tournament. |
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CELTIC-NATION
Which is a perfect lead-in to my next question. You helped Kansas reach
the 1966 NCAA regional finals against eventual champion Texas Western.
In that game you hit that dramatic jumper at the end of overtime that
would have given Kansas a huge victory. The shot was disallowed because
the official ruled that your foot was out of bounds. Please take me
back to that game and what you remember most about it.
JO JO WHITE
I have
so many memories about that game – it’s still very vivid for me. I
remember having the ball in my hands and taking that final shot. I fell
back into a woman’s lap after the release, and I remember the crowd and
my teammates celebrating after the shot went in. Then the official
ruled that my foot was out of bounds. The call gave the game to Texas
Western, who went on to defeat Kentucky (for the NCAA Championship) in
that historic game against Rupp’s Runts. To this day my teammates kid
me about my shoe size being too big and that costing us the game
[laughs].
The official who made the call is certainly entitled to his opinion, but
game film shows that I was inbounds when I released that last shot. I
have the sequence framed on my wall at home, three photographs that show
the position of my feet. The photos also clearly show that I’m inbounds
when I take the shot.
CELTIC-NATION
You were on the U.S. team at both the University Games and Pan-American
Games. However, it was your performance on the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team
that brought you international fame. Please tell me about your Olympic
experience and what it means to you.
JO JO WHITE
Being a
member of the U.S. Olympic basketball team and representing my country
were great honors. The experience was important to me in a number of
ways, in part because it was my first championship in organized sports,
and this in a sense validated what I was doing as a basketball player.
Also, I didn’t feel as though I were a true champion until I’d actually
won in Mexico City. So the gold medal, playing for my country – these
things that brought with them a real sense of accomplishment.
Going into the Olympic Games we weren’t the overwhelming favorites to
win the gold medal. We weren’t even considered the strongest team in
the tournament. That billing went to the Russians, who was upset by
Yugoslavia in the semifinals. But we were the more determined team, and
I think that’s what set us apart.
CELTIC-NATION
Let’s talk about that gold medal game. At the half, Yugoslavia trailed
the U.S. by a mere three point margin, 32-29. The U.S. reeled off 17
unanswered points to start the second half, taking a commanding 49-29
lead. That run was fueled by eight points each from Spencer Haywood and
yourself. Please take me back to that game, specifically the start of
the second half.
JO JO WHITE
There
was no panic, no sense of urgency in the locker room at halftime. Coach
(Henry) Iba didn’t give a dramatic speech as many might suspect. It was
more a matter of us doing our jobs and playing our game, which meant
pushing the ball up the court and playing an up-tempo, fast-breaking
style of basketball.
CELTIC-NATION
You joined the Celtics as the team’s first round pick in 1969, following
your superb All-American career at Kansas. With the retirement of Bill
Russell and Sam Jones following the ‘69 season, this also marked the
beginning of a new era of Boston Celtic basketball. In what ways did it
help having several key players from the Russell Dynasty – Tom Heinsohn,
John Havlicek and Satch Sanders come to mind – either coaching or
playing when you arrived in 1969?
JO JO WHITE
It was
very instrumental in my growth as a professional basketball player.
Also, having these individuals involved helped to accelerate the
rebuilding process. They were the mentors for the next generation of
Boston Celtics, and I was fortunate to learn from them. They helped me
to understand the philosophy of the organization and what being a Boston
Celtic is all about.
I think that this type of mentoring is sorely lacking in the league
today. The NBA, to a large extent, is missing the presence of retired
players and veterans who could truly impact its teams in a positive
way. I think back to when I started with the Celtics, for example, and
how I was able to benefit from the stability of our organization.
Heinsohn was our coach. Red was there. Russell had retired but he was
still a part of the Celtic family. I think this stability helped
expedite our rise to the top. |
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CELTIC-NATION
Your first Celtic training camp – please tell me about that experience.
JO JO WHITE
Was it
as hard or as difficult as I thought it would be? It was a tough camp,
very demanding, but I was ready for it. I was a Marine, so I had been
through all the physical and mental challenges that comes with military
training. Plus I was in excellent condition because of my military
obligation, so I feel that this gave me an added advantage.
CELTIC-NATION
What was it like to meet Red Auerbach for the first time?
JO JO WHITE
Until
you actually meet a legend like Red you can only go on what you hear.
Then you spend time with him and realize that he understands the game,
that he’s one of the most knowledgeable basketball minds in the game. I
have the utmost respect for Red. He’s outlasted players, coaches,
general managers and just about everyone else in this league. Red
Auerbach is a true genius.
CELTIC-NATION
The rebuilding process continued in 1970, with the selection of Florida
State center Dave Cowens in the first round, number four overall. What
did Cowens mean to the team in terms of rejoining the NBA’s elite?
JO JO WHITE
There
was so much to like about Dave’s game. He played with a tremendous
amount of tenacity, which I think was a huge key to his success. He
also brought a lot to the table in terms of his versatility. For
example, he was able to utilize his quickness to full advantage against
the other centers in the league, while also using his speed to jump
outside and guard the little guys when the situation called for it.
Dave was tall, but he certainly wasn’t the tallest player at the center
position. He was 6’-9” and a fiery rebounder. He had an excellent
outside shot. His desire was unmatched. When you take all of these
things together you realize what made him so special.
CELTIC-NATION
The Celtics won a franchise record 68 games during the 1972-73 season.
However, the team suffered a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Knicks in
the Eastern Conference Finals. Please take me back to that series.
JO JO WHITE
John
(Havlicek) hurt his shoulder and we fell behind 3-1 in that series.
Heinsohn adjusted the rotation by giving Don Nelson and Paul Silas more
minutes, a move that significantly reduced Bill Bradley’s
effectiveness. The strategy worked to perfection and allowed us to tie
the series at 3-3.
Game seven was back in the Boston Garden, and Tommy decided to start
John instead of staying with the hot lineup. I can certainly understand
the logic because John was our go-to guy, but I didn’t feel that it was
a wise move given the shoulder injury. John gave it everything he had
but he just wasn’t the same player. It was a tough loss for us,
especially after having such a successful season. |
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CELTIC-NATION
On September 9th of that season, the Celtics acquired Paul Silas in a
trade with the Phoenix Suns. Please tell me about Paul.
JO JO WHITE
Paul
Silas was as good as any player at the power forward position. He was a
fierce rebounder who brought a ton of experience to our team. He joined
the Celtics and dropped about twenty pounds, and from that point on he
became our dancing bear [laughs].
Paul was a fantastic teammate. He set those bone-rattling picks, so I
loved working to his side of the floor [laughs]. He was always on the
boards. The addition of Paul made us a tougher, smarter, more physical
team.
CELTIC-NATION
A year later you win your first NBA Championship, defeating the
Milwaukee Bucks in seven games. Perhaps the most memorable game in the
series was Game 6, in which Kareem’s skyhook at the buzzer defeated the
Celtics 102-101. Please tell me about that game.
JO JO WHITE
There
were eight seconds left in the game, and we were ahead by one point. We
knew we were eight seconds from winning the championship, just one big
stop away from the title. During the timeout we talked about putting
pressure on the ball. Once play resumed, (Hank) Finkel and (Don) Chaney
did a great job of pushing Kareem away from the basket. Kareem had that
awesome skyhook. He was almost automatic, but from that distance I
didn’t think the shot would go in – which, of course, it did. To this
day I can still see the ball going through the basket [laughs].
It was an intense game, very demanding, and when it was over I remember
looking at Oscar Robertson, who was at the point of exhaustion. Right
then I knew that we had these guys, and that we were going to win that
seventh game.
CELTIC-NATION
Going back to Milwaukee for Game 7, what was the mood of the team? Were
there any thoughts of the Game 7 loss to New York in the Eastern
Conference Finals the year before, and how did the Celtics prepare for
that huge Game 7 on the road?
JO JO WHITE
The
loss to New York really didn’t affect us, nor did it change our
preparation for the Bucks. We knew that conditioning was going to be
the primary factor, and we felt that we were the better conditioned
group. Our goal was to wear them down. We knew that their legs were
gone, and that we would have the advantage in the later stages of the
game.
This isn’t to say that we took the Bucks lightly. Kareem was a player
that we truly feared. We knew what he could do because we’d seen it
firsthand in this series. We knew he could beat us, so that’s another
reason we wanted to run. We wanted to soften him up, make him work for
his shots, slow him down.
We wanted to apply constant pressure and to contest every shot. Oscar
Robertson was Milwaukee’s only true ball handler, so we hounded Oscar
and made it as difficult as possible for him to bring the ball up the
court. As a result, the Bucks were battling the shot clock and forcing
bad shots. We ran at every opportunity, and then pressured the ball on
defense. This approach took its toll on the Bucks and we won the
championship in convincing fashion.
CELTIC-NATION
Two years later you were the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, and a key
participant in the NBA’s “Greatest Game Ever Played”. During that
triple-overtime game against Phoenix you scored 33 points and played
more than 60 minutes in the Boston Garden heat. Please share some of
your memories from this game.
JO JO WHITE
It was
a very fast-paced game, so early on I realized that conditioning was
going to be key . This played into my strengths because I felt as if I
were the best-conditioned athlete on the floor. My mental approach was,
“If I’m tired then everyone else on the court must be dead tired.”
After the second overtime we thought the game was over, so we
immediately started towards the tunnel. There were only two seconds
left and I had already cut the tape off my foot. My thought was, “What
can happen in two seconds?" We came back out in time to see Gar Heard
hit his shot and we go to another overtime. Thankfully there wasn’t a
three-point line at the time [laughs].
Charlie Scott was ejected early and this really hurt us. It turned out
to be a blessing in disguise, because he was fresh and full of energy
for that next game in Phoenix. He had a big game and we went back to
Boston as world champions. |