He was white. Shouldn’t have been allowed to play evidenlty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Havlicek
My father played High School basketball with John Havlicek at Bridgeport HS. I never personally met Hondo, but my father relayed many fond memories of this special athlete, and pointed him out to me once when they met in passing at an airport during a chance encounter in the early 80’s, and I was impressed that Mr. Havlicek actually remembered him and acknowledged him at the time.