Bob Cousy

American basketball point guard known as 'The Houdini of the Hardwood', pioneering flashy passing and ball-handling in the NBA during the 1950s and 1960s.

Robert Joseph Cousy was born in Manhattan, New York in 1928. Boston Celtics effectively acquired him by lottery when the Chicago Stags folded in 1950 and his name was drawn from a hat. His 13-season career produced 18.4 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game along with six NBA championships (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963) and the NBA MVP award in 1957. He was selected to 13 consecutive All-Star games. He was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times. He invented the modern point guard position — the behind-the-back pass, the no-look pass, the pace-changing dribble were all innovations he introduced to professional basketball. He was nicknamed the Houdini of the Hardwood for his ability to make the ball disappear and reappear in ways defenders could not anticipate. His assists average of 7.5 per game across his career was the highest in NBA history when he retired. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971 and named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team in 1996. After retirement he coached Boston College and served as commissioner of the North American Soccer League. His influence on how the point guard position is conceptualised and played is incalculable.

Flashy playmaker with exceptional ball-handling and court vision

The Houdini of the Hardwood who pioneered modern point guard play

• NBA Champion 6x
• NBA MVP (1957)
• All-Star 13x
• All-NBA First Team 10x
• Hall of Fame (1971)
• NBA 50th Anniversary Team