[225], On September 26, 2017, Russell posted a photograph of himself to a previously unused Twitter account in which he was taking the knee in solidarity with the U.S. national anthem kneeling protests. [217] He was quoted as saying: "From my very first year I thought of myself as playing for the Celtics, not for Boston. He was selected by the Boston Celtics during the 1956 NBA Draft because of his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess. [188], In 1959, Russell became the first NBA player to visit Africa. [54] His former USF and future Celtics teammate K. C. Jones joined him on the Olympic squad and contributed 10.9 points per game,[55] including a RussellJones combined 29 points in the finals. Their marriage was short-lived as they divorced in 1980. [49] He was active in the Black Power movement and was among the African-American athletes and the one political leader who came together at the 1967 Cleveland Summit to support Muhammad Ali and his decision to refuse to be drafted. So after the season was over, they had a Northern California banquet, and they picked another center as Player of the Year in Northern California. He was voted the NBA Most Valuable Player but only named to the All-NBA Second Team, something that would occur repeatedly throughout his career, as players voted for the MVP award, something that would last until the 197980 NBA season, while the media has always voted for the All-NBA teams. ", "Basketball Players who Caused Rule Changes by Ron Kurtus", "The Bill Russell Story: More Than A Champion", "NCAA Basketball Tourney History: Two by Four", "Stanford Trackmen Finish Fourth in Fresno Relays; Leamon King Equals Century World Record; Landy Runs Mile in 3.59.1; Russell Nears Mark", "Bill Russell's 66-year-old University of San Francisco high jump record may never be broken", "Bill Russell attempting to clear 69 1/4. He was one of the most successful players ever to have graced American basketball. At age 35, Russell contributed with 6 points, 21 rebounds, and 6 assists in his last NBA game. He last led the Sacramento Kings as president of basketball operations in the late 1980s. They had three children and divorced in 1973. He had a difficult childhood and grew up in poverty. Bill Russell [222] On November 15, 2019, Russell accepted the Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony with family. [137] He was named as a 2010 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I was the MVP at the Final Four. [50], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. [142], Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history. [210] He was livid with Russell and saw him as a backstabber. [5] This took place during his last season (1969) and was the first season the NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected. Russell said he was "proud of my grandfather's heroic dignity against forces more powerful than him he would not allow himself to be oppressed or intimidated by anyone." Bill Russell Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life [87] The Celtics reached the 1963 NBA Finals,[88] where they again defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, this time in six games. [91][92] It was their sixth consecutive and seventh title in Russell's eight years with the team, a streak unreached in any U.S. professional sports league. "[61] Before the 196162 season, Russell's team was scheduled to play in an exhibition game in Lexington, Kentucky, when Russell and his black teammates were refused service at a local restaurant. He replied: "Yes." [51] Auerbach later said that Brown offered Harrison guaranteed performances of the Ice Capades if they did not draft Russell; it is difficult to verify or disprove this, but it is clear that the Royals underrated Russell. [The sound of Russell throwing up] is a welcome sound, too, because it means he's keyed up for the game, and around the locker room we grin and say, 'Man, we're going to be all right tonight. [50] He excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive rebounds. He was a 5 During a conversation with students, a reporterunknown to Russellheard Russell describe Chamberlain as a malingerer and accused him of "copping out" of the game when it seemed that the Lakers would lose. Bill Russell . [30] Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. Best Known For: Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 seasons. And so the guy that owned the Celtics [Walter Brown] was [in addition to Auerbach for whom Russell expressed 'respect' and 'actual love'] another one of the fine, good, and decent human beings that I've ever encountered. "[205] Russell was also known for his natural authority. Five times he was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player, and his 21,620 rebounds are second only to Chamberlains career mark. [191] He was issued a citation and released, and the Transportation Security Administration indicated it would levy a civil penalty, which would be between $3,000 and $7,500. [213] He was often called Felton X, presumably in the tradition of the Nation of Islam's practice of replacing a European slave name with an X and purchased land in Liberia. American basketball player and coach (19342022), 19561958: Rookie champion and early years, 19581966: Eight straight NBA championships, 19661969: Player-coach champion and final years, Racist abuse, controversy, and relationship with Boston fans. [1] The Celtics broke a league record by winning 52 games and Russell's strong performance once again helped lead the Celtics through the 1959 NBA playoffs, as they returned to the NBA Finals. [57] Auerbach assigned him to shut down the Hawks' main scorer and Russell impressed the Boston crowd with his man-to-man defense and shot-blocking. So we never, or at least I never, ever considered him as having ulterior motives for whatever he did. [52] During that same draft, Boston also drafted guard K. C. Jones, Russell's former USF teammate, and managed to draft three future Basketball Hall of Famers: Russell, Jones, and Heinsohn. Bill Russell As a freshman at McClymonds High School in Oakland,[23][24] Russell was almost cut again;[25] as he saw Russell's raw athletic potential, coach George Powles encouraged him to work on his fundamentals. [72][73] In the 1960 NBA Finals, the Celtics outlasted the Hawks 43 in the series and won their third championship in four years. [26], Russell soon became noted for his unusual style of defense. [110][221], Russell refused to attend the ceremony when his jersey No. [Auerbach would] get the information from us and then make a decision based on that information and his thoughts. In a game called as "unreal" and "devoid of emotion", the Sixers lost 127118 on April 5. Bill Russell married his college sweetheart Rose Swisher in 1956. Following the 1969 season, Russell retired from the game. In overtime, Frank Ramsey, the fourth forward, fouled out trying to guard Baylor, so Russell was robbed of his usual four-men wing rotation; he and little-used fifth forward Gene Guarilia successfully pressured Baylor into missed shots. I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies. [58] Gottlieb protested the next day, saying that Russell played a one-man zone and goaltended numerous times, to only be called once. Russell used a copy as extra motivation and told his team to play a running game because in that case it was not the better but the more determined team that was going to win. [118] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. [181] In 1977, he married Dorothy Anstett, Miss USA of 1968;[181] they divorced in 1980. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony. [171], In 2013, Boston honored Russell by erecting a statue of him on City Hall Plaza. [156] In 1970, The Sporting News named Russell the "Athlete of the Decade". The Celtics made good use of the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers had exhausted the St. Louis Hawks in a long seven-game Western Conference Finals,[76] and Boston won the 1961 NBA Finals in five games. [19], His father was said to be a "stern, hard man" who initially worked in a paper factory as a janitor, which was a typical "Negro Job"low-paid and not intellectually challenging, as sports journalist John Taylor commented. With his first wife, Rose, to whom he was married for 17 years, he had three children: a daughter, Karen, and two sons, Buddha and Jacob. In protest, the whole team decided to camp out in a closed college dorm, which was later called an important bonding experience for the group. Although the salary was touted in the press as a record for an NBA coach, it is unclear whether Russell's continued $100,001 salary as a player was included in the calculation. He said: "The Celtics were the first [NBA basketball] team to draft a black player, period: a guy named Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. And what we would do is[Auerbach] trusted all his playersso like when he'd make a coaching decision, he could talk: he talked to [Bob] Cousey [who is white], he talked to me [black], he talked to [Bill] Sharman [white], he talked to Sam [Jones] [black]all of us: 'What do you think?' Eleven-time NBA champion and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell died 'peacefully' at the age of 88, his family confirmed Sunday. 1934: Bill Russell is born in Louisiana Charles and Katie Russell welcome William Felton Russell on Feb. 12 in Monroe, a town in north Louisiana. [1] Before the January 31, 1963, 18-point, 22-rebound performance in a 128125 win against the Cincinnati Royals at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland,[84] the Celtics were to tour the White House and Russell had a "Do not disturb" sign on his phone. When the Sixers' Hall-of-Fame guard Hal Greer inbounded, Havlicek stole the ball, causing Celtics commentator Johnny Most to scream: "Havlicek stole the ball! [207], Russell was known for his distinctive high-pitched laugh, of which Auerbach quipped: "There are only two things that could make me quit coaching. He made a free throw, blocked a shot by Sixers player Chet Walker, grabbed a rebound off a miss by Greer, and passed the ball to teammate Sam Jones, who scored to clinch the win. Russell was grief-stricken by the death of his mother, whod been his biggest advocate and pushed him to work hard in school. [158] Russell ranked No. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. He still holds the NBA record for rebounds in one half with 32 (vs. Philadelphia, November 16, 1957). Bill Russell [3] Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He passed away peacefully with his wife next to him. [210], Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. "[202], Russell was driven by "a neurotic need to win", as his Celtic teammate Tom Heinsohn observed. The Celtics won 52 gamesa league record. As a child, he witnessed how his parents were victims of racial abuse, and the family eventually moved into government housing projects to escape the daily torrent of bigotry. [5] In addition, Russell holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most rebounds (40, March 29, 1960, vs. St. Louis, and April 18, 1962, vs. Los Angeles), most rebounds in a quarter (19, April 18, 1962, vs. Los Angeles), and most consecutive games with 20 or more rebounds (15 from April 9, 1960 April 16, 1963). [21] In delivering a eulogy for Chamberlain, Russell stated that he did not consider them to be rivals, but rather to have a competition, and that the pair would "be friends through eternity". [15], Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, was one of the founding inductees into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007. That's the first thing Walter Brown said to Chuck Cooper. In his first NBA playoff game against the Syracuse Nationals in 1957, he finished with 16 points and 31 rebounds along with 7 blocks. [174] The statue was unveiled on November 1, 2013, with Russell in attendance. Bill Russell was born on 12 February 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. [60] With the Celtics leading 125123 with one second left, the Hawks had the ball at their own baseline. "[122] In December 2008, the We Are Boston Leadership Award was presented to Russell. Bill Russellwas born to Charles and Katie Russell on February 12, 2022, inWest Monroe, Louisiana. Russell's Celtics went 5737 in the regular season against Chamberlain's teams and 2920 in the playoffs, Chamberlain's losing seven of the eight series. [21], Under head coach Gerald Tucker, Russell helped the U.S. national basketball team win the gold medal in Melbourne, defeating the Soviet Union national basketball team 8955 in the final game with an 80 undefeated run. Bill Russell Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life [33], The games were often difficult for the USF squad, as Russell and his black teammates became targets of racist jeers, particularly on the road. The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. WebBill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. According to Taylor, he often perceived insults even if others did not. [133][134] In 2008, Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement. [69] The matchup between Russell and Chamberlain became one of basketball's greatest rivalries. [1] The Celtics won the 1966 NBA Finals and their eighth consecutive title. [206] At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach's impact as a coach confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. He was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. Bill Russell Height, Weight, Family, Facts, Education, Biography [77], In the 196162 NBA season, Russell scored a career-high 18.9 points per game, accompanied by 23.6 rebounds per game. Many people thought that Russell was more important even though he had only played half the season. Gottlieb stated: "Our Paul Arizin went underneath for a simple backboard lay-up, and as the ball traveled down towards the basket, Russell batted it away. The Celtics played against the Philadelphia Warriors in November 1959. "[110][208] When his white Celtics teammate Frank Ramsey asked whether he hated him, Russell stated that he had been misquoted but few believed it. "[167] During the NBA All-Star Weekend on February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals MVP award would be named after Russell. Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.died July 31, 2022), American basketball player who was the Russell also had seven regular-season games with 40 or more rebounds, the NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9, 1957). NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bill Russell died Sunday at the age of 88. Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 seasons. Russel died on July 31, 2022. [108] The teams split the next two games and it all came down to Game 7 in Los Angeles, where Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke angered and motivated the Celtics by putting "proceedings of Lakers victory ceremony" on the game leaflets. He was one of five, along with James Naismith, Oscar Robertson, Dean Smith, and John Wooden, selected to represent the inaugural class. He was the central focus of the Celtics dynasty, who won 11 NBA championships so over course of his 13 [19], During World War II, the Second Great Migration began, as large numbers of Black people were moving to the West to look for work there. [116] He attended his 2021 induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. [4] Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds,[35] saying: "I never permitted myself to be a victim. In the wake of her passing he committed himself to his studies. "[30] The NCAA rewrote rules in response to Russell's dominant play; the lane was widened for his junior year. [20] When World War II broke out, the elder Russell became a truck driver. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. In 2009, the NBA renamed the NBA Finals MVP Award in his honor. [14] In 2011, Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the court and in the civil rights movement. "[166] In 2000, his longtime teammate Tom Heinsohn described both Russell's stature and his uneasy relationship with Boston more earthily, saying: "Look, all I know is the guy came to Boston and won 11 championships in 13 years, and they named a bleeping tunnel after Ted Williams. [60] In the highly-competitive Game 7, Russell tried his best to slow down Pettit, as Heinsohn scored 37 points and kept the Celtics alive;[60] Russell contributed by completing the famous "Coleman Play", as he ran down Hawks forward Jack Coleman, who had received an outlet pass at midcourt, and blocked his shot despite the fact that Russell had been standing at his own baseline when the ball was thrown to Coleman. [161] In 2009, Slam named him the third best player of all-time behind Jordan and Chamberlain. [108] West then hit one basket after the other and cut the lead to one, and Chamberlain asked to return to the game. [5] He was also known as a fine passer and pick-and-roll setter, featured a decent left-handed hook shot, and finished strong on alley oops. It was one cold day of 1934 and the month of love when Bill was born. [102] Russell acknowledged the first real loss of his career, as he had been injured when the Celtics lost the 1958 NBA Finals, by visiting Chamberlain in the locker room, shaking his hand, and saying: "Great. [5][97], In the 196566 NBA season, Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. Russells superstardom was special not just because of his amazing performances, what made his success even more special was the fact that he was the first African-American player in the NBA history to achieve such glory' he was also the first African-American to become an NBA coach. [53], Due to his Olympic commitment, Russell could not join the Celtics for the 195657 NBA season until December. When the Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper and they came into Washington, D.C., to sign his contract, Walter Brown the owner of the team walked up to him and said: 'Mr. K. C. Jones did not play for the Celtics until 1958 because of military service. We won 28 out of 29 games. '"[204], In a retrospective interview, Russell described the state of mind he felt he needed to enter in order to be able to play basketball: "I had to almost be in a rage. "[5] After the Division Finals, the Celtics had an easier time in the NBA Finals,[96] winning 41 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Well, that let me know that if I were to accept these as the final judges of my career I would die a bitter old man." A living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. [108] Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. "[66], In the 195859 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game. His 1956 rookie contract was worth $24,000 (equivalent to $239,207 in 2021), only fractionally smaller than the $25,000 of top earner and teammate Bob Cousy. In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 29.4 rebounds. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. [53] The U.S. dominated the tournament, winning by an average of 53.5 points per game. And in basketball I respect a man for his ability, period. [193], During his career, Russell was one of the first big earners in NBA basketball. The Celtics managed a 108-89 victory and swept the Nationals in three games. He was born and brought up in a super-rich-class Catholic Russell capped his amateur career by leading the U.S. mens basketball team to the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. After much debate, Auerbach agreed to give up Hagan and the Hawks made the trade. He most likely would have led the league in blocked shots many times, but the NBA had not yet started keeping track of the statistic. It covered every area. 6 jersey would be retired throughout the National Basketball Association, the first time a jersey had been retired league-wide in NBA history, and joining Jackie Robinson and Wayne Gretzky in the honor among the four major American sports leagues. [59], At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. August 1, 2022 NBA reacts to death of iconic Bill Russell Celtics owner Walter A. Suddenly, his grandfather broke down crying. He was married four times and had three children. It wasnt long before the defensively adept Russell proved to be dominating presence, with a scorers touch and uncanny ability to rebound. [5], Despite his limitations on offense, as Russell averaged 15.1 points per game, his rebounding, defense, and leadership made him one of the dominant players of his era. [224] In 1995, the Celtics left the Boston Garden and entered the FleetCenter, now known as the TD Garden; as the main festive act, the Celtics wanted to re-retire Russell's jersey in front of a sellout audience. One of the most important moments of his life was when he met with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta and took part in the pivotal March on Washington in 1963. The first [NBA organization] to hire a black [head] coach was the Boston Celtics, and they've had at least five [black head-coaches] over the years. Rather than play for somebody else, Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969. Like almost all Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was very segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in their daily lives. The Internal Revenue Service discovered that Russell owed $34,430 in tax money and put a lien on his house. [25] Sports journalist John Taylor described it as a watershed event in Russell's life because he realized that basketball was his chance to escape poverty and racism, and he swore to make the best of it. If I looked at it objectively, detached myself, it would be a deficiency. He later recalled: "To play good defense it was told back then that you had to stay flatfooted at all times to react quickly. [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. [13], Russell played in the wake of black pioneers Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Sweetwater Clifton, and he was the first black player to achieve superstar status in the NBA. [5] For his efforts, Russell was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. [1] While his rival had a record-breaking season of 50.4 points per game, including Chamberlain's 100-point game,[68] the Celtics became the first team to win 60 games in a season and Russell was voted as the league's MVP. His third marriage was to Marilyn Nault which lasted till her death in 2009. [57] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. Bill Russell was born on January 10, 1935, and died at age 61 years old on March 9, 1996. Bill Russell Family Tree : Parents, Wife, Children, Biography He was played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) He was just the second player to have ever made 51 rebounds in a single game and the first NBA player to average more than 20 rebounds per game for an entire season. In his first playoff game, Russell finished with 16 points and 31 rebounds, along with 7 reported blocks, which were not yet an officially registered statistic. 4 in a similar list by The Athletic. Brown contacted Rochester owner Les Harrison and received an assurance that the Royals could not afford Russell, and they would draft Sihugo Green. [151] He also had 51 in one game, 49 in two others, and twelve straight seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds. Bill Russell has been married on 4 different occasions but had never kept a marriage for up to 2 decades, the longest being 17 years (19561973) to a lady called He Says He Is His Fathers Son. After the loss, he led his grandfather through the Celtics locker rooms and the two saw the white Celtic Havlicek taking a shower next to his black teammate Sam Jones and discussing the game. I'm certainly going to ask Maurice Podoloff." In 2010 Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the countrys highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama. The game was primarily considered a match between Russell and the Warriors center, Wilt Chamberlain, as both of the playerswere amazing centers. Born to William Bill Russell and his college sweetheart Rose Swisher a year into their marriage (December 9, 1956) on November 2, 1957, William Bill Felton [159][160] In 2007, he was voted the third best center of all-time by ESPN behind Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain. He thrived at the USF under Coach Phil Woolpert who helped him develop his unique technique of defense. Bill Russell Children: Meet Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr He was 88 years old. Auerbach had informed his players to not endorse candidates or causes, as it would alienate fans; Cousy campaigned for Ted Kennedy in 1962. [184] Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death. August 1, 2022 NBA reacts to [38] Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition. [103] In the Eastern Division Finals of the 1968 NBA playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers had the better record than Boston and were the favorites. When the reporter asked how, Russell responded: "Because the most important factor is respect. He is depicted in-game, surrounded by 11 plinths representing the 11 championships he helped the Celtics win. Outside the classroom, Russell began playing basketball. [89] In Game 3, Russell had 21 points, 38 rebounds, and 6 assists. Photos: The life and career of NBA legend Bill Russell | CNN Bill Russell - IMDb [163] In 2022, he was ranked No. Career-wise in rebounds, Russell ranks second to Chamberlain in regular season total (21,620) and average per game (22.5), and he led the NBA in average rebounds per game four times. [57] He also became famous for his shot-blocking skills and pundits called his blocks "Wilsonburgers", referring to the Wilson NBA basketballs he "shoved back into the faces of opposing shooters". The relationship between the two was tenuous at best. Over the next several decades he periodically came back to the game as a coach or as an executive, but his teams failed to win with the kind of regularity he enjoyed as a player. [18][170] However, the NBA players who currently wore the number 6 jersey are grandfatheredthey may keep the number until they voluntarily change it or retirebut the number will not be issued again to a new player. [4][8] While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. Bill Russell started playing for the Celtics in the 1956-57 season in December. Inside Bill Russell's marriage to his fourth wife as Auerbach, Red and John Feinstein. Of the book, Bill Bradley wrote for The New York Times Book Review that "Bill Russell is a private, complex man, but on the subject of his love of Red Auerbach and his Celtic teammates, he's loud and clear. [62] In Boston, both fans and journalists felt betrayed because Russell left the Celtics without a coach and a center, and he sold his retirement story for $10,000 to Sports Illustrated. [144] By winning the 1956 NCAA championship with USF and the 1957 NBA title with the Celtics,[145] Russell became the first of only four players in basketball history to win an NCAA championship and an NBA championship back-to-back, the others being Henry Bibby, Magic Johnson, and Billy Thompson.
