I knew youd encounter racism and sexism, and maybe, in some ways, thats a good thing. "[198] In 2009, Russell wrote his paternal grandfather's motto, passed down to his father and then to him: "A man has to draw a line inside himself that he won't allow any man to cross." In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that Russell was "the greatest champion in all of team sports". In the piece, she explains how she experienced such privilege in her life at times, but how she was also met with periods of intense racism and sexism. [141], Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history. He was born on November 2, 1957 and worked for Cox Trucking for several years. In addition to his career accomplishments, Russell was a prominent human rights activist in sports. William Felton Russell Jr., Bill Russell's oldest son who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, died in 2016. [98] His second choice was Cousy, who declined the invitation, stating that he did not want to coach his former teammates. So Hirsch went to Seattle to have lunch with Russell and his daughter, attorney Karen Russell. . Aside from that, the late Russell remained a big part of the . Performance & security by Cloudflare. He is quoted by Fox Sports as saying that his father lived in Louisiana. 6 for most regular season MVPNBA Finals MVP awards, despite the latter being assigned only since 1969. [79] 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. Bill Russell- a pioneer of NBA, legendary player, Hall of Famer, activist, and Boston Celtics icon who had bagged five MVPs awards and 11 Championships in his career, died on July 31, 2022, due to natural reasons at his home at the age of 88. 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. 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. It was reportedly back on January 8, 2018, that Jeannine and Bill got married in a private ceremony surrounded by loved ones, just for the union to last until his demise on July 23, 2022. He revealed that his mother died when he was 12. We won 28 out of 29 games. [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. His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. "[98], Boston's championship streak ended at eight in his first full season as head coach when Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers won a record-breaking 68 regular-season games and were the favorites heading into the 1967 NBA playoffs, where they beat the Celtics 41 in the Eastern Division Finals. Says Bill Russell: "Basketball is a game that involves a great deal of psychology. [49], The Celtics lost Cousy to retirement after the 196263 NBA season, and they drafted John Havlicek and were powered by Russell, who averaged 16.8 points and 23.6 rebounds per game, won his fourth regular-season MVP award, and earned the NBA All-Star Game MVP honors at the 1963 NBA All-Star Game following his 19-point, 24-rebound performance for the Eastern Conference's All-Star team. Karen Russell is a legal and political expert as well as a blogger. Russell was married three times. The NBA legend was married Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, from 1956 to 1973. Still, there was constantly a flow of people from Louisiana that my father would let stay with us. [56] This skill allowed the other Celtics to play their men aggressively; if they were beaten, they knew that Russell was guarding the basket. [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. The 88-year-old basketball icon passed away on July 31, 2022. [56] Russell had a more cordial relationship with many of his teammates with the notable exception of Heinsohn, his old rival and fellow rookie. Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. 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." He was one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball and left behind an amazing legacy.
Rose Swisher, Bill Russell's ex-wife - Dicy Trends Bill Russell's Wives Now: Where Are They Today? Update Tonight, Bull Russell will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2019 ESPYs. [4][8] While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. [49] He ranks No. 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972,[113] Russell had worn the same number 6 at the USF and for the 1956 U.S. Olympic team.
Top Ten NBA Players of All Time [153] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. July 31, 2022 10:57 AM. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony. Take away all the on-court accomplishments, and Russell still lived a life.
Bill Russell's observations on race, society in the 1960s - Sports Bill Russell dies at 88: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, more He starred in college playing center at the University of San Francisco, leading the team to . UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". What was Bill Russell's life like while he was racking up 11 rings? [187], In 1959, Russell became the first NBA player to visit Africa. [186] His older brother was the noted playwright Charlie L. [193] 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. Bill Russell was one of the greatest players in NBA history who was known for his outstanding defense. Russell's 51 rebounds in a single game is the second-highest performance ever, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's all-time record of 55. NBA great Bill Russell, who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years, died . BOSTON Celtics legend, Bill Russell, had three children with his first wife, Rose. [58], At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. Rules on Defense, Coach of Warriors Says", "The 'Coleman Play' introduced and defined Bill Russell's never-say-die leadership to Boston", "12 times NBA awards were pretty ridiculous", "Syracuse Nationals at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 5, 1960", "Boston Celtics at Philadelphia Warriors Box Score, November 24, 1960", "1960 NBA Finals Game 2: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, March 29, 1960", "1960 NBA Finals Game 7: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 9, 1960", "Celtics Give Sharman Championship Sendoff", "Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 16, 1962", "Boston Celtics Players to have recorded a triple-double", "1962 NBA Finals Game 7: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 18, 1962", "Cincinnati Royals vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 31, 1963", "Kennedy Greets Celtics, but Bill Russell Sleeps", "New York Knicks at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 10, 1963", "1963 NBA Finals Game 3: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 17, 1963", "On this day: Pandemic pause anniversary; Russell's 49 boards; Potapenko trade", "Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics Box Score, March 11, 1965", "1968 Sportsman of the Year: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics coach-player", "Bill Russell Reported Favoring Movie Career", "Celtics legend Bill Russell receives second induction into Basketball Hall of Fame, as coach this time", "Successful, short-lived coaching days get Bill Russell into Hall again", "Bill Russell, NBA great and former Sonics coach, dies at 88", "Bill Russell Leaves Lasting Impact on Kings", "Watch Saturday Night Live Episode: November 3 Bill Russell", "Culture Now Is a Great Time to Read Bill Russell's Memoir", "Best Betting Scenes: Bill Russell Goes Rogue on 'Miami Vice', "Russell Redux: A Private Man Bursts Back Into the Public Eye", "Shaq heeds Russell's call for peace; Lakers hold on for win", "Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame to induct founding class", "Sports legend Bill Russell receives an honorary degree at the 2007 Suffolk University commencement", "Honorary degrees awarded at Commencement's Morning Exercises", "Dartmouth grads hear 'nose dive' warning", "Naismith and FIBA Hall of Fame: Full list of inductees enshrined at Springfield and Madrid", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement Sports", "The Finals MVP to Receive Bill Russell MVP Award", "All-Star Top 10, from Shaq's moves to boos for Spurs", "Kobe shows maturity of last seven years in leading Lakers to title", "Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients (Photos)", "Inside the Iconic Obama Basketball Games at the White House", "25 players that won a NCAA and NBA championship", "Jordan, Jabbar, Russell and Magic won NCAA and NBA titles, but it's become a rare feat", "Quick quiz: Only four players have been", "How Bill Russell's coaching career opened doors for NBA's Black head coaches", "Bill Russell: How historic success as the league's first Black coach paved the way for others", "NBA Legend Bill Russell Became First Black Coach In Pro Sports 46 Years Ago Today", "Biggest moments for NBA's 15 Greatest Coaches", "Top 10 NBA Players With The Most Finals And Regular Season MVPs Combined", "Ranking Every NBA All-Defensive First Team in History from Worst to First", "NBA 75: Bill Russell, 1960s Athlete of the Decade (TSN Archives)", "ESPN's 'SportsCentury' Goes Back-Back-Back", "Top N. American athletes of the century", "Daily Dime: Special Edition The game's greatest giants ever", "Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. During a press conference, Russell was asked: "As the first Negro head coach in a major league sport, can you do the job impartially without any racial prejudice in reverse?"
[1] While his rival had a record-breaking season of 50.4 points per game, including Chamberlain's 100-point game,[67] the Celtics became the first team to win 60 games in a season and Russell was voted as the league's MVP. . Bill Russell with his coach, Red Auerbach, in December 1964 after scoring his 10,000th career point in a game in Boston Garden. A post shared by Bill Russell (@realbillrussell) on Oct 7, 2018 at 10:07pm PDT. [70] Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. When the NBA All-Stars toured the U.S. in the 1958 offseason, white hotel owners in segregated North Carolina denied rooms to Russell and his black teammates, causing him to later write in his 1966 memoir Go Up for Glory: "It stood out, a wall which understanding cannot penetrate. [96], Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired before the 196667 NBA season. [84] 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. 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.
Bill Russell Children: Meet Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr And Karen How many kids did Bill Russell have? Exploring the lives of the late 11 . "[166] 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. 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. [137] Russell attended Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals to present Bryant the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. 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. [222] When Russell originally retired, he demanded that his jersey be retired in an empty Boston Garden.