This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2015
Legendary Boston Celtics point guard and recently inducted Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Jo Jo White helped the team win a pair of NBA titles (1974 and ’76) during his 10-year tenure in Beantown. Selected by Boston with the No. 9 overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft out of Kansas University, White finished his career with the Celtics averaging 18.3 points per game and led the team in assists four different seasons. An outstanding post-season performer, White played key roles in Boston's run to both the 1973-74 and 1975-76 world titles, finishing with a 21.5 career playoff scoring average. In a jaw-dropping exhibition of his incredible conditioning, White played 60-plus minutes in the Celtics’ historic triple-overtime win over the Phoenix Suns on the Boston Garden's parquet floor in Game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals, and was later named the series Most Valuable Player. He scored a game-high 33 points that afternoon. White is still remembered as one of the most durable Celtics of all-time, as his streak of 488 consecutive games played remains a franchise record. A seven-time All-Star, his No. 10 jersey was retired by the Celtics in a ceremony at the Boston Garden on April 9, 1982.
This lot features White’s 2008 Boston Celtics NBA Championship 14K white gold ring. As the team’s director of Special Projects and a community relations representative, White was awarded the ring upon the 2008 squad’s claiming of the franchise’s 17th title. The face of the ring reads "World Champions" and features the Celtics clover logo in emeralds surrounded by diamonds. The left panel of the ring reads "WHITE" above the Celtics & NBA logos as well as a depiction of the Larry O'Brien Trophy and the number “17” which represents the team’s 17th banner. The right panel, meanwhile, reads "Banner 17 2008 66-16 UBUNTU" all surrounding the team’s team logo. The Celtics season record that year was 66-16. As for the “UBUNTU” reference, that was actually an African mantra then-Celtics Coach Doc Rivers used throughout the season to inspire his troops. Apparently it is not a single thing but more a broad concept involving characteristics such as unselfishness and caring that produces "collective success." Ring size: 11.5. The ring comes inside its original redwood presentation box that includes an etched glass cover that reads: "BOSTON CELTICS 2008 NBA CHAMPIONS JO JO WHITE" and line-lists each of the 17 NBA titles the team has claimed.
Includes Letter of Provenance from Jo Jo White.