Satch Sanders Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Satch Sanders
Personal information
Sanders in 2013
Born	(1938-11-08) November 8, 1938 (age 86) New York City, New York, U.S.
High school	Seward Park (New York City, New York)
Listed height	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	NYU (1957–1960)
NBA Draft	1960 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8th overall
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Pro career	1960–1973
Coaching career	1973–1978
Career history
As player:
1960–1973	Boston Celtics
As coach:
1973–1977	Harvard
1977–1978	Boston Celtics (assistant)
1978	Boston Celtics

Career highlights and awards
8× NBA champion (1961–1966, 1968, 1969) NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1969) No. 16 retired by Boston Celtics Third-team All-American – UPI (1960) Haggerty Award (1960)

Career statistics
Points	8,766 (9.6 ppg)
Rebounds	5,798 (6.3 rpg)
Assists	1,026 (1.1 apg)

Thomas Ernest "Satch" Sanders (born November 8, 1938) is a former American professional basketball player and coach. He played his entire career as a power forward for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Sanders won eight NBA championships. This ties him for third place for the most NBA championships ever. He is also one of only three NBA players who won all 8 of their NBA Finals series. After playing, he coached the Harvard Crimson men's basketball team and the Boston Celtics. Sanders was added to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 for his contributions to the sport.

Satch Sanders' Basketball Journey
- Playing for the Boston Celtics
- Coaching Career and Beyond
Satch Sanders' NBA Statistics
- Regular Season Performance
- Playoff Performance
Images for kids
See also

Satch Sanders' Basketball Journey

Playing for the Boston Celtics

Sanders with Boston mayor John F. Collins in the 1960s

Sanders with the Boston Celtics

Satch Sanders played college basketball at New York University. He was a standout player there. After college, he joined the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played all 13 years of his professional career with the Celtics.

On March 13, 1962, Sanders had an amazing game. He scored a career-high 30 points. He also grabbed 26 rebounds in a 142–110 win. This was against the Syracuse Nationals.

Sanders was a key part of the Celtics teams that won eight championships. These wins happened in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969. Only his teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones have won more championship rings. Other teammates like John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, and K. C. Jones also won eight rings.

Sanders ended his playing career in 1973.

Coaching Career and Beyond

After his playing days, Sanders became a basketball coach. He coached at Harvard University until 1977. He was the first African-American to be a head coach in any sport in the Ivy League.

In 1978, Sanders became the head coach for the Boston Celtics. He took over from his former teammate, Tommy Heinsohn. Sanders coached for a short time. He was later replaced by Dave Cowens, who became a player-coach.

In 1986, Sanders started an important program. It was called the Rookie Transition Program. This was the first program of its kind in any major American sport. It helped new players adjust to professional life.

Satch Sanders' NBA Statistics

Regular Season Performance

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1960–61†	Boston	68	15.9	.420	.670	5.7	0.6	5.3
1961–62†	Boston	80	29.1	.435	.749	9.5	0.9	11.2
1962–63†	Boston	80	26.9	.456	.738	7.2	1.2	10.8
1963–64†	Boston	80	29.6	.417	.761	8.3	1.3	11.4
1964–65†	Boston	80	30.7	.429	.745	8.3	1.2	11.8
1965–66†	Boston	72	26.3	.428	.764	7.1	1.3	12.6
1966–67	Boston	81	23.8	.428	.817	5.4	1.1	10.2
1967–68†	Boston	78	25.4	.428	.784	5.8	1.3	10.2
1968–69†	Boston	82	26.6	.430	.733	7.0	1.3	11.2
1969–70	Boston	57	28.4	.443	.880	5.5	1.6	11.5
1970–71	Boston	17	7.1	.364	.875	1.0	0.6	2.3
1971–72	Boston	82	19.9	.410	.816	4.3	1.2	6.6
1972–73	Boston	59	7.2	.315	.657	1.5	0.5	2.0
Career		916	24.2	.428	.767	6.3	1.1	9.6

Playoff Performance

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1961†	Boston	10	21.6	.493	.625	8.4	0.7	8.9
1962†	Boston	14	31.4	.431	.806	8.2	1.0	10.1
1963†	Boston	13	29.8	.437	.774	7.4	1.5	9.8
1964†	Boston	10	30.2	.362	.676	6.8	0.6	9.1
1965†	Boston	12	30.4	.421	.721	8.5	1.6	13.3
1966†	Boston	17	29.4	.483	.750	6.5	1.6	13.5
1967	Boston	9	16.0	.344	.400	4.8	0.6	4.9
1968†	Boston	14	20.6	.505	.762	4.5	0.9	8.3
1969†	Boston	15	13.1	.438	.742	3.2	0.5	5.8
1972	Boston	11	16.9	.321	.619	2.4	0.9	4.3
1973	Boston	5	4.8	.556	.000	1.0	0.2	2.0
Career		130	23.5	.436	.716	5.8	1.0	8.8

Images for kids

Sanders (far right) and Celtics teammate Sam Jones (far left) pose with youth basketball trophy recipients in the 1960s
Sanders (far right) and his Celtics teammates pose with President John F. Kennedy in the Oval Office of the White House in January 1963
Sanders (back center) watching a November 2022 Boston Celtics game. In the front row are Boston Mayor Michelle Wu; Massachusetts Governor–elect Maura Healey; and diplomatic guests William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales (visiting Boston for the 2022 Earthshot Prize)