When basketball fans think of the Boston Celtics, something that may come to mind is the notion of winning. That would certainly be appropriate, considering that with 18 championship titles under its belt, the C’s are the winningest franchise in NBA history. One of its most iconic players, Bob Cousy, is well aware of the concept of winning and how it impacts someone on a personal level. Cousy actually dives into that in a matter-of-fact sort of way in CinemaBlend’s exclusive clip from the series finale of HBO’s Celtics City.
Bob Cousy Doesn’t Mince Words When Talking About Being A Winner
These past few weeks have seen the docuseries Celtics City air amid the 2025 TV schedule and stream for Max subscription holders. In that time, the nine-part show has chronicled the history of the Boston-based organization as well as non-basketball-related topics. As has been the case with each episode, the final installment seems keen on linking the past to the present. The video above shows modern-day star Jaylen Brown lamenting a playoff loss. From there, the perspective shifts to that of Bob Cousy, whose words give me chills.
Famously known as “Mr. Basketball” the now-96-year-old former point guard acknowledges that had he and his teammates not experienced success back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, his opinion wouldn’t matter today. On top of that, he muses that the basketball world would likely scoff at the notion of “Celtic Pride.” The beloved NBA veteran – who’s been named one of the 75 greatest players of all time – acknowledges that winning can lead to massive attention from the public at large but that otherwise, “nobody pays attention” if you don’t win.
Bob Cousy – alongside the late Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn, John Havlecik, Sam Jones and more – dominated professional basketball in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Between 1957 and 1969, the team won 11 championships, with Cousy being a part of six of those winning teams. The mere fact that Cousy is still with is nothing short of amazing, but hearing him talk about the impact of winning is just surreal. If anyone knows that feeling and knows what it’s like to be victorious, it’s certainly him and, as a fan, I just love hearing his thoughts.
What Was It Like For The Celtics City Crew To Interview Bob Cousy?
It’s one thing to watch “Cooz” share his memories, but it’s another thing entirely to have been in the room when he was being interviewed. Lauren Stowell – the director of all nine Celtics City episodes – was fortunate enough to be in that position. CinemaBlend was fortunate enough to receive a statement from Stowell on the experience of being in Cousey’s presence. Something that really stood out to her was the way Cousy admired the clock you can see in the clip above, which Bill Russell and his wife gifted him upon his retirement:
From the very early stages of outlining the series, I kept coming back to the clock that Bob Cousy got from Bill Russell after his retirement in 1963. It wasn’t just a gift—it represented something much bigger between them. I knew we could use it thematically, and to ground us in the passage of time, which is why we return to it before John Havlicek’s funeral and the last time Cousy sees Russell. What stood out to me the day we filmed was the stillness in the room as he looked at it—I couldn’t help but wonder what was running through his mind. I wanted to honor that pause, because there was a story in his stillness.
Bill Russell and Bob Cousy’s close relationship is a major focal point of the docuseries, specifically during its first few episodes. Lauren Stowell absolutely makes a great point in that it’s more than just a sweet memento — it’s a signifier of a deep friendship shared between two men. Showrunner and EP Gabe Honig also shared some sentiments with CB and, like Stowell, he was enamored with the 13-time all-star’s love for his clock:
Back in April of 2023, we were in Worcester, MA filming the first of our 98 interviews for ‘Celtics City’ and I found myself searching Bob Cousy’s house looking for a clock that Mr. Basketball wanted to tell us about on camera. This wasn’t just any clock - but one given to Cousy 60 years prior by his former teammate Bill Russell and his wife, Rose upon his retirement. It was one of Cousy's most treasured possessions - a symbol of a career as a basketball champion and a reminder of the complicated relationships forged along the way.
The greatest documentaries typically include a firm emotional hook that draws in viewers and helps inform the story that’s being told. I can certainly say that in this case, the clock helps serve as an emotional touchstone. Gabe Honig went on to speak more about the importance of the clock while also showering praise on his collaborators:
As a storyteller you always search for meaning in the mundane and holding this clock it dawned on me that it represented everything about the story we were trying to tell. The seasons and the passage of time were one thing, but what did it all mean? Two years and 9 hours of television later, our incredible team of producers and editors led by the vision of director, Lauren Stowell, poured over thousands of hours of footage and hundreds of hours of interviews to put together not just the story of The Celtics, the players and the City of Boston but a story about us.
Lauren Stowell, Gabe Honig and their team ultimately delivered a comprehensive piece of work. Those various interviews are also impressive, as there are sitdowns with C’s legends, community leaders, journalists and even esteemed rivals of the team like James Worthy and the late Jerry West. (Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas notably declined the chance to speak, though.) All of that said though, I think it’s really Bob Cousy’s words about his triumphs, his friendships and more that are really going to stay with me for years to come.
The HBO documentary series Celtics City is available to stream on Max, with new episodes airing Monday at 9 p.m. ET. Be sure to check out the series finale, on April 28.
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