6 jersey", "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? Russell won 11 NBA championships, five league MVPs and also became the first Black head coach. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. [59] Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 titles in 13 years. The Lakers featured new recruit Chamberlain next to perennial stars Baylor and West, and were the favorites. (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. [20] Russell was closer to his mother Katie than to his father,[20] and he received a major emotional blow when she suddenly died when he was 12 years old. He was one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball and left behind an amazing legacy. [131][132] In 2008, Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement. 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,[162] and No. She's also provided commentary on the high-profile cases of NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams. I was the MVP at the Final Four. Birth Place: Career, Awards, and Achievements Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. 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. 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. 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. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship. Woolpert emphasized defense and deliberate half-court play, which favored Russell's exceptional defensive skills. He worked hard and used the benefits of a growth spurt to become a decent basketball player. Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, Russell steered the club to 11 titles. I owe so much to him it's impossible to express. "[109] This supported the opinion of many white fans that Russell, who was by then the highest-paid Celtic, was egotistical, paranoid, and hypocritical. The bill has specific provisions for protecting children and Molly's father, Ian, called for it to be introduced "urgently" after the hearing. When he attempted to leave and find a different station, the attendant stuck a shotgun in his face and threatened to kill him if he did not stay and wait his turn. He later recalled: "To play good defense it was told back then that you had to stay flatfooted at all times to react quickly. Russell's daughter, Karen, is a legal and political analyst, as well as a blogger. 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. 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. Russell, a civil rights activist who went from championship player to the first black. [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. . '"[202], In a retrospective interview, Russell described the state of mind he felt he needed to enter in order to be able to play basketball as if "I had to almost be in a rage. Be the first one to comment on this story. It's all over! The block preserved Boston's slim 103102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. 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. [77] In the Eastern Division championships of the 1962 NBA playoffs, the Celtics met the Philadelphia Warriors led by Chamberlain, who averaged 50 points per game that season, and Russell did his best to slow him down. [65] 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. While in Oakland he was very poor but became a skillful basketball player. From the humblest of beginnings, Russell went on to lead each and every one of his basketball teams to Championships two California State High School Championships, two back-to-back NCAA titles, a Gold . Jones. KEY POINTS. "[109][206] When his white Celtics teammate Frank Ramsey asked whether he hated him, Russell stated that he had been misquoted but few believed it. "[164] 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. I wanted you to have the best possible education and to be able to make the best contacts. Russell responded to the honor by tweeting, Just found out I will be receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Russell was accused of selling out the future of the franchise for a month of his salary. The centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years, Russell earned his last two NBA titles as a player-coach the first Black coach in any major U.S. sport . He led the San Francisco Dons to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956,[4] and he captained the gold-medal winning U.S. national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics. In an interview with ESPN, Russell said he wanted the NFL players to know they were not alone. She is a legal and political analyst who graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. ", "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', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Russell&oldid=1134316357, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 02:15. [110] 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". Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium. In the letter she wrote for The New York Times in 1987, Karen Russell said her family came home from a three-day weekend one night to find their house robbed and vandalized. [107] 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 had invested $250,000 in a rubber plantation in Liberia, where he had wanted to spend his retirement, but it went bankrupt. Bill Russell's death led to a tremendous outpouring of condolences from the NBA world on Sunday. [109] 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. The burglars had poured beer on the pool table and ripped up the felt," Karen wrote in the . [209] After that, the two were often seen together at various events and interviewed as friends. [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 children and grandchildren of the Boston Celtics legend were able to say their goodbyes on Saturday, a source told Andscape. Brown contacted Rochester owner Les Harrison and received an assurance that the Royals could not afford Russell, and they would draft Sihugo Green. [98] On April 16, 1966, Russell agreed to become head coach of the Celtics, and a public announcement was made two days later. [68] Both men awed onlookers with "nakedly awesome athleticism",[68] and while Chamberlain outscored Russell 30 to 22, the Celtics won 115106, and the match was called a "new beginning of basketball". 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. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty, winning eleven NBA championships during his . The oldest son of Bill Russell, William Felton Russell Jr, who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, unfortunately passed away in 2016. Powered by. "[5][120] On November 3, 1979, Russell hosted Saturday Night Live, in which he appeared in several sports-related sketches. The statement did not give. Over the course of his life, Rusell played 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, during which time he took home 11 championships titles with the team. He was a standout in the high jump and according to Track & Field News was ranked the seventh-best high-jumper in the world in 1956, his graduation year, despite not competing in Olympic high-jump competition. 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." Heinsohn felt that Russell resented him because the former was named the 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year. The Hall of Famer was 88. [120] Perennially wary of what he long perceived as a racist city, Russell decided to make amends and gave his approval. [117] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. Bill Russell, Boston Celtics legend, dies at 88 July 31, 2022 / 12:48 PM / AP BOSTON (AP) Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13. [142] By winning the 1956 NCAA championship with USF and the 1957 NBA title with the Celtics,[143] 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. [139] Russell and Bryant were spectators to a basketball game for Obama's 50th birthday at the White House tennis court. [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,[92] along with 27 points and 6 assists. By Amanda Kaufman Globe Staff, Updated August 1, 2022, 3:42 p.m. Boston Celtics player-coach Bill Russell. 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 2014, after the unveiling of his statue at City Hall in Boston, Russell spoke a bit about his parents and what his life was like growing up. Bill Russell achieved a lot during his life. Karen graduated from Harward Law School and has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues. 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. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all-time. The fans could do or think whatever they wanted. [59], At the start of the 195758 NBA season, the Celtics won fourteen straight games and continued to succeed. [30] Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. [5] Russell was known as one of the most clutch players in the NBA. We won 28 out of 29 games. Bill Russell has three children. "[49], Duiring the 196869 NBA season, Russell was shocked by the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, disillusioned by the Vietnam War, and weary from his increasingly stale marriage to his wife Rose; the couple later divorced. Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana.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. Bill Russell, the NBA great who began his career in Oakland, anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 yearsthe last two as the first Black head coach in any major U.S. sportand marched for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr., died Sunday. This was in contrast to other Celtics who had to work during the offseason to maintain their standard of living; Tom Heinsohn sold insurance, Gene Guarilia was a professional guitar player, Cousy ran a basketball camp, and Red Auerbach invested in plastics and a Chinese restaurant. In 1987, Karen Rusell penned an article for the New York Times titled, Growing Up With Privilege and Prejudice.. [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. [12] Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. 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,[75] and Boston won the 1961 NBA Finals in five games. [198][199] Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me. He didn't. Bill Russell's family wrote on social media Sunday morning announcing the NBA legend . When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family out of Louisiana and settled in Oakland, California. ___ "[165] 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. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. Bill Russell passed away peacefully at age 88 Sunday with his wife Jeannine by his side, according to his family; The NBA legend played for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969 Jacob H. Russell was born on July 6, 1959. Prior to Game 5, no NBA team had ever come back from a 31 deficit. Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in . NBA legend Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in the league, passed away "peacefully" Sunday, according to a family statement from. What do we know about Russells personal life? [151] In 2009, Russell's erstwhile Knicks opponent Bill Bradley wrote in The New York Times Book Review that Russell "was the smartest player ever to play the game [of basketball]". "[178], Russell was married to his college sweetheart Rose Swisher from 1956 to 1973. In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that Russell was "the greatest champion in all of team sports". [130] On June 18, 2007, Russell was inducted as a member of the founding class of the FIBA Hall of Fame. He replied: "Yes." Mr. Russell has a large family and a large number of friends who are proud of him for his services to society. [90][91] 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. is LYING to you. [182] Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death. 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