Bob Cousy 1962 NBA Finals ‘Championship Clinching’ Boston Celtics Game Worn Jersey | Game 7

The following jersey is an exceptional and exceedingly rare example of a game worn Bob Cousy Jersey. The jersey has been attributed to the Boston Celtics’ 1962 NBA Championship clinching Game 7 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers - one of only two Finals Game 7s ever to be decided in overtime. The jersey was also worn by Cousy during Game 5 of the 1963 East Divisional Round versus the Cincinnati Royals. The item is an exemplar of the iconic 1960s Celtics 11-championship dynasty and marked Cousy’s successful title run. 

Going Deeper | The Original “Mr. Basketball”

Before Magic Johnson, John Stockton or Chris Paul, there was Bob Cousy, the original “Mr. Basketball”. The forefather of the modern NBA point guard, Cousy may have been the first highlight reel player in basketball. Dubbed the “Houdini of the Hardwood”, Cousy revolutionized the position, introducing a dynamic playmaking style that combined deft ball-handling and pinpoint passing. 

The 1957 NBA Most Valuable Player went to 13 All-Star games and led the league in assists for 8 straight seasons. Part of the dynastic Boston Celtics teams of the 1950s and ‘60s, Cousy would help fuel the team, alongside fellow Hall-of-Famers Bill Russell, Tommy Heinsohn, K.C. Jones, Bill Sharman, to six NBA Championships, including a five in a row. 

At Cousy’s retirement ceremony in 1963, longtime coach Red Auerbach read a telegram from President John F. Kennedy: 

“Dear Bob, Your record is an eloquent testimonial to your abilities as a basketball player, and I will not attempt to improve upon it here. The game bears the indelible stamp of your rare skills and competitive daring, and it will serve as a living reminder of your long and illustrious career so long as it is played…It is a pleasure for me to join with the sports world in this tribute to you.”

Cousy had career averages of 18.5 points and 7.6 assists per game. He was named to the NBA's 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Team and was the first player to reach the 4,000, 5,000, and 6,000 career assists milestones. He was voted into the 1971 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The jersey has been attributed to Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals on April 18th, 1962 and Game 5 of the 1963 Eastern Divisional Finals on April 6th, 1963 by Sports Investors Authentication and MeiGray.