“The smaller the ego, the greater the person” - Dave Cowens was unfazed by the lack of recognition and respect from fans

dave-cowens

Dave Cowens might not have led the league in any statistical category, but he did everything on both ends of the floor to help put the Boston Celtics in a prime position to win. Despite being an undersized center at 6’9″, he averaged a double-double in his first 8 seasons, helping Beantown win two championships.

The 8-time All-Star never had a flashy style of play, so fans fail to acknowledge his impact on the Celtics. However, for Cowes, recognition never mattered; results did, and he made it clear during his Hall of Fame speech in 1991.

“To me, the bigger the reputation, the smaller the ego, the greater the person,” Dave said.

Cowens’ competitive spirit is not appreciated enough

When discussing a player wearing the iconic green and white Celtics jersey, who refused to back down, the first names that come to mind are Larry Bird and Bill Russell. Yet Cowens is another player who should rank high in this regard. It wasn’t just about him being undersized, weighing just 230 lbs while competing under the rim against giants like Artis Gilmore, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bob Lanier, and Wilt Chamberlain.

Despite playing against bulkier 7-foot-centers, ‘Dave The Rave’ refused to relent and constantly played at a high-intensity rate. It didn’t matter to him if it was Game 7 of the NBA Finals or a preseason contest; Cowens simply knew how to play hard.

“Classic Dave, in an exhibition game in the 1974-75 season in Asheville, North Carolina, he’s playing against the Carolina Cougars, and Ollie Taylor stole the ball,” Bob Ryan wrote. “Dave chases him down, blocks his shot, falls into the basket support, and breaks his foot. Missed the first 17 games of the season making a play in an exhibition game, because he didn’t play any other way.”

Havlicek handed Cowens the flowers he truly deserved

As the first legitimate center for the Celtics after Bill Russell’s departure, the Kentucky native faced immense pressure to live up to the hype fans held, and John Havlicek, who won two NBA championships alongside Cowens, made a bold claim, especially considering that he won six titles with ‘Bill The Hill.’

“No one ever did more for the Celtics than Dave Cowens,” Havlicek said.