Even as he won on the court, Russell, an outspoken backer of Rather than play for somebody else, Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969. Bill Russell Family Auerbach agreed to trade Macauley, who had previously asked to be traded to St. Louis in order to be with his sick son, if the Hawks gave up Russell. He later commented that he would have participated in the high jump if he had been snubbed by the basketball team. [50], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family out of Louisiana and settled in Oakland, California. [20] Russell stated that his father became his childhood hero, later followed up by Minneapolis Lakers superstar George Mikan, whom he met when he was in high school. When Russell was 10, his father, Charlie, fed up with trying to navigate a racially charged South, moved his family across the country to Oakland, California, where he found work at a shipyard. He thrived at the USF under Coach Phil Woolpert who helped him develop his unique technique of defense. The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. He was one of five, along with James Naismith, Oscar Robertson, Dean Smith, and John Wooden, selected to represent the inaugural class. See the events in life of Bill Russell in Chronological Order, (One of the Greatest Basketball Players of All Time). UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". Over 50 percent of responses said 'There's too many black players. [5][97], In the 196566 NBA season, Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. [110] In response, Russell described Boston as a "flea market of racism". [50] He excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive rebounds. Bill Russell Kids & Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Bill Russell Net Worth '"[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. "[50] That playoff series ended in a dramatic Game 7, when the Sixers were trailing 110109 five seconds before the end, but Russell turned over the ball. With Russell anchoring the middle of the floor, the Celtics finished with the NBA's best record in 1957, and went on to win the title over the Hawks in a tense seven-game series. In a game called as "unreal" and "devoid of emotion", the Sixers lost 127118 on April 5. He was born and brought up in a super-rich-class Catholic [194] When Wilt Chamberlain became the first NBA player to earn $100,000 in salary in 1965 (equivalent to $859,873 in 2021), Russell went to Auerbach and demanded a $100,001 salary, which he promptly received. However, he still made 12.5 points per game and 18.6 rebounds per game. We won the National Championship. Two years later, the couple welcomed a second son, A morass to fight from. [37], On the hardwood, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. [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. [5][41] His stint as coach of the Celtics was also of historical significance,[147][148] as he became the first black head coach in the NBA,[14] when he succeeded Red Auerbach. [17] Shortly after his death in 2022, the NBA retired Russell's #6 jersey league-wide, making him the only player in NBA history to receive the honor. Bill Russell Russell was married three times. As part of the 1961 Celtics boycott, he and the other black teammates refused to play in the exhibition game and flew home, drawing a great deal of controversy and publicity. To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey, who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. Bill Russell A look at Bill Russells family life Bill was born to Katie and Charles Russell. [154] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. They had three children and divorced in 1973. "[208] Years after Taylor's book, Russell published the autobiographical account Red and Me, which chronicled his lifelong friendship with Auerbach. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}10 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Butler, Celebrities & Notables Running the Boston Marathon, 7 Facts About Gymnast and TikTok Star Olivia Dunne, Nat Sweetwater Cliftons First NBA Season, 8 Negro League Legends Featured in a New MLB Game, Get to Know NCAA Tournament Star Caitlin Clark. He grew up in a racially segregated neighbourhood where his family was often subjected to rampant acts of racism. If I looked at it objectively, detached myself, it would be a deficiency. [53], Due to his Olympic commitment, Russell could not join the Celtics for the 195657 NBA season until December. In an interview with ESPN, Russell said he wanted the NFL players to know they were not alone.[226]. [19] When he later became a standout college player at USF, Russell recalled how he and his few fellow black teammates were jeered by white students. [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. [69] The matchup between Russell and Chamberlain became one of basketball's greatest rivalries. He was selected into the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971 and the NBA 35th Anniversary Team in 1980, named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996,[5] one of only four players to receive all three honors, and selected into the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. Russell later called it the best team of his era and the best defense of all time. Throughout his career, Bill Russell won 11 NBA championship rings. Bill Russell, the greatest defensive player of all time, has a special place in the NBAs Hall of Fame. This unlikely superstar came into the NBA as a center for the Boston Celtics and played for the team for his entire 13 years of career. He also served a three-season (19661969) stint as player-coach for the Celtics, becoming the first black coach in the NBA and the first to win a championship. [80] Game 7 was tied one second before the end of regular time, when Lakers guard Rod Hundley faked a shot and passed out to Frank Selvy, who missed an open eight-foot last-second shot that would have won Los Angeles the title. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. But by his senior year, his game had picked up enough to earn him a starting spot. Russell was equally notable for his rebounding abilities, and he led the NBA in rebounds four times, had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds,[12] and remains second all time in both total rebounds and rebounds per game. Their marriage was short-lived as they divorced in 1980. [19] In another incident, Russell's mother was walking outside in a fancy dress when a white policeman accosted her. National tragedy struck on April 4, day of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. With eight of the ten starting players on Sixers and Celtics being black, both teams were in deep shock and there were calls to cancel the series. 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. The talented player had grown up in a neighbourhood notorious for its rampant racism. Cooper, the Boston Celtics will never embarrass you.' [41] While blocked shots were not a recorded basketball statistic during Russell's career, he averaged 8.1 blocks in 135 games, as Boston writers often attempted to tally his blocks. The relationship between the two was tenuous at best. "[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. He later said: "The most successful television is done in eight-second thoughts, and the things I know about basketball, motivation, and people go deeper than that. [184] Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death. [57], Russell was an elite help defender who allowed the Celtics to play the "Hey, Bill" defense: whenever a Celtic requested additional defensive help, he would shout "Hey, Bill!" When he became player-coach in 1966, Russell bluntly said to his teammates that "he intended to cut all personal ties to other players" and seamlessly made the transition from their peer to their superior. The two men did not speak to each other for more than twenty years until Russell met with Chamberlain and personally apologized. The Celtics played against the Philadelphia Warriors in November 1959. In Game 4, the Celtics were trailing by one point with seven seconds left and the Lakers had the ball until Baylor stepped out of bounds. Russell His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. "[36], Racism shaped his lifelong paradigm as a team player, about which Russell said: "At that time it was never acceptable that a black player was the best. The first team to start five black players was the Boston Celtics. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. Bill Russell - IMDb Bill Russell was born on 12 February 1934. He had a difficult childhood and grew up in poverty. [127] Russell's Rules was published in 2001, and he convinced Miami Heat superstar center Shaquille O'Neal to bury the hatchet with fellow NBA superstar and former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant and end the ShaqKobe feud in January 2006. I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies. His time as a non-player coach was lackluster; he led the struggling SuperSonics into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but Russell's defensive, team-oriented Celtics mindset did not mesh well with the team, and he left in 1977 with a 162166 record. [115] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. Bill Russell Although Russell was a good runner and jumper and had large hands,[20] he did not understand the game and was cut from the team at Herbert Hoover Junior High School. [169] In October 2021, Russell was honored as one of theleague's 75 greatest players of all-time. The Celtics were already a high-scoring team but the addition of Russell added to their strengths. children: Jacob Russell, Karen Russell, William Russell Jr. Grouping of People: Black Baseball Players, U.S. State: Louisiana, African-American From Louisiana, awards: 1955 - NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player 1955-1956 - 2 NCAA champion 1963 - NBA All-Star Game MVP, 19571959 - 5 NBA rebounding champion 19641965 - 5 NBA rebounding champion 1958 - 5 NBA Most Valuable Player 1965 - 5 NBA Most Valuable Player 19611963 - 5 NBA Most Valuable Player 1957 - 11 NBA champion 19591966 - 11 NBA champion 19681969 - 11 NBA champion. [125] In 1985, former Celtic teammate Don Chaney, who was head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, asked Russell to tutor Benoit Benjamin, the third overall draft pick from Creighton University, who left after his junior season; according to Chaney, Russell did not get paid for it. The Lakers featured new recruit Chamberlain next to perennial stars Baylor and West, and were the favorites. [50][90], In the 196364 NBA season, the Celtics posted a league-best 5822 record in the regular season. Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium. 5. [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. [122] Perennially wary of what he long perceived as a racist city, Russell decided to make amends and gave his approval. [57] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. "[50], In the 195960 NBA season, the NBA witnessed the debut of 7ft 1in (2.16m) Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged a record 37.6 points per game in his rookie year. 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. The family of Bill Russell announced that he passed away on Sunday at the age of 88. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! [32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. [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. His coach, George Powles, encouraged the youngster to develop his skills and become a good player. [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. [110] He was so tense before every game that he regularly vomited in the locker room; early in his career, it happened so frequently that his fellow Celtics were more worried when it did not happen than when it did. [61], The Celtics finished the 195657 regular season with a 4428 record, the team's second-best record since beginning play in the 194647 BAA season, which guaranteed Russell his first NBA playoffs appearance,[62] where the Celtics met with the Syracuse Nationals, a team led by Dolph Schayes, through the Eastern Division Finals. [195][196] For his promotion to coach, the Celtics paid Russell an annual salary of $25,000 which was in addition to his salary as a player. After he graduated, the NCAA rules committee instituted a second new rule to counter the play of big men like Russell; basket interference was now prohibited. [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. He worked hard and used the benefits of a growth spurt to become a decent basketball player. The NCAA had previously prohibited goaltending in response to George Mikan (1945) and later banned the dunk shot due to Lew Alcindor (1967), although the latter rule was later repealed. He is one of just two NBA players (the other being prominent rival Wilt Chamberlain) to have grabbed more than 50 rebounds in a game. [85] President John F. Kennedy posed for a picture with Auerbach and the nine Celtics but not Russell, who overslept because he thought it was just a tour of the White House and did not know President Kennedy would be meeting them. [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. [158], On August 11, 2022, it was announced that Russell's No. He was one of the greatest rebounders in basketball history and had led [168] On June 15, 2017, Russell was announced as the inaugural recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. [152] He played in eleven deciding games (ten times in Game 7s, once in a Game 5) and ended with a 110 record. They had three children: daughter Karen Russell, a television pundit and lawyer, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. As Chamberlain was often defended by Celtics backup center Wayne Embry, the press speculated that Russell was worn down. 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). [181] In 1977, he married Dorothy Anstett, Miss USA of 1968;[181] they divorced in 1980. Bill Russell was born on January 10, 1935, and died at age 61 years old on March 9, 1996. Russell was so quick that he could run over for a quick double team and make it back in time if the opponents tried to find the open man. He is said to have made a conscious decision to put the team first and foremost, and not worry about individual achievements. [105] After losing for the fifth straight time against Russell and the Celtics, Hall-of-Fame Lakers guard Jerry West stated: "If I had a choice of any basketball player in the league, my No. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. [155] He was selected three times to the All-NBA First Teams (1959, 1963, 1965) and eight Second Teams (1958, 196062, 1964, 196668), and was a 12-time NBA All-Star (19581969). [1] The 195657 Boston Celtics season saw the debut of a starting lineup made up of five future Hall-of-Famers: center Russell, forwards Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey, and guards Bill Sharman and Bob Cousy. [16] In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time for his coaching career. 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. "[205] Russell was also known for his natural authority. Russell scored 15.0 points per game and grabbed a career-high 24.7 rebounds per game, leading the NBA in rebounds for the first time since Chamberlain entered the league. He was selected by the Boston Celtics during the 1956 NBA Draft because of his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. I owe so much to him it's impossible to express. Bill Russell averaged 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game in the 1960-61 season leading his team to 57-22 record. [4] In his USF years, Russell took advantage of his relative lack of bulk to develop a unique defensive style: instead of purely guarding the opposing center, he used his quickness and speed to play help defense against opposing forwards and aggressively challenge their shots. [70] It was the record for most rebounds in a single game until November 24, 1960, when Chamberlain grabbed 55 rebounds against Russell,[13] who led the Celtics to a 132129 win over the Philadelphia Warriors with 18 points, 19 rebounds, and 5 assists. 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. [130] Russell also received honorary degrees from Harvard University on June 7, 2007,[131] and from Dartmouth College on June 14, 2009. [61] He alienated Celtics fans by saying: "You owe the public the same it owes you, nothing! The Celtic coach Red Auerbach retired before the 1966-67 season. We won 28 out of 29 games. 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972,[114] Russell had worn the same number 6 at the USF and for the 1956 U.S. Olympic team. [175][176][177] During the spring of 2015, two statues of children were added, honoring Russell's commitment to working with children. [111] Although White became a standout Celtics player, Boston lacked an All-Star center, went 3448 in the 196970 NBA season, and failed to make it to the 1970 NBA playoffs, marking the first time since 1950 that they did not make the playoffs. [200][201] Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me. [51], The St. Louis Hawks, who owned the second pick, drafted Russell but were vying for Celtics center Ed Macauley, a six-time NBA All-Star who had roots in St. Louis. [68] On November 7, 1959, Russell's Celtics hosted Chamberlain's Warriors and pundits called the matchup between the best offensive and defensive centers "The Big Collision" and "Battle of the Titans". With the added defensive presence of Russell, the Celtics had laid the foundation for a dynasty, as the team utilized a strong defensive approach to the game, forcing opposing teams to commit many turnovers, which led to many easy points on fast breaks. [49], In the draft, Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach set his sights on Russell, thinking his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess were the missing pieces the Celtics needed. 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. If that isn't goaltending, I want somebody to tell me what it is. 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. He was never embraced by Boston fans in the way his white teammates were. Bill Russell [1] The Celtics won the 1966 NBA Finals and their eighth consecutive title. Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. [99] On April 16, 1966, Russell agreed to become head coach of the Celtics, and a public announcement was made two days later. Heinsohn felt that Russell resented him because the former was named the 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year. He was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2011 for his accomplishments in the Civil Rights Movement, both on and off the court. William Felton Russell was born on February 12th in 1934. And I could anticipate every move that every player made. [5] Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled. Avery Brundage, head of the International Olympic Committee, argued that Russell had already signed a professional sport contract and was no longer an amateur sportsman, but Russell prevailed. 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?' Bill Russell Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life [5][41], Besides basketball, Russell represented USF in track and field events. Athletically awkward at first, Russell struggled to find playing time on the team at McClymonds High School in Oakland. A living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. August 1, 2022 NBA reacts to [57] Russell had a more cordial relationship with many of his teammates with the notable exception of Heinsohn, his old rival and fellow rookie. [34] In one incident, hotels in Oklahoma City refused to admit Russell and his black teammates while they were in town for the 1954 All-College Tournament. [222] On November 15, 2019, Russell accepted the Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony with family. [188], In 1959, Russell became the first NBA player to visit Africa. [210] He was livid with Russell and saw him as a backstabber. Bill Russell Family Tree : Parents, Wife, Children, Biography He was played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me. [5] Russell was known as one of the most clutch players in the NBA. [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. (2004). 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. He was also much respected for his ability to inspire and motivate his team members to improve their playing techniques and give their best.
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