BOSTON, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Basketball Hall of Famer K.C. Jones died on Friday in Connecticut, according to the Boston Celtics.

In this March 1, 1956, file photo, K.C. Jones, captain of the University of San Francisco Dons, right, is shown with teammate Bill Russell in San Francisco. (Photo: AP)

Jones, who won eight straight NBA titles with the Celtics as a player and two more as the coach, had been receiving care for Alzheimer's disease for several years.

"K.C. was the nicest man I ever met. He always went out of his way to make people feel good, it was such an honor to play for him," Celtics legend Larry Bird said in a statement.