[139][140] Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011. [130] Russell also received honorary degrees from Harvard University on June 7, 2007,[131] and from Dartmouth College on June 14, 2009. [190] On October 16, 2013, Russell was arrested for bringing his registered, loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun to the SeattleTacoma International Airport. [110] In response, Russell described Boston as a "flea market of racism". In the first two games, Russell ordered his players not to double-team West, who used the freedom to score 53 and 41 points in the Game 1 and 2 Laker wins. In the interim, Russell won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. You are a Negro. [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). Brown, who gave him a high $24,000 rookie contract, just $1,000 shy of the top-earning veteran Bob Cousy.[122]. They were together from 1956 to 1973. He played 48 games with an average of 14.7 points per game and 19.6 rebounds per game. He told her to go home and remove the dress, which he described as "white woman's clothing". [149][150], In his first NBA full season (195758), Russell became the first player in NBA history to average more than 20 rebounds per game for an entire season, a feat he accomplished ten times in his thirteen seasons. "[50], In the 195960 NBA season, the NBA witnessed the debut of 7ft 1in (2.16m) Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged a record 37.6 points per game in his rookie year. In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 29.4 rebounds. [94], In the 1965 NBA playoffs, the Celtics played the Eastern Division Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that had traded for Chamberlain. When the Sixers' Hall-of-Fame guard Hal Greer inbounded, Havlicek stole the ball, causing Celtics commentator Johnny Most to scream: "Havlicek stole the ball! [146] He also won two state championships in high school. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. "[61] Before the 196162 season, Russell's team was scheduled to play in an exhibition game in Lexington, Kentucky, when Russell and his black teammates were refused service at a local restaurant. ", "Bill Russell, K.C. [115] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. [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. [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. The fans could do or think whatever they wanted. [50][90], In the 196364 NBA season, the Celtics posted a league-best 5822 record in the regular season. Five times he was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player, and his 21,620 rebounds are second only to Chamberlains career mark. Reserve forward Alex Hannum threw a long alley-oop pass to Pettit and Pettit's tip-in rolled indecisively on the rim for several seconds before rolling out again. [13], Russell played in the wake of black pioneers Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Sweetwater Clifton, and he was the first black player to achieve superstar status in the NBA. Even as he won on the court, Russell, an outspoken backer of The Celtics were already a high-scoring team but the addition of Russell added to their strengths. During his three-year varsity career, in which he led the team to consecutive NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956, he averaged 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. [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". William Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. [155] He was selected three times to the All-NBA First Teams (1959, 1963, 1965) and eight Second Teams (1958, 196062, 1964, 196668), and was a 12-time NBA All-Star (19581969). We won 28 out of 29 games. He was also much respected for his ability to inspire and motivate his team members to improve their playing techniques and give their best. 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. This was the first time in seven years that he failed to average at least 23 rebounds a game. During his early life, Bill Russell struggled in his life as he Johnny Havlicek stole the ball! Bill Russellwas born to Charles and Katie Russell on February 12, 2022, inWest Monroe, Louisiana. "[154] In the book, Russell wrote: "Whenever I leave the Celtics locker room, even Heaven wouldn't be good enough because anywhere else is a step down With Red [Auerbach] and Walter Brown, I was the freest athlete on the planet. "[50] 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. He was the central focus of the Celtics dynasty, who won 11 NBA championships so over course of his 13 [103] In the Eastern Division Finals of the 1968 NBA playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers had the better record than Boston and were the favorites. [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. 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. [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. [144] By winning the 1956 NCAA championship with USF and the 1957 NBA title with the Celtics,[145] 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. Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium. I could always be myself with them and they were always there for me. You are less. He was famous for his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense which led his team to many victories in major tournaments. [133][134] In 2008, Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement. [16] In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time for his coaching career. He was selected into the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971 and the NBA 35th Anniversary Team in 1980, named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996,[5] one of only four players to receive all three honors, and selected into the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. [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. 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. [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 NBA Finals MVP Award was renamed the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award in his honour in 2009. Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. The Celtics managed a 108-89 victory and swept the Nationals in three games. "[27] In an autobiographical account, Russell said that while on a California High School All-Stars tour, he became obsessed with studying and memorizing other players' moves, e.g., footwork such as which foot they moved first on which play, as preparation for defending against them, which included practicing in front of a mirror at night. [1] The Celtics won the 1966 NBA Finals and their eighth consecutive title. [77], In the 196162 NBA season, Russell scored a career-high 18.9 points per game, accompanied by 23.6 rebounds per game. All Rights Reserved. His team won 49 games and easily made the first berth in the 1958 NBA Playoffs. He was notorious for his public surliness and judgmental attitude towards others. [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. They had three children: daughter Karen Russell, a television pundit and lawyer, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. [59], At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. Bill Russell was a once-in-a-generation activist athlete who made all around him better. [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. [113] His 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. On the road it was not uncommon for him to have to sleep in a different hotel from the one the rest of the club used. On August 11, 2022, the NBA announced the retirement of Russell's No. The family of Bill Russell announced that he passed away on Sunday at the age of 88. He passed away peacefully with his wife next to him. [51] He had the option to skip the tournament and play a full season for the Celtics, but he was determined to play in the Olympics. Even as he won on the court, Russell, an outspoken backer of the Civil Rights Movement, experienced his struggles off of it. He worked hard and used the benefits of a growth spurt to become a decent basketball player. Russell married his first wife Rose in 1956, and the couple had their first child, William Jr., the year after. [108] Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. Rather than play for somebody else, Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969. UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". BILL Russell's wife has shared a sweet picture of the couple after his passing this weekend aged 88. [126], Russell made few public appearances in the early 1990s, living as a near-recluse on Mercer Island, Washington, near Seattle. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship. In 1954, he became the first coach of a major college basketball squad to start three African-American players: K. C. Jones, Hal Perry, and Russell. 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,[164] and No. [119] Russell also served as general manager of the SuperSonics during his coaching tenure,[120] and held the same position with the Kings during the 198889 season. Asked by Russell what was wrong, his grandfather replied how proud he was of him, being coach of an organization in which blacks and whites coexisted in harmony. He is said to have made a conscious decision to put the team first and foremost, and not worry about individual achievements. [81] As the game was tied, Russell had the daunting task of defending against Baylor with little frontline help: Loscutoff, Heinsohn, and Satch Sanders, the three best Celtics forwards, had fouled out. 6 for most regular season MVPNBA Finals MVP awards, despite the latter being assigned only since 1969. Russell wore his Presidential Medal of Freedom and the image was captioned: "Proud to take a knee, and to stand tall against social injustice." 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. [118] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. He's the guy who whipped us psychologically. He had a difficult childhood and grew up in poverty. 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. He was growing older and slow and by the 1967-68 season, his figures were slowly declining. Even against more physically imposing centers, like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Wilt Chamberlain, Russell was a defensive and rebounding force. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Eleven-time NBA champion and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell died 'peacefully' at the age of 88, his family confirmed Sunday. In addition, Auerbach had already used his NBA territorial pick to acquire talented forward Tom Heinsohn. 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. This attitude contributed to his bad rapport with fans and journalists. Brown contacted Rochester owner Les Harrison and received an assurance that the Royals could not afford Russell, and they would draft Sihugo Green. [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. [60] Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable. 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. [60], At the start of the 195758 NBA season, the Celtics won fourteen straight games and continued to succeed. He won five regular season MVP awards and was selected three times to the all-NBA First Teams. I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. 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. According to Taylor, he often perceived insults even if others did not. [50] Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 9795 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. 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. Bill Russell had an impressive record not just as a basketball player, but more importantly, as a civil rights activist. Many people thought that Russell was more important even though he had only played half the season. [51] Auerbach later said that Brown offered Harrison guaranteed performances of the Ice Capades if they did not draft Russell; it is difficult to verify or disprove this, but it is clear that the Royals underrated Russell. It was the start of an unprecedented championship run for Russell and the Celtics. [189] 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. Russell. [50] Boston's chances of getting Russell seemed slim because they had finished second in the previous season and the worst teams had the highest draft picks, and the Celtics had slipped too low in the draft order to pick Russell. [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 lost his mother when he was just 12 years old. [173] The art is by Ann Hirsch of Somerville, Massachusetts, in collaboration with Pressley Associates Landscape Architects of Boston. The block preserved Boston's slim 103102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. The owner of the Hawks called Auerbach later and demanded more in the trade. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all-time. [161] In 2009, Slam named him the third best player of all-time behind Jordan and Chamberlain. [217] He was quoted as saying: "From my very first year I thought of myself as playing for the Celtics, not for Boston. August 1, 2022 NBA reacts to death of iconic Bill Russell [213] He was often called Felton X, presumably in the tradition of the Nation of Islam's practice of replacing a European slave name with an X and purchased land in Liberia. As a child, he witnessed how his parents were victims of racial abuse, and the family eventually moved into government housing projects to escape the daily torrent of bigotry. 5. WebBill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. [78], In the 1962 NBA Finals, the Celtics met the Los Angeles Lakers of forward Elgin Baylor and guard Jerry West. 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." Russell limited Chamberlain to only two shot attempts in the second half. 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. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! [138] Russell attended Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals to present Bryant the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. [57] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. When he became player-coach in 1966, Russell bluntly said to his teammates that "he intended to cut all personal ties to other players" and seamlessly made the transition from their peer to their superior. Following the 1966 season, in which Russell led the Celtics to an eighth consecutive title, Auerbach retired from coaching. In the pivotal Game 7, Russell managed to hold Chamberlain to 22 points, 28 points below his season average, while scoring 19 points. 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." [110][221], Russell refused to attend the ceremony when his jersey No. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.died July 31, 2022), American basketball player who was the ", "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. Russell held Chamberlain to a pair of field goals in the first three quarters of Game 3. The couple grew emotionally distant and divorced. [122] Perennially wary of what he long perceived as a racist city, Russell decided to make amends and gave his approval. It would be to our advantage if we paid him off for five years to get away from us in the rest of this series. After the next provocation, Russell pounded Felix to the point of unconsciousness, paid a modest $25 fine, and rarely was the target of cheap fouls thereafter. The game was tied with two seconds left when Sam Jones sank a clutch shot that won the Celtics the series. 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. 1 in NBA history for defensive win shares at 133.6, with Tim Duncan in second at 106.3. [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. "[110] This supported the opinion of many white fans that Russell, who was by then the highest-paid Celtic, was egotistical, paranoid, and hypocritical. Russell described himself as an avid reader of Dell Magazines' 1950s sports publications, which he used to scout opponents' moves for the purpose of defending against them. [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". NBA legend Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in the league, passed away Sunday, July 31, according to [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. [121] In addition, Russell ran into financial trouble. [106] He was 15 pounds overweight, skipped mandatory NBA coach meetings, and was generally lacking energy; after a New York Knicks game, he complained of intense pain and was diagnosed with acute exhaustion. After [58] Gottlieb protested the next day, saying that Russell played a one-man zone and goaltended numerous times, to only be called once. 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. [224] He thanked Chamberlain for taking him to the limit and "making [him] a better player", and the crowd for "allowing [him] to be a part of their lives. In an interview with ESPN, Russell said he wanted the NFL players to know they were not alone.[226].
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