Red Auerbach

Arnold Jacob Auerbach was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to a Russian-Jewish immigrant dry cleaner. Nicknamed 'Red' for his flaming red hair and fiery temperament, Auerbach played guard at George Washington University. In 1950, Celtics owner Walter Brown hired Auerbach as head coach of the struggling Boston Celtics. Auerbach immediately set to work revolutionizing the professional game: he prioritized team defense and the fast break over individual scoring, and created the concept of the 'Sixth Man'.

Auerbach was a courageous civil rights pioneer in professional basketball: in 1950, he drafted the first African-American player in NBA history, Chuck Cooper. In 1964, he fielded the first all-Black starting five in NBA history. In 1966, he named Bill Russell player-coach, making Russell the first Black head coach in major American professional sports.

With Bill Russell anchoring the defense and Bob Cousy handling the ball, Auerbach's Celtics won nine NBA titles in ten seasons between 1957 and 1966. Auerbach became famous for his psychological gamesmanship, particularly his habit of lighting a cigar on the bench as soon as he felt victory was clinched, infuriating opposing coaches. Transitioning to general manager and team president, Auerbach orchestrated brilliant draft trades to select John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, and Larry Bird, winning seven more championships for a total of sixteen titles.