Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Frank Ramsey dies at 86

Steve Gardner | USA TODAY

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Basketball Hall of Famer Frank Ramsey, who won a national championship at the University of Kentucky and seven NBA titles with the Boston Celtics, has died.

He was 86.

A native of Madisonville, Ky., Ramsey starred in Lexington under coach Adolph Rupp, leading the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament championship in 1951.

He was the fifth overall pick in the 1953 NBA draft by the Celtics, and became the team's original "Sixth Man." He played both shooting guard and small forward, averaging 13.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game as Boston won seven NBA crowns in his nine seasons.

The Celtics issued a statement Sunday lauding his many accomplishments in green.

As a seven-time NBA Champion and the original “Sixth Man,” Frank Ramsey helped create a legacy of excellence and selflessness that carried through generations, and remains part of the Boston Celtics ethos to this day. A true gentleman known for his elegance and thoughtfulness, he remained a loyal and active member of the Celtics family throughout his days. We join those celebrating his life and mourning his passing.

Ramsey retired as a player in 1964, but the "Kentucky Colonel," as he was known, returned home to coach the aptly named Kentucky Colonels of the ABA for one season in 1970-71.

He was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.

Follow Steve Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner.