VILLANOVA, Pa. – The Ford family is sad to announce the passing of Chris on January 17, 2023. Chris was beloved by his family, friends, and teammates. He had a great love for his family, teammates, classmates, life-long Villanova friends and all of 'Nova Nation. He always showed humility and respect for all those that were fortunate enough to be a part of his life. We are thankful for all of your continued prayers and support during this difficult time.
 
Villanova Head Coach Kyle Neptune:
"Chris Ford was an integral part of one of the great eras of Villanova Basketball. Playing for Coach Jack Kraft, he was a gifted distributor, scorer, and defender. He is a true Villanova legend.
 
"Our staff is especially grateful to Coach Ford for the active role he played in our program once his outstanding NBA playing and coaching career was complete. He was a humble presence at games and alumni events, always supportive of our program. This is a sad day for all of us at Villanova and we send our condolences to the Ford family and the teammates who cherished him."
 
Chris Ford Bio:
After a decorated career at Holy Spirit (N.J.) High School, Ford appeared in 91 games for the Wildcats from 1969-72. During his three varsity seasons the Wildcats' posted a 65-21 record while advancing to the 1970 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and 1971 NCAA Final. He averaged 15.7 points and 5.5 assists per game. In his three seasons, he scored 1,433 points and was also regarded as one of the East's top defenders. His 238 assists (7.0 apg) in 1970-71 remain a single-season Villanova record.
 
On Feb. 4, 2006, Villanova retired Ford's No. 42 jersey along with that of his backcourt partner, Tom Inglesby.
 
A native of Atlantic City, N.J., Ford went on to play 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association, scoring 7,314 points in stops with Detroit and Boston. He made the first 3-pointer in NBA history while playing for the Celtics and was part of Boston's 1981 NBA championship team. Later, he would become head coach of the Celtics, one of four NBA organizations he would serve in that capacity.