Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish (born on
August 30,
1953 in
Shreveport, Louisiana), is an
American former
basketball center. His nickname was
"The Chief", after the mute
Native American in the film
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. According to legend, former Celtics forward
Cedric Maxwell gave Parish this nickname because of his
stoic nature.
After a discreet career at
Centenary College of Louisiana, Parish was drafted in the first round of the
1976 NBA Draft by the
Golden State Warriors, before being sent to the
Boston Celtics, where he played his best years. He compared his transition from Golden State to Boston in a televised quote where he jokingly said it was like going from an
outhouse to a
penthouse. Playing 14 years with the Celtics from
1980 to
1994, he won three
NBA titles (
1981,
1984 and
1986) teaming with legendary
small forward Larry Bird, and, from
1983 to
1992 with
Kevin McHale. The trio is regarded by many as the best frontcourt in NBA history.
He played two more seasons with the
Charlotte Hornets and then played his final season with the
Chicago Bulls in
1997, which led to his fourth NBA title. At 43, he is the oldest player to ever play an NBA game, and as of 2006 his 1,611 games played over 21 seasons are unmatched.
He was known as a versatile center, using his impressive (7ft ½in/2.15 m) size in defense to contain opposing players, while being able to launch precise shots from outside
the paint and to finish
fast breaks thanks to his speed, which was uncanny for a man of his stature.
His trademark was his curious
jump shot, which traversed a very high arc before falling.
In honor of his achievements, the Celtics retired Parish's double-zero jersey number in 1998. He was enshrined in the
Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.
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NBA stats @ basketballreference.com
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Where Are They Now?: Robert Parish @ NBA.com
