Arnold Jacob “Red” Auerbach was an American basketball coach regarded as the mastermind behind the success of the Boston Celtics. One of the most game’s successful coaches ever, he led the teams he coached to 938 wins, a record at his retirement. Considered to be a pioneer of modern basketball, he was highly competitive and would motivate his players to give their best and achieve synergy as a team. His astute managerial skills and sharp judgment ensured that he won seven NBA titles as the general manager and team president of the Celtics. As a coach he helped to redefine basketball as a team sport in which the whole team and not just a few star players dominated the game. Many players who had trained under him went on to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. One of his most distinguishing features was that he helped to break down the colour barriers by sending the first African-American starting five in the 1960s. As an athletic youngster he had started playing basketball during high school and attended the George Washington University on a basketball scholarship. He began his coaching career by coaching high school teams before being hired by Walter Brown, owner of the Boston Celtics.