Before the flash of Kobe or the air of Jordan, there was the dazzling prowess of “the Cooz,” basketball’s first great point guard. Tricky, fast, riveting moves were Bob Cousy’s stock and trade; they were feared, admired and later emulated by top superstars in the modern era.

On retiring from the NBA in 1963, President John F. Kennedy wired to Cousy: "The game bears an indelible stamp of your rare skills and competitive daring." Indeed, Cousy had changed the sport forever. His eye-catching dribbling, unorthodox passing and inventive ball handling electrified fans and, as one sportswriter put it, “brought basketball close to an art form.”

To Cousy, “the court was a canvas,” his athleticism and creativity augmented by near ambidexterity and wide peripheral vision. Cousy’s playing was so far ahead of its time that he was branded a showoff and snubbed by early coaches. But his preeminence was soon undeniable. He graduated from Holy Cross as team captain and a three-time All-American. But his legend was far from sealed.

Against Celtics coach Red Auerbach’s wishes, Cousy was signed to the Boston franchise in 1950, a team that had seen little success. By 1956, Cousy and longtime teammate Bill Russell brought the Celtics to an era that would produce six championship seasons and two MVP awards for Cousy. His unprecedented professional career helped forge a powerhouse team and garnered Cousy a head-shaking list of awards and accolades.

Cousy was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971, and his jersey number 14 was retired by the Celtics. Bob Cousy still resides near Boston and will be 80 this year. Several Cousy records stand today.