Jo Jo White, former Boston Celtics guard, died at age 71 after a lengthy battle with brain cancer, the team said Tuesday.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer's daughter, Meka White Morris, confirmed the news, explaining that her father died "from complications (pneumonia) from dementia that was brought on by the removal of a benign brain tumor in May 2010," ESPN noted.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of an incredible husband and father," White's family said in a statement, according to the sports news outlet. "He was a Hall of Fame basketball player but an even better man. We sincerely appreciate all of the love and continued prayers, but we ask for privacy as we spend time as a family reflecting and celebrating his life."
White's NBA career spanned 12 years and was spent predominantly with the Celtics, CBS Sports said.
The seven-time All-Star averaged 17.2 points, 4.9 assists and four rebounds and helped lead Boston to NBA titles in 1974 and 1976. In the latter year he was named the NBA Finals MVP. Six years later White retired his No. 10 jersey, and in 2015 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In a statement, the Celtics said White was "a champion and a gentleman," who was "supremely talented and brilliant on the court, and endlessly gracious off of it."
The team added that his contributions to the team's championship legacy "may have only been surpassed by the deep and lasting impact that he had in the community."
White had been fighting cancer for a number of years and in May 2010, he underwent surgery to have a tumor removed, The New York Daily News noted.
Following that, the NBA star founded the Jo Jo White Foundation in a bid to support brain cancer research.
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