Parish, Robert (1953-…), ranks among the greatest centers in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Parish holds the NBA records for most seasons played (21) and for most games played (1,611). He is among the career leaders for defensive rebounds. Parish is 7 feet 1 inch (216 centimeters) tall. In spite of his size, he was an agile player, noted for an accurate jump shot and an ability to block shots.
Robert Lee Parish was born on Aug. 30, 1953, in Shreveport, Louisiana. He played at Centenary College from 1972 to 1976, winning All-America honors his senior year. The Golden State Warriors drafted Parish in the first round of the 1976 NBA draft. He played four seasons with the Warriors before being traded to the Celtics. He played 14 seasons with Boston, starring on the Celtics teams that won NBA championships in 1980-1981, 1983-1984, and 1985-1986. Parish left the Celtics in 1994, signing as a free agent with the Charlotte Hornets. After two seasons in Charlotte, he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls. Parish played on the Bulls championship team of 1996-1997 and then retired as a player. Parish was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.
