Where are they now? Bill Sharman

Bill Sharman loves to "ring" in every year.

It's has become a habit for him.

Now 74, the Boston Celtic great collected 13 rings during his pro basketball career and was named among the NBA's top 50 greats of all-time.

He captured four championships with the Celtics and added seven with the Los Angeles Lakers as coach, general manager, president and special consultant. Plus one with the defunct Cleveland team of the American Basketball League, and of course, one with the American Basketball Association's Utah Stars in 1971.

Sharman was the only coach to capture championships in three different pro basketball leagues.

"They never get old," said Sharman, who still has problems with his voice because of an ulcerated larynx, which forced him into retirement as coach. "Because then you realize you have been a part of something special. That's a team which has the right chemistry, great players who buy into the system, forget about individual goals for the team and is driven to win.

"We had that type of team when I coached in Salt Lake City," added Sharman. "We had the right chemistry because the guys enjoyed themselves both on and off the court. We had a natural leader in Zelmo Beaty. He didn't put up with any nonsense. A real coach on the floor. They bought into my system.

"I really loved coaching in Salt Lake City. The city was great to me. But I had a chance to return to Southern California, where I grew up, to coach the Lakers, (in) 1972."

Bill was always an "L.A. Man." He was a two-time all-American for the University of Southern California, in 1949 and 1950. He was an all-star in baseball, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization and on the Dodger bench in 1951, when Bobby Thomson blasted the legendary home run at the Polo Grounds to lift the New York Giants to the National League championship.

"It was a great thrill for me to be named to The Top 50 Greats of all-time . . . It was also great to be remembered again this year, when the NBA brought back all its former All-Star Game MVPs," said Sharman, the 1955 MVP.

"It was exciting for me, because I had a chance to meet John Stockton, and we sat down for about 30 minutes. He's not only a great player but a quality person. Five years ago, I can remember people saying how old Karl Malone and Stockton were. They were supposed to be on their last legs. But this year, they turned in remarkable efforts. Better than five years ago."

Sharman will always be linked with the phrase "Don't Squeeze the Sharman!"