[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. He later commented that he would have participated in the high jump if he had been snubbed by the basketball team. Russell's 51 rebounds in a single game is the second-highest performance ever, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's all-time record of 55. In California, life for the Russell family proved rough. "[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. Chamberlain often invited Russell over for Thanksgiving dinner; at Russell's place, conversation mostly concerned Russell's electric trains. [20], At USF, Russell became the new starting center for coach Phil Woolpert of the San Francisco Dons. Prior to Game 5, no NBA team had ever come back from a 31 deficit. [50] He excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive rebounds. 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. This was the first time in seven years that he failed to average at least 23 rebounds a game. 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,[164] and No. [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. He was born to Charles and Katie Russell. 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. WebBill Russell as seen in an Instagram Post in July 2019 (Bill Russell / Instagram) Bill Russell Facts. [168] On June 15, 2017, Russell was announced as the inaugural recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. [5] Russell's team again beat Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers 41 in the Eastern Division Finals, proceeding to win the NBA Finals in a tight showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers, with Russell scoring 25 points and grabbing 32 rebounds, plus giving out an assist,[98] in a 9593 win in Game 7. [223] When Russell originally retired, he demanded that his jersey be retired in an empty Boston Garden. Bill Russell, one of the greatest Boston Celtics and NBA players ever, died, his family said Sunday. [8][38] His awards and achievements include eleven NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in thirteen seasons,[53] two of which were won as player-coach,[143] and he is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level. [110] According to Taylor, Russell discounted the fact that his career was facilitated by white people who were proven anti-racists: his high school coach George Powles, who encouraged him to play basketball, his college coach Phil Woolpert, who integrated USF basketball, Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who made him the first black NBA coach and is regarded as an anti-racist pioneer for his no color barrier, and Celtics owner Walter A. [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. 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. 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. WebBill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. [187] His older brother was the noted playwright Charlie L. 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. 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. He scored 15.0 ppg and 24.7 rebounds per game during the 1963-64 season. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony. The Lakers featured new recruit Chamberlain next to perennial stars Baylor and West, and were the favorites. [68][109] The Celtics held on for a 108106 victory and Russell claimed his eleventh championship in thirteen years. [61] He alienated Celtics fans by saying: "You owe the public the same it owes you, nothing! [169] In October 2021, Russell was honored as one of theleague's 75 greatest players of all-time. [19] Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. The basketball star and his fourth wife Jeannine had continued to [132] On June 18, 2007, Russell was inducted as a member of the founding class of the FIBA Hall of Fame. [29] When DeJulio offered Russell a scholarship, he eagerly accepted. [Auerbach would] get the information from us and then make a decision based on that information and his thoughts. 101", "The NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, ranked: Where 76 basketball legends check in on our list", "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens", "President Obama Names Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients", "Bill Russell to receive NBA's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award", "Bill Russell's No. The Celtics won Game 4 in an upset, but the Hawks prevailed in Games 5 and 6, with Pettit scoring 50 points in the deciding Game 6. According to Taylor, he often perceived insults even if others did not. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. The teams coach, Red Auerbach, coveted Russell as the missing piece to what he believed could be a championship roster. [188], In 1959, Russell became the first NBA player to visit Africa. 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. 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 The couple grew emotionally distant and divorced. [67] Lakers head coach John Kundla praised Russell, stating: "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. [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. It was one cold day of 1934 and the month of love when Bill was born. They were together from 1956 to 1973. [18], Bill Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. [79] At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. In the 1959 NBA Finals, the Celtics recaptured the NBA title, sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers 40. Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, who won 11 championships in 13 seasons with the team, While in Oakland he was very poor but became a "[100][216] As a result of repeated racial bigotry, Russell refused to respond to fan acclaim or friendship from his neighbors, thinking it was insincere and hypocritical. He was one of the most successful players ever to have graced American basketball. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. [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. [57] Russell had a more cordial relationship with many of his teammates with the notable exception of Heinsohn, his old rival and fellow rookie. West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, San Francisco Dons men's basketball 195455 NCAA champions, San Francisco Dons men's basketball 195556 NCAA champions, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career minutes played leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks, List of National Basketball Association single-game rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association rookie single-season rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association single-season rebounding leaders, List of NBA players with most championships, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career rebounding leaders, "Bill Russell, Henri Richard Famous Elevens Gallery", "195356 NCAA Championship Seasons: The Bill Russell Years", "Bill Russell's Trailblazing Legacy Is Secure (Even If Stats Can't Measure It)", "Bill Russell Is A Champion By Defintion [sic]", "Where does Bill Russell rank among best centers in NBA history? [57] Russell's defense was called into question by Eddie Gottlieb, coach of the Philadelphia Warriors, after the WarriorsCeltics game on January 1, 1957, in which he recorded 17 points and 25 rebounds, plus an assist. [62] Russell scored 21 points and grabbed an NBA Finals-record 40 rebounds, plus an assist, in a Game 2 loss,[74] and he added 22 points and 35 rebounds, along with 4 assists,[75] in the deciding Game 7, a 122103 victory for Boston. He Says He Is His Fathers Son. [86] On February 10, 1963, Russell recorded his first regular season triple-double after putting up 17 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 129123 win over the New York Knicks. [101] During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]. I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies. 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. I was first team All American. [71] Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me. [32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. [97], Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired before the 196667 NBA season. [108] Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. 4 in ESPN's list of the top 74 NBA players of all time, the second best center behind Abdul-Jabbar and ahead of Chamberlain. Bill Russell Children: Meet Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. [16] In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time for his coaching career. [128] On November 17, the two-time NCAA champion Russell was recognized for his impact on college basketball as a member of the founding class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. But by his senior year, his game had picked up enough to earn him a starting spot. I was the MVP at the Final Four. If I looked at it objectively, detached myself, it would be a deficiency. Russell limited Chamberlain to only two shot attempts in the second half. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family out of Louisiana and settled in Oakland, California. [156] In 1970, The Sporting News named Russell the "Athlete of the Decade". [110][221], Russell refused to attend the ceremony when his jersey No. He is depicted in-game, surrounded by 11 plinths representing the 11 championships he helped the Celtics win. When the reporter asked how, Russell responded: "Because the most important factor is respect. [19] While there, they fell into poverty and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of public housing projects. [115] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. [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. Born In: Monroe, Louisiana, United States. [30], Combining the stature and shot-blocking skills of a center with the foot speed of a guard, Russell became the centerpiece of a USF team that soon became a force in college basketball. [21][42] That year, Russell won high jump titles at the Central California Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meet, the Pacific AAU meet, and the West Coast Relays (WCR). Athletically awkward at first, Russell struggled to find playing time on the team at McClymonds High School in Oakland. [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. "[102] The game still ended on a high note for Russell. (embedded photo)", "Rare Photos of Bill Russell (third photo in gallery", "Eight players who have won NCAA, NBA, and Olympic titles", "2003 draft eventually may be best in history", "Philadelphia Warriors vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 1, 1957", "Russell of Celtics Violates N.B.A. The Internal Revenue Service discovered that Russell owed $34,430 in tax money and put a lien on his house. The NBA Finals MVP Award was renamed the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award in his honour in 2009. (2004). The game featured Shane Battier, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Maya Moore, Alonzo Mourning, Joakim Noah, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and Obama's friends from high school. In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 29.4 rebounds. [113] His No. [211] After that, the two were often seen together at various events and interviewed as friends. Equally skilled at grabbing rebounds, he was just one of the only two players to have made more than 50 rebounds in a single game and had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds. [5][41], Besides basketball, Russell represented USF in track and field events. 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. He married former Miss USA, Dorothy Anstett, a white woman, in 1977. [135][136], On February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award would be renamed the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his honor as an 11-time NBA champion. He was also much respected for his ability to inspire and motivate his team members to improve their playing techniques and give their best. [165], Of Russell, former NBA player and head coach Don Nelson said: "There are two types of superstars. He worked hard and used the benefits of a growth spurt to become a decent basketball player. "[66], In the 195859 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game. [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. I like most blacks because I am black." 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. [60] With the Celtics leading 125123 with one second left, the Hawks had the ball at their own baseline. Bill Russell married his college sweetheart Rose Swisher in 1956. [184] Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death. [65], The Celtics won 49 games and made the first berth in the 1958 NBA playoffs, where they met in the 1958 NBA Finals with their familiar rivals, the St. Louis Hawks. 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. [5] The Russell draft-day trade was later called one of the most important trades in the history of North American sports. "[122] In December 2008, the We Are Boston Leadership Award was presented to Russell. [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. In his thirteen years, he averaged a relatively low 13.4 field goals attempted (normally, top scorers average 20 and more),[1] illustrating that he was never the focal point of the Celtics offense, who instead focused on his elite defense. William Felton Russell was an American professional basketball player. While Saperstein spoke to Woolpert in a meeting, Globetrotters assistant coach Harry Hanna tried to entertain Russell with jokes, but he was livid after this snub and declined the offer. 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. They had three children and divorced in 1973. Basketball provided him a means of rising above this negativity and he grew up to prove his mettle. WebEarly Life. In Game 2, Philadelphia evened the series with a 115106 win and then went on to win Games 3 and 4. [59], At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. '"[219] In retirement, Russell described the Boston press as corrupt and racist; in response, Boston sports journalist Larry Claflin claimed that Russell himself was the real racist. Russel died on July 31, 2022. Eleven-time NBA champion and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell died 'peacefully' at the age of 88, his family confirmed Sunday. ", "Glory at the Basket, William Felton Russell", "The Ring Leader: Bill Russell helped the Celtics rule their sport like no team ever has", "Celtics Name Russell Coach, Making Him First Negro to Lead Major Team", "A Farewell Fiercest Rival: Bill Russell Recalls Wilt As His Friend For Eternity", "Bill Russell: Working with Red Auerbach", "More than 40 years later, Celtics great Bill Russell finally accepts his Hall of Fame ring", "Third Annual 'We Are Boston' Event Honors Outstanding Contributions to Boston's Diversity", "Bill Russell: 'Tell those NFL players, I'm with them', UPI College Basketball Player of the Year Award, Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year, NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1955 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1956 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Russell&oldid=1152374708, African-American male track and field athletes, African-American sports executives and administrators, All-American college men's basketball players, American sports executives and administrators, Basketball players at the 1956 Summer Olympics, Basketball players from Oakland, California, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association broadcasters, National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches, National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award winners, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball, San Francisco Dons men's basketball players, San Francisco Dons men's track and field athletes, Track and field athletes from Oakland, California, United States men's national basketball team players, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 21:24. Lakers coach Bill van Breda Kolff kept him on the bench until the end of the game, saying later that he wanted to stay with the lineup responsible for the comeback. 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. [158], On August 11, 2022, it was announced that Russell's No. Jones treated like 'Rock' stars at Alcatraz", "Bill Russell, Who Transformed Pro Basketball, Dies at 88", "Bill Russell Receives Arthur Ashe Courage Award At ESPYS", "Watch Bill Russell be inducted into Hall of Fame as a coach", "Bill Russell's No. [69] Both men awed onlookers with "nakedly awesome athleticism",[69] and while Chamberlain outscored Russell 30 to 22, the Celtics won 115106, and the match was called a "new beginning of basketball". 6 to be retired across NBA following legend's death last month", "Chat Transcript: Celtics Legend Bill Russell", "Russell 'So good, he scares you' Mikan", "Bill Russell Named Boston Celtic Coach; Basketball Star To Draw $125,001 Salary a Record for a Pro Coach or Manager He'll Take over Next Season", "Who's Better At Hoops: Bill Russell Or Frank Robinson? [14][192] The news was announced in a Twitter post by his family. Suddenly, his grandfather broke down crying. Following the 1966 season, in which Russell led the Celtics to an eighth consecutive title, Auerbach retired from coaching. 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. [66] Many observers thought that Boston could have won had Russell not been injured, but Auerbach commented: "You can always look for excuses We just got beat. [163] In 2022, he was ranked No. Russell was married three times. [50] After the Celtics' 10889 victory, Schayes, who made Johnny Kerr come off the bench because he struggled against Russell in the regular season, quipped: "How much does that guy make a year? [4][8] While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship. When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain's nephew said that Russell was the second person he was told to call. 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?' Because Russell ignored virtually any well-wisher who approached him home or away, including the vast majority of media, his autograph was among the most difficult to secure of any professional athlete of his time. [174] The statue was unveiled on November 1, 2013, with Russell in attendance. ", "Bill Russell, K.C. "[215], In 1966, Russell was promoted to head coach of the Celtics. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 6 jersey", "Bill Russell Statue Unveiled At Boston City Hall", "Bill Russell statue to be unveiled Nov. 1", "City Hall Plaza statue honors Celtics' Bill Russell", "Basketball's Bill Russell joins the Bronze Age", "Russell Rule Diversity Hiring Commitment", "The University of San Francisco Honors the Memory of Marilyn Nault Russell", "Bill Russell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", "Bill Russell, legendary Celtics center and NBA coach, dead at 88", "Indomitable Russell Values One Accolade Above the Rest", "Police: NBA legend Bill Russell arrested with gun at airport", "Bill Russell, Basketball Great With Record 11 NBA Titles, Dies At 88", "Celtics legend, 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell dies at 88", "What NBA salaries would these superstar players make today? Hall of Fame basketball center Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to consecutive NCAA titles before starting his pro career with the Boston Celtics in 1956. [198], In 1966, The New York Times wrote that "Russell's main characteristics are pride, intelligence, an active and appreciative sense of humor, a preoccupation with dignity, a capacity for consideration once his friendship or sympathy has been aroused, and an unwillingness to compromise whatever truths he has accepted. [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. You are a Negro. Following the 1969 season, Russell retired from the game. "[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. [20] Since Russell's previous experiences with white authority figures were often negative, warm words from Powles reassured him.
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