Chris Ford

American basketball player and coach (1949–2023)

Christopher Joseph Ford (January 11, 1949 – January 17, 2023) was an American basketball player and head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Ford was nicknamed "the Mad Bomber". He played most of his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons, Ford finished his playing career with the Boston Celtics. In the Celtics' first game in 1979–80, he made the first official three-point shot in NBA history. He won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 1981.

Chris Ford
Personal information
Born(1949-01-11)January 11, 1949
Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedJanuary 17, 2023(2023-01-17) (aged 74)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High schoolHoly Spirit (Absecon, New Jersey)
CollegeVillanova (1969–1972)
NBA draft1972 / Round: 2 / Pick: 17th overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Playing career1972–1982
PositionShooting guard
Number42
Coaching career1983–2004
Career history
As player:
19721978Detroit Pistons
19781982Boston Celtics
As coach:
19831990Boston Celtics (assistant)
19901995Boston Celtics
19961998Milwaukee Bucks
19992000Los Angeles Clippers
2001–2003Brandeis University
2003–2004Philadelphia 76ers (assistant)
2004Philadelphia 76ers (interim)
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As head coach:

As assistant coach:

Career statistics
Points7,314 (9.2 ppg)
Assists2,719 (3.4 apg)
Steals1,152 (1.6 spg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Between 1990 and 1995, Ford was the head coach of the Celtics. He also had been the coach for three other NBA teams until 2004. He died on January 17, 2023, six days after his 74th birthday.