He went to McClymonds High School, where he started playing basketball. He had a career of firsts & led the way for many. [141] Russell and Bryant were spectators to a basketball game for Obama's 50th birthday at the White House tennis court. '"[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. 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. "[102] The game still ended on a high note for Russell. [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. The Celtics won the match 115-106. A cause of death wasnt given, nor did a family statement say where he died. 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. Brown, who gave him a high $24,000 rookie contract, just $1,000 shy of the top-earning veteran Bob Cousy.[122]. [97], Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired before the 196667 NBA season. I like most blacks because I am black." [156] In 1970, The Sporting News named Russell the "Athlete of the Decade". [111] Russell notified Auerbach that he was resigning to join a career in television and movies "in order to find new sources of income for the future". [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. [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!" In its announcement, the WCC stated: "The 'Russell Rule' requires each member institution to include a member of a traditionally underrepresented community in the pool of final candidates for every athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach position in the athletic department. [116], As a consequence of his endured racist abuse, Russell was extremely sensitive to all racial prejudice. "[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's so good, he scares you. [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. Over 50 percent of responses said 'There's too many black players. He passed away peacefully with his wife next to him. During his early life, Bill Russell struggled in his life as he [99] His second choice was Cousy, who declined the invitation, stating that he did not want to coach his former teammates. [20], At USF, Russell became the new starting center for coach Phil Woolpert of the San Francisco Dons. [5] For his efforts, Russell was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. He last led the Sacramento Kings as president of basketball operations in the late 1980s. During Russell's college career, the conference was known as the California Basketball Association. Bill Russell started playing for the Celtics in the 1956-57 season in December. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. I'm certainly going to ask Maurice Podoloff." Bill Russell, one of the greatest Boston Celtics and NBA players ever, died, his family said Sunday. Following the 1966 season, in which Russell led the Celtics to an eighth consecutive title, Auerbach retired from coaching. Bill 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. [5], In the 196465 NBA season, the Celtics won a league-record 62 games and Russell averaged 14.1 points and 24.1 rebounds per game, winning his second consecutive rebounding title and his fifth MVP award. 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." In the 1960 NBA playoffs, Russell's Celtics met Chamberlain's Warriors in the Eastern Division Finals. The two men did not speak to each other for more than twenty years until Russell met with Chamberlain and personally apologized. 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. 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. 1 in NBA history for defensive win shares at 133.6, with Tim Duncan in second at 106.3. [118] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. [66] The teams split the first two games, but Russell went down with a foot injury in Game 3 and only returned for Game 6. Bill Russell Family He ended his playing career at the age of 35. Russell was grief-stricken by the death of his mother, whod been his biggest advocate and pushed him to work hard in school. 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. [108] It was so surprising that Auerbach was blindsided and made the mistake of drafting guard Jo Jo White instead of a center. [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. 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. 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. The fans could do or think whatever they wanted. He scored 15.0 ppg and 24.7 rebounds per game during the 1963-64 season. Bill Russell was born on January 10, 1935, and died at age 61 years old on March 9, 1996. WebBill Russell as seen in an Instagram Post in July 2019 (Bill Russell / Instagram) Bill Russell Facts. 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. The block preserved Boston's slim 103102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. [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. [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. [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. In the beginning of the 1957-58 season, the Celtics won 14 straight games. 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. [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. Auerbach, Red and John Feinstein. [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. [34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. In addition, Auerbach had already used his NBA territorial pick to acquire talented forward Tom Heinsohn. [50] After the game, Russell went over to the distraught West, who had scored 42 points and was named the only NBA Finals MVP in history from the losing team, clasped his hand and tried to soothe him. BILL Russell's wife has shared a sweet picture of the couple after his passing this weekend aged 88. [165], Of Russell, former NBA player and head coach Don Nelson said: "There are two types of superstars. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. [139][140] Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011. See the events in life of Bill Russell in Chronological Order, (One of the Greatest Basketball Players of All Time). He was growing older and slow and by the 1967-68 season, his figures were slowly declining. Five times he was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player, and his 21,620 rebounds are second only to Chamberlains career mark. Bill Russell How many kids did Bill Russell have? Exploring the lives [3] Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. [20] When World War II broke out, the elder Russell became a truck driver. As the teams split the first six games, the tension was so high that in Game 3 Celtics coach Auerbach punched his colleague Ben Kerner and received a $300 fine. August 1, 2022 NBA reacts to death of iconic Bill Russell [104], In Game 7, 15,202 Philadelphia fans witnessed a home-team 10096 defeat, making it the first time in NBA history a team lost a series after leading 31. William Felton Russell was an American professional basketball player. [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. Rather than play for somebody else, Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969. [112], In 1971, Russell joined NBA on ABC to do commentary on the Game of the Week. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. Russell articulated these views with a measure of self-criticism, saying: "I consider this a deficiency in myselfmaybe. 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. [38] Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition. While Charlie found good work, in 1946 his wife, Katie, became quite sick with the flu and died. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! [158], On August 11, 2022, it was announced that Russell's No. He reasoned that if Saperstein was too smart to speak with him, then he was too smart to play for Saperstein. His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. 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. And I could anticipate every move that every player made. [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. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship. 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. Bill Russell's Wives Now: Where Are They Today? Auerbach replied that Gottlieb's statements were "absolutely ridiculous" and said any controversy was "a question of sour grapes". "[5] The Sixers outpaced the Celtics when they shredded the famed Boston defense by scoring 140 points in the clinching Game 5 win. And so the Celticsall we looked for was: 'Can he play?' 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. 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. Bill Russell Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life They had three children and divorced in 1973. [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. When the reporter asked how, Russell responded: "Because the most important factor is respect. Considered one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, William Felton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. 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. [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 [14] In 2011, Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the court and in the civil rights movement. Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium. [106] Russell pulled himself together and put up 9.9 points and 19.3 rebounds per game;[1] the aging Celtics stumbled through the regular season. "[22], During his early years, Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball 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. [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. [1] On March 11, 1965, in a 112100 win over the Detroit Pistons, Russell grabbed 49 rebounds, which tied for the third-most in a single game in NBA history,[93] along with 27 points and 6 assists. [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. UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". He was one of the greatest rebounders in basketball history and had led [5], For his achievements, Russell was named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated in 1968. 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. Russel died on July 31, 2022. [1] Boston defeated the Cincinnati Royals 41 to earn another NBA Finals appearance and then won against Chamberlain's newly relocated San Francisco Warriors 41. Regarded as one of the best ever players in the history of National Basketball Association (NBA), William Felton Bill Russell is a retired professional basketball player who was the centerpiece of the Bostons Celtics dynasty for a period of 13 years. He was very famous for his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense which led his team to many victories in major tournaments. "[208] Years after Taylor's book, Russell published the autobiographical account Red and Me, which chronicled his lifelong friendship with Auerbach. [60], At the start of the 195758 NBA season, the Celtics won fourteen straight games and continued to succeed. Bill Russell, an NBA Hall of Famer, was being treated for what appear to be cardiac problems in a hospital in Washington state with him passing away due to the illness and age related ailments. Chamberlain often invited Russell over for Thanksgiving dinner; at Russell's place, conversation mostly concerned Russell's electric trains. He was a 5 Bills understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life. My wife and Russell's laugh. 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. K. C. Jones did not play for the Celtics until 1958 because of military service. I owe so much to him it's impossible to express. "[122] In December 2008, the We Are Boston Leadership Award was presented to Russell. [101] During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]. [5] Auerbach's thoughts were unorthodox, as in that period centers and forwards were defined by their offensive output, and their ability to play defense was secondary. Bill Russell Net Worth 5. 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. The Celtics managed a 108-89 victory and swept the Nationals in three games. WebEarly Life. [53], Due to his Olympic commitment, Russell could not join the Celtics for the 195657 NBA season until December.
