[49] He ranks No. [109] The same fate awaited his Boston restaurant Slade's, after which he had to default on a $90,000 government loan to purchase the outlet. 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. [114] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. [221] When Russell originally retired, he demanded that his jersey be retired in an empty Boston Garden. When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain's nephew said that Russell was the second person he was told to call. The most prolific winner in NBA history, Russell was the centerpiece of. [49] He excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive rebounds. Bill Russell. If you were too sheltered, Im afraid youd be too naive. [204] At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach's impact as a coach, regarding him as the greatest of all coaches, confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. [5], On February 5, 1960, Russell had 23 points, 51 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 124100 win over the Syracuse Nationals. [93], In the 1965 NBA playoffs, the Celtics played the Eastern Division Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that had traded for Chamberlain. These statues were modeled by a local boy from Somerville and multiple girls from the surrounding area. He was 88. KEY POINTS. She used to admire her father, a national basketball player. A 1987 essay by Bill Russell's daughter detailed racism the family faced in Mass. His family posted the news on social media, saying his wife, Jeannine, was by his side. I was first team All American. Basketball: NBA Playoffs, Boston Celtics Bill Russell in action vs New York Knicks, Game 6, Cover, Boston, MA 4/18/1969 Tonight, Bull Russell will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2019 ESPYs. He has three children named Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr., and Karen Russell. DeJulio was unimpressed by Russell's meager scoring and "atrocious fundamentals",[29] but he sensed that the young Russell had an extraordinary instinct for the game, especially in the clutch. [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. [189], Russell died at his Mercer Island, Washington, home on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. [56] He also became famous for his shot-blocking skills and pundits called his blocks "Wilsonburgers", referring to the Wilson NBA basketballs he "shoved back into the faces of opposing shooters". It covered every area. "[99][214] 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. Arthur was a man of great courage. [37], On the hardwood, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. In 1956, Russell married his college sweetheart, Rose Swisher. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. [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,[97] in a 9593 win in Game 7. If that isn't goaltending, I want somebody to tell me what it is. [28], Russell was ignored by college recruiters and received not one offer until recruiter Hal DeJulio from the University of San Francisco (USF) watched him play in a high school game. And I could anticipate every move that every player made. William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. Born on November 2, 1957, in Melrose, Massachusetts, William Felton Russell Jr. worked for Cox Trucking for several years. ___ The Hall of Famer was 88. The 11-time NBA champion had been dealing with health issues in recent years, sources said. 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? [107], The Celtics were ahead by nine points with five minutes remaining; in addition, West was limping after a Game 5 thigh injury and Chamberlain had left the game with an injured leg. A morass to fight from. [223], 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. [8][38] His awards and achievements include eleven NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in thirteen seasons,[52] two of which were won as player-coach,[141] and he is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level. [156] Russell ranked No. He said: "The Celtics were the first [NBA basketball] team to draft a black player, period: a guy named Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. Bill Russell siblings [125] 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. [56] Russell never had to work part-time. In an interview with ESPN, Russell said he wanted the NFL players to know they were not alone. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. 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. He is quoted by Fox Sports as saying that his father lived in Louisiana. 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. [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. [Auerbach would] get the information from us and then make a decision based on that information and his thoughts. My wife and Russell's laugh. 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. [56] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. In Game 6, Russell recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 24 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Celtics won 119105. [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. 4 in a similar list by The Athletic. Bill Russell's Siblings His only sibling is Charlie L. Russell. [5] Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled. July 31, 2022 1:27pm. [5][41] His stint as coach of the Celtics was also of historical significance,[145][146] as he became the first black head coach in the NBA,[14] when he succeeded Red Auerbach. He married again Dorothy Anstett (Miss USA 1968) in 1977. [187] Russell was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, having been initiated into its Gamma Alpha chapter while a student at University of San Francisco. He was one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball and left behind an amazing legacy. [19], His father was described as 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. Career, Awards, and Achievements Russell died Sunday at the age of 88, with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, his family said in a statement posted on social media. Mr. Bill was born July 3, 1952 in Columbus, Ohio to Donald M. & Barbara 'Stump' Jones. -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "FULL KYRIE IRVING and GORDON HAYWARD CELTICS Press Conference" youtube.com/watch?v=f7FoDj4-Nzw -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-, Karen Rusell penned an article for the New York Times. [69] 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. "[49] 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. [5] In addition, Russell holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most rebounds (40, March 29, 1960, vs. St. Louis, and April 18, 1962, vs. Los Angeles), most rebounds in a quarter (19, April 18, 1962, vs. Los Angeles), and most consecutive games with 20 or more rebounds (15 from April 9, 1960 April 16, 1963). ", "Basketball Players who Caused Rule Changes by Ron Kurtus", "The Bill Russell Story: More Than A Champion", "NCAA Basketball Tourney History: Two by Four", "Stanford Trackmen Finish Fourth in Fresno Relays; Leamon King Equals Century World Record; Landy Runs Mile in 3.59.1; Russell Nears Mark", "Bill Russell attempting to clear 69 1/4. "[197] 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." '"[217] 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. Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years the last two as the first Black head coach in any major U.S. sport and marched for . Russell played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. Bill answered, I played for the Celtics, period I did not play for Boston. [38] He became known for his strong defense and shot-blocking skills, once denying 13 shots in a game. He worked hard and used the benefits of a growth spurt to become a decent basketball player. "[30] The NCAA rewrote rules in response to Russell's dominant play; the lane was widened for his junior year. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 titles in 13 years. Bill Cosby's daughter Ensa was buried at the comedian's family compound outside Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts on Wednesday. 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. "We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Jeannine, his family and his many friends." His family said that arrangements for Russell's memorial service will be announced in the coming days. One of his highest jumps occurred at the WCR, where he achieved a mark of .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}6feet 9+14inches (2.06m);[43] at the meet, Russell tied Charlie Dumas, who would later in the year win gold in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia for the United States and become the first person to high-jump 7 feet (2.13m). [222] In 1995, the Celtics left the Boston Garden and entered the FleetCenter, now known as the TD Garden; as the main festive act, the Celtics wanted to re-retire Russell's jersey in front of a sellout audience. Bill Russell's family wrote on social media Sunday morning announcing the NBA legend . Russell's daughter, Karen, is a. Russell won 11 NBA championships, five league MVPs and also became the first Black head coach. Cooper, the Boston Celtics will never embarrass you.' No cause of death was immediately available; Russell, who had been living in the Seattle area, was not well enough to present the NBA Finals MVP trophy in June due to a long illness. She graduated as an English Major from the University of Washington. [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. Auerbach, Red and John Feinstein. [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. 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