David William Cowens ( COW-ənz; born October 25, 1948) is an American former professional basketball player and NBA head coach. At 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), he played the center position and occasionally played power forward. Cowens spent most of his playing career with the Boston Celtics. He was the 1971 NBA Rookie of the Year and the 1973 NBA Most Valuable Player. Cowens won NBA championships as a member of the Celtics in 1974 and 1976. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991. Throughout his career Cowens was known for being an undersized center at 6’9, however he made up for his height with hustle and athleticism. Cowens has also held coaching positions in the NBA, CBA, and WNBA.
Cowens was named a member of both the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.