The cause of death is unknown.
He was produced by the Celtics in 1956, and he won the NBA Rookie of the Year award for the 1956-1957 season, while helping to lead the team to the final. In Game 7, which determined the series, Heinzone scored 37 points and 23 rebounds, and the owner won its first championship.
He was selected to six All-Star teams and won eight championships as a player with the Celtics, the team said. He led the team in four matches in the title runs.
Heinzone retired in 1965, his number 15 being retired by the Celtics that year. He finished his career with 12,194 points and 5,749 rebounds.
“This is a catastrophic loss,” the Celtics owners said in a statement. “Tommy is the ultimate Celtic. For the past 18 years, our ownership team has relied heavily on Tommy’s advice and insight, and in his hundreds of stories about Red Aurback, Bill Russell, reveals how the Celtics became a dynasty. He will be remembered forever.”
In 1969, Henson was appointed head coach of the Celtics, who served in that role until 1978. In 1973 he won as Coach of the Year, and under his leadership the Celtics added two more Championship banners in 1974 and 1976. He finished his training career with a record of 427-263, which only puts Red Aurback behind most wins in licensing history.
“The Celtics games would not be the same without Tommy, and he would be so missed by those who share his passion for basketball,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to Tommy’s family, his friends and the Celtics organization.”
Heinzone became a color commentator for Celtics television broadcasts in 1981, forming an alliance with Mike Korman that lasted for decades.
Heinzone was inducted into the Nicemith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986 as a player and in 2015 as a coach. Wilkens is one of four people on the Hall of Fame list, along with Bill Sherman, John Wooden and Lenny.
“For all the achievements he has made as a player, coach and broadcaster, Tommy’s rich personality has defined man,” the team said in a statement.
“A loving father, grandfather and husband. A talented painter and a lifelong golf partner. He has been an unofficial mentor to Celtics coaches and players for decades. Point. And boundless love for everything is a passion that Boston Celtics have shared with fans over 64 years.”
CNN’s David Close contributed to this report.
