bill russell family life

He won 11 NBA championships as a player with the Boston Celtics in 13 seasons. Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. I was first team All American. He is said to have made a conscious decision to put the team first and foremost, and not worry about individual achievements. He's the guy who whipped us psychologically. [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. In his first NBA playoff game against the Syracuse Nationals in 1957, he finished with 16 points and 31 rebounds along with 7 blocks. 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. [139][140] Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011. Bill Russell was born on 12 February 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. He played 48 games with an average of 14.7 points per game and 19.6 rebounds per game. Heinsohn felt that Russell resented him because the former was named the 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year. 1 in NBA history for defensive win shares at 133.6, with Tim Duncan in second at 106.3. The basketball star and his fourth wife Jeannine had continued to 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. "[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. [97], Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired before the 196667 NBA season. 101", "The NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, ranked: Where 76 basketball legends check in on our list", "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens", "President Obama Names Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients", "Bill Russell to receive NBA's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award", "Bill Russell's No. While Charlie found good work, in 1946 his wife, Katie, became quite sick with the flu and died. When I started to jump to make defensive plays and to block shots, I was initially corrected, but I stuck with it, and it paid off. "[167] 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. Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, Russell steered the club to 11 titles. [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. [95] In Game 5, Russell contributed with 12 points, 28 rebounds, and 7 assists, plus 10 blocks and 6 steals; blocks and steals became officially recorded statistics in the 197374 NBA season. Celebs, sports stars and fans are mourning the loss of NBA legend, Bill Russell. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. Russell also had seven regular-season games with 40 or more rebounds, the NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9, 1957). Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. [108], 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 look at Bill Russells family life Bill was born to Katie and Charles Russell. [194] 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. In Game 4, the Celtics were trailing by one point with seven seconds left and the Lakers had the ball until Baylor stepped out of bounds. 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. Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, who won 11 championships in 13 seasons with the team, The fans could do or think whatever they wanted. Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. He was famous for his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense which led his team to many victories in major tournaments. We won the National Championship. [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,[98] in a 9593 win in Game 7. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. [77], In the 196162 NBA season, Russell scored a career-high 18.9 points per game, accompanied by 23.6 rebounds per game. "[199] 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." 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. In the 1959 NBA Finals, the Celtics recaptured the NBA title, sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers 40. I like most blacks because I am black." [60] With the Celtics leading 125123 with one second left, the Hawks had the ball at their own baseline. [187] His older brother was the noted playwright Charlie L. [87] The Celtics reached the 1963 NBA Finals,[88] where they again defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, this time in six games. Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium. '"[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. "[5][122] On November 3, 1979, Russell hosted Saturday Night Live, in which he appeared in several sports-related sketches. Auerbach knew that the Rochester Royals, who owned the first draft pick, already had a strong rebounder in Maurice Stokes, were looking for an outside shooting guard, and were unwilling to pay Russell the $25,000 signing bonus he requested. 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. [57] Russell's defense was called into question by Eddie Gottlieb, coach of the Philadelphia Warriors, after the WarriorsCeltics game on January 1, 1957, in which he recorded 17 points and 25 rebounds, plus an assist. The teams coach, Red Auerbach, coveted Russell as the missing piece to what he believed could be a championship roster. 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." "[36], Racism shaped his lifelong paradigm as a team player, about which Russell said: "At that time it was never acceptable that a black player was the best. He thrived at the USF under Coach Phil Woolpert who helped him develop his unique technique of defense. [50], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. 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. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. He wrote these words after recounting how grandfather Jake Russell had stood up to the Ku Klux Klan and other whites who attempted to thwart his efforts to build a schoolhouse for black children; his grandfather was the first person in Russell's patrilineal line born free in North America and was himself illiterate. [122] Perennially wary of what he long perceived as a racist city, Russell decided to make amends and gave his approval. [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. 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. [211] After that, the two were often seen together at various events and interviewed as friends. The first team to start five black players was the Boston Celtics. And so the Celticsall we looked for was: 'Can he play?' 1 choice has to be Bill Russell. [158], On August 11, 2022, it was announced that Russell's No. But there's another type who makes the players around him look better than they are, and that's the type Russell was. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}10 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Butler, Celebrities & Notables Running the Boston Marathon, 7 Facts About Gymnast and TikTok Star Olivia Dunne, Nat Sweetwater Cliftons First NBA Season, 8 Negro League Legends Featured in a New MLB Game, Get to Know NCAA Tournament Star Caitlin Clark. Russell's stint with the Kings was considerably shorter, his last assignment ending when the Kings went 1741 to begin the 198788 NBA season. [20] Since Russell's previous experiences with white authority figures were often negative, warm words from Powles reassured him. [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. [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. 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. A morass to fight from. Bill Russellwas born to Charles and Katie Russell on February 12, 2022, inWest Monroe, Louisiana. Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. [125] In 1985, former Celtic teammate Don Chaney, who was head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, asked Russell to tutor Benoit Benjamin, the third overall draft pick from Creighton University, who left after his junior season; according to Chaney, Russell did not get paid for it. Russell scored 15.0 points per game and grabbed a career-high 24.7 rebounds per game, leading the NBA in rebounds for the first time since Chamberlain entered the league. [154] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. He is depicted in-game, surrounded by 11 plinths representing the 11 championships he helped the Celtics win. [50][64] In the second overtime, both teams were in serious foul trouble: Heinsohn had fouled out, and the Hawks were so depleted that they had only seven players left. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship. Russell regarded Auerbach as "the greatest of all coaches". 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. [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. He led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, including a string of 55 consecutive victories, and a 26-point, 27-rebound, 20-block performance in one game. He Says He Is His Fathers Son. [191], Russell died at his Mercer Island, Washington, home on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. He scored 15.0 ppg and 24.7 rebounds per game during the 1963-64 season. Schayes, who had become the 76ers coach, said: "The Celtics can thank the Good Lord for Bill Russell. And in basketball I respect a man for his ability, period. In an interview with ESPN, Russell said he wanted the NFL players to know they were not alone.[226]. So we never, or at least I never, ever considered him as having ulterior motives for whatever he did. 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, [69] The matchup between Russell and Chamberlain became one of basketball's greatest rivalries. [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. 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. [49] He was active in the Black Power movement and was among the African-American athletes and the one political leader who came together at the 1967 Cleveland Summit to support Muhammad Ali and his decision to refuse to be drafted. Regarded as one of the best ever players in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), William Felton Bill Russell was a professional basketball player who was the centerpiece of the Bostons Celtics for a period of 13 years. Bill Russell grins at announcement that he had been named coach of the Boston Celtics basketball team, April 18, 1966. I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. [32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. [206] At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach's impact as a coach confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. During his early life, Bill Russell struggled in his life as he That did not happen My junior year in college, I had what I thought was the one of the best college seasons ever. A living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. [34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. "[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. Bill Russell . [142], Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history. He was voted the NBA Most Valuable Player but only named to the All-NBA Second Team, something that would occur repeatedly throughout his career, as players voted for the MVP award, something that would last until the 197980 NBA season, while the media has always voted for the All-NBA teams. He was named the NBA Most Valuable Player for that season. His father was Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. Celtics owner Walter A. 6 jersey", "Bill Russell Statue Unveiled At Boston City Hall", "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? Bills understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life. Russell married his first wife Rose in 1956, and the couple had their first child, William Jr., the year after. Born on 12 February 1934, Bill Russells age was 88 Years Old when he passed away on 31 July 2022. [133][134] In 2008, Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement. In the 1961 NBA playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 41 in the Eastern Division Finals. [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. 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. [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], His father was said to be 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. [110] Journalists were often treated to the "Russell Glower", described as an "icily contemptuous stare accompanied by a long silence". During Russell's college career, the conference was known as the California Basketball Association. "[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. He reasoned that if Saperstein was too smart to speak with him, then he was too smart to play for Saperstein. [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. 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. He later said: "The most successful television is done in eight-second thoughts, and the things I know about basketball, motivation, and people go deeper than that. "[215], In 1966, Russell was promoted to head coach of the Celtics. [1] The Celtics broke a league record by winning 52 games and Russell's strong performance once again helped lead the Celtics through the 1959 NBA playoffs, as they returned to the NBA Finals. [108] Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. Russell, who was sensitive to any racial prejudice, was enraged by the fact that owner Abe Saperstein would only discuss the matter with Woolpert. "[22], During his early years, Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. [68] On November 7, 1959, Russell's Celtics hosted Chamberlain's Warriors and pundits called the matchup between the best offensive and defensive centers "The Big Collision" and "Battle of the Titans". Russell's 6'9" frame also earned plenty of attention. "[208] Years after Taylor's book, Russell published the autobiographical account Red and Me, which chronicled his lifelong friendship with Auerbach. 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).

Banana Pudding Recipe Without Condensed Milk, Redden State Forest Murders, Gangster Disciples In Georgia, Unable To Send Pictures On Viber Desktop, Joseph Mcgrath Obituary Kingsley Mi, Articles B