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This article concerns the basketball player. For other people named "Bill Russell" or "William Russell", see the disambiguation page.

Bill Russell

File:Bill russell 275.jpgBill Russell receiving the Most Valuable Player award of the 1963 All-Star game.
Personal information
Born	February 12, 1934 Monroe, Louisiana
Nationality	USA
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
College	San Francisco
NBA draft	1956: 2nd overall
Selected by the St. Louis Hawks
Playing career	1956–1969
Position	Center
Career highlights and awards
Five-time NBA MVP 11-time NBA champion
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Olympic medal record
Men's Basketball
	1956 Melbourne	United States

William Felton "Bill" Russell (born February 12, 1934) is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. A five-time winner of the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and a twelve-time All-Star, the 6'9" Russell was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won eleven league championships during Russell's thirteen-year career. Along with Henri Richard of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, Russell holds the record for the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league. Before his professional career, Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association championships (1955, 1956). He also won a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics as captain of the U.S. national basketball team.

Russell is widely considered one of the best defensive players in NBA history. His shot-blocking and man-to-man coverage were major reasons for the Celtics' success, and he inspired other players to elevate their own defensive play. Russell was equally notable for his rebounding abilities. He led the NBA in rebounds four times and tallied 21,620 total rebounds in his career. His is one of just two NBA players (the other being prominent rival Wilt Chamberlain) to have grabbed over fifty rebounds in a single game. Though never the focal point of the Celtics' offense, Russell also scored 14,522 career points and provided effective passing and pick-setting skills.

Playing in the wake of pioneers like Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Ray Felix, Russell was the first African American player to achieve superstar status in the NBA. He also served a three-year (1966-69) stint as player-coach for the Celtics, thus becoming the first African American coach in the NBA. However, Russell frequently battled with racism, even while in Boston. Many sports fans in Boston shunned the Celtics during Russell's tenure with the team, and Russell received little support from the local press. When he retired, Russell left Boston with a bitter attitude, although in recent years his relationship with the city has improved.

Russell is now a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. He has been married twice and has three children, including lawyer and television pundit Karen Russell.

Early years

Bill Russell was born to Charles and Katie Russell in Monroe, Louisiana, where his family often struggled with racism. In one particular instance, Russell's father was denied service at a gasoline station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers. When his father attempted to leave and find a different station, the attendant stuck a shotgun in his face, threatening to kill him unless he stayed and waited his turn. In another instance, Russell's mother was walking down a street in a fancy dress when the local sheriff accosted her. He told her to go home and remove the dress, which he described as "white woman’s clothing". Due to this racism Russell's father moved the family out of Louisiana when Russell was eight years old and settled them in Oakland, California. While there the family fell into poverty, and Russell spent his childhood in a series of project homes.

In his early years, Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. In junior high school, he was cut from his team, and as a sophomore at McClymonds High School he had barely made the junior varsity team. It was not until his junior and senior years that he began to excel as a player. However, his development as a rising sports star was overshadowed by classmate and eventual baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson.

College career

The only college to offer Russell a sports scholarship was the local University of San Francisco (USF), where Russell played under coach Phil Woolpert. In 1954, Woolpert became the first coach of a major amateur basketball squad to start three African-American players: Hal Perry, K.C. Jones and Russell. However, Russell bitterly recalled how he and his few fellow African-American colleagues were victims of racist jeers by white fellow students. Russell also experienced racism while playing on the road. In one notable incident, hotels in Oklahoma City refused to admit Russell and his black teammates while they were in town for the 1954 All-College Tournament. In protest, the whole team decided to camp out in a closed college dorm, which they later considered an important bonding experience. Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds. "I never permitted myself to be a victim," he said.

On the hardwood, his experiences were far more pleasant. Russell led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, including an impressive string of 55 consecutive victories. He became famous for his strong defense and his shot-blocking skills, once denying 13 shots in a single game. UCLA coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". During his college career, Russell averaged 20.7 points per game and 20.3 rebounds per game. He was so dominant that he forced the NCAA to institute several rules changes in college basketball, which came to be known as "Russell's Rules". After the 1955 season, it became illegal to goaltend, or touch the ball when it is on its downward arc toward the basket. Russell did this several times during the 1955 NCAA Championship game against LaSalle University, waiting under the opponent's basket to swat away incoming shots. Another rule that emerged in response to Russell (and fellow dominant center Wilt Chamberlain) was the widening of the lane. During the 1956-57 season, the lane was widened from six to twelve feet. This rule change forced centers to play further from the basket.

After his years at USF, the Harlem Globetrotters invited Russell to join their legendary basketball squad. However, since owner Abe Saperstein would only discuss the matter with Russell's coach, Russell declined the offer. He reasoned that if Saperstein was too smart to speak with him, then he was too smart to play for Saperstein. Instead, Russell made himself eligible for the NBA Draft of 1956.

Olympics

Before his NBA rookie year, Russell was the captain of the U.S. national basketball team that competed at the 1956 Olympic tournament. Russell had the option to skip the Olympics and fully concentrate on the Celtics, but stated that he really wanted to compete in the Olympics; he later commented that he would have participated in the high jump if he had been snubbed by the basketball team, as he had been the second-ranked high jumper in the country. Russell helped the national team win the gold medal in Melbourne. They dominated the tournament, winning by an average of 53.5 points per game. Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition.

Professional biography

1956 NBA Draft

In the 1956 NBA Draft, Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach had set his sights on Russell, thinking his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess was the missing link the Celtics needed. In perspective, Auerbach’s thoughts were unorthodox. In that period, as with today, centers and forwards were defined by their offensive output, and the ability to play defense was secondary. However, the chances of getting Russell seemed slim. Because the Celtics had finished second in the season before and the worst teams have the highest draft picks, the Celtics had slipped too low in the draft order to pick Russell. In addition, Auerbach had already used his territorial pick to get talented forward Tom Heinsohn. But Auerbach knew that the Rochester Royals, who owned the first draft pick, already had a talented young rebounder in Maurice Stokes and were unwilling to pay Russell the $25,000 signing bonus he was asking for. The St. Louis Hawks, who owned the second pick, originally drafted Russell, but were vying for Celtics center Ed Macauley – a six-time All-Star who had roots in St. Louis. Auerbach agreed to trade Macauley if they gave up Russell, and after the Celtics also agreed to give up rookie Cliff Hagan, the Hawks made the trade. During that same draft, Boston also claimed Russell's former USF teammate, guard K.C. Jones. Thus, in one night, the Celtics managed to draft three future Hall-of-Fame players (and, in time, three NBA championship winning coaches): Russell, K.C. Jones and Heinsohn.

1956-59

In the 1956-57 NBA season, Russell could not join the Celtics until December, since he had been overseas with the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team. After rejoining the Celtics, Russell played 48 games and averaged 14.7 points per game, and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. During this season, the Celtics featured five-future Hall of Famers; center Bill Russell, forwards Tom Heinsohn and Jim Loscutoff, guards Bill Sharman and Bob Cousy, and forward Frank Ramsey who came off the bench.

In the previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team, but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. However, with the added defensive pressence of Russell, the Celtics had laid the foundation for one of the most impressive sports dynasties of all time. The team utilized a strong defensive approach to the game, forcing opposing teams to commit many turnovers that would ultimately lead to easy fast break points. This approach allowed the Celtics to finish with an impressive 44-28 regular season record, their second-best record since inception in the 1946-47 BAA season, and guaranteed a post-season playoff appearance.

In Game 1 of the first round, the Celtics met the Syracuse Nationals, who were led by future Hall-of-Famer Dolph Schayes. It was here that Russell completed one of the best games of his career. He finished with 16 points, 31 rebounds, and recorded a reported 7 blocks (at the time, blocks were not yet an officially registered statistic). After being convincingly beaten by the Celtics (108-89), Schayes jokingly stated, “How much does that guy make a year? 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.” The Celtics proceeded to sweep the Nationals in three games, and eventually earned an appearance in the NBA Finals.

In the NBA Finals, the Celtics would meet the St. Louis Hawks, who were led by superstar forward Bob Pettit, and their former colleague Macauley. The teams split the first six games, leading to a deciding Game 7. It was during this game that Russell completed the famous “Coleman Play.” Here, Russell ran down Hawks guard Jack Coleman, who had received an outlet pass at midcourt, and blocked his shot despite the fact that he had been standing at his own baseline when the ball was thrown to Coleman. The block preserved the slim 103-102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play, saving the game for the Celtics. The game would eventually lead into double overtime, where the Celtics prevailed 125-123, earning their first NBA Championship.

In the 1957-58 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. In that season, an interesting phenomenon began: Russell was voted the NBA Most Valuable Player, but strangely, only awarded onto the NBA All-Second Team. This happening would be something that would repeatedly occur throughout his career. The NBA reasoned, while other centers were better all-round players than Russell, no player had meant more to his team.

For the second straight year, the Celtics had the NBA's best record, breezed through the Eastern Division finals, and met the Hawks in the 1958 NBA Finals. After splitting the first two games, Russell injured his ankle in Game 3. Powered by a frontcourt of Macauley and Pettit, the Hawks and their coach Alex Hannum won the NBA title in six games.

In the following 1958-59 NBA season, Russell continued establishing his strong play, averaging 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game. He began one of the most impressive rebounding performances of all time, never failing to average less than 23 rebounds for the next seven years. The Celtics broke the league record by winning 52 games, and Russell's strong performance once again helped lead the Celtics through the post-season, and eventually, into the NBA Finals. In the 1959 NBA Finals, the Celtics easily recaptured the NBA Title, sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers, 4-0. Lakers trainer John Kundla, would go onto praise Russell, stating, “We don’t fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. Take him out and we can beat them … He’s the guy who whipped us psychologically.”

1959-66

In the 1959-60 NBA season, the NBA witnessed the debut of legendary 7'1" Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain, who still holds numerous individual single-game and full-season records, including record-setting 100-point and 55-rebound-games and an incredible 50.4 ppg regular-season scoring average (1961-62) – marks which have never been approached since. The matchup between Russell and Chamberlain, the greatest defensive and the greatest offensive pivots in the NBA, became one of basketball's legendary rivalries. Russell's Celtics, who won a record 59 regular season games (including a then-record tying 17 game win streak), met Chamberlain's Warriors in the Eastern Division Finals, where Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points, but the Celtics walked off with a 4-2 series win. The smaller, lighter and offensively limited Russell outhustled his opponent, which would become a repeated occurrence in this decade. In the 1960 Finals, the Celtics outlasted the Hawks 4-3 and won yet another championship. Russell contributed by grabbing an incredible 40 rebounds in Game 2, adding 22 points and 35 rebounds in Game 7, and shutting down the Hawks’ offense, as the Celtics won the final game by 122-103.

In the 1960-61 NBA season, Russell completed another fine year, averaging 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game. His team completed the season by posting a regular season mark of 57-22, earning another post-season appearance, where as they defeated the Syracuse Nationals 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals. Ultimately, they went on to defeat the St. Louis Hawks 4-1 in the 1961 NBA Finals.

In the following 1961-62 NBA season, Russell scored what would be his career high scoring average of 18.9 points per game, accompanied by 23.6 rebounds per game. While his rival Chamberlain had a record-breaking season of 50.4 points per game and a legendary 100 point game, the Celtics became the first team to win 60 games in a season and Russell was voted as the NBA's Most Valuable Player. In the post-season, the Celtics went on to capture their fourth title in 1962 NBA Finals by defeating the Lost Angeles Lakers in a deciding Game 7, where Russell added another clutch performance, scoring 30 points, despite not being noted as a great offensive threat.

Prior to the 1962-63 NBA season, the Celtics lost their playmaker Bob Cousy to retirement, but drafted another legendary player, future Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek. Once again, the Celtics were powered by an inspired Russell, who averaged 16.8 ppg / 23.6 rpg, won his fourth regular-season MVP title, and was named MVP of the 1963 NBA All-Star Game following his 19 point, 24 rebound performance for the East. In the 1963 NBA Finals, the Celtics were matched up against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers and the Celtics split the first six games, and in Game 7, it was Russell’s clutch play which powered the Celtics to victory, scoring 30 points and snaring 40 rebounds in a highly dramatic double-overtime game.

In the following 1963-64 NBA season, the Celtics were again dominant, routing the Cincinnati Royals 4-1 and then winning against the newly-relocated San Francisco Warriors of Wilt Chamberlain 4-1. It was their seventh title in Russell’s eighth year, and their sixth consecutive, a streak unreached in any U.S. professional sports league. Russell called this Celtics team the best ever. Russell scored 15.0 ppg and grabbed a career-high 24.7 rpg, leading the NBA for the first time since Wilt Chamberlain had entered the league. In the season that followed, the 1964-65 NBA season, Russell was at his best again. The Celtics won a league record 62 games, and Russell averaged 14.1 ppg / 24.1 rpg, winning his second consecutive rebounding title and his fifth MVP award. In the 1965 NBA Playoffs, the Celtics played the Eastern Division Finals against their perennial Division rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers of Wilt Chamberlain. Russell soon proved that he was worthy of his MVP award, holding the seemingly unstoppable Chamberlain in Game 3 to a pair of field goals in the first three quarters, and in Game 5 had 28 rebounds, 10 blocks, six steals and seven assists. However, that playoff series went down to a highly dramatic Game 7. Five seconds before the end, the Sixers were trailing 109-110, and Russell turned over the ball. However, when the Sixers’ Hall-of-Fame guard Hal Greer inbounded, John Havlicek stole the ball, causing Celtics commentator Johnny Most to scream the legendary words: “Havlicek stole the ball! It's all over! Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!” After this highly dramatic Division Finals, the Celtics enjoyed an easy NBA Finals series, convincingly winning 4-1 against the Los Angeles Lakers of Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. In the following 1965-66 NBA season, the Celtics won their eighth consecutive title. This time, Russell’s teams yet again beat Chamberlain’s Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 1 and then proceeded to win the NBA Finals in a dramatic seven-game, 4-3 showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers. Russell contributed 12.9 ppg / 22.8 rpg, finally not managing to average 23 boards a game after a seven-year streak.

1966-69

Before the 1966-67 NBA season, legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired and named Russell his successor as head coach; he thus became the first African-American head coach in NBA history. In that year, the Celtics’ championship streak ended at eight. Russell's rival Wilt Chamberlain led a Philadelphia 76ers squad that won a record-breaking 68 games in the regular season, and at last overpowered the aging Celtics. As a side note, the Sixers team was also coached by Alex Hannum. Hannum, who had coached the Hawks championship team of 1958, became the only coach who could interrupt the Celtics stranglehold from 1957-1969. In Russell's second to last season, the 1967-68 NBA season, his numbers slowly declined, but at age 34, he still put up 12.5 ppg and an impressive 18.6 rpg., good for the third highest average in the league In the Eastern Division Finals, the Celtics seemed to succumb a second time against Wilt Chamberlain’s 76ers in the Eastern Division Finals. After four games, the Celtics were trailing 1-3. However, they rallied to win the next two games, and in Game 7, Russell so out-psyched his perennial rival that Chamberlain only attempted two shots in the entire second half. Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 97-95 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. He sank a foul shot, then blocked a shot by Sixers player Chet Walker, grabbed a rebound off a miss of Sixers player Hal Greer, and finally passed the ball to teammate Sam Jones, who made the final basket in a 100-96 win. Boston then beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 in the NBA Finals, giving Russell his tenth title in twelve years. For his efforts Russell was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. After losing for the fifth straight time against Russell and his Celtics, Hall-of-Fame Lakers guard Jerry West stated: “If I had a choice of any basketball player in the league, my No.1 choice has to be Bill Russell. Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me.”

Heading into the playoffs during Russell’s last season in 1968-69, the circumstances did not seem promising for another championship. Russell himself put up decent numbers of 9.9 ppg and 19.3 rpg, but the aging Celtics stumbled through the regular season, ending with a lackluster 48-34 record and entered the playoffs only as the fourth seeded team in the East. However, in the playoffs, Russell and his Celtics pulled off one upset after the other, until they met the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Celtics faced the daunting task of having to play against a heavily favored Lakers team featuring future Hall-of-Famers Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and the newly acquired Wilt Chamberlain. However, the Celtics split the first six games, and seemed winners when they got ahead by nine points with five minutes left in game 7 when Chamberlain hurt his leg and was substituted. However, the Lakers cut the lead to one, and Chamberlain asked to be subbed back in. But for some reason, Lakers coach Bill van Breda Kolff benched the star center until the end, much to the disgust of Lakers superstar Jerry West.The Celtics won the NBA title, and Russell claimed his eleventh championship in 13 years. At age 35, Russell contributed 21 rebounds in his last NBA game. In the next season, the Celtics went just 34-48 and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1950, illustrating just how valuable Russell was to the team.

Post-player career

Russell had his No. 6 jersey retired by the Celtics in 1972, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, was not present at either event. After retiring as a player, Russell also tried his hand in coaching. He coached the Seattle SuperSonics (1973 to 1977) and Sacramento Kings (1987 to 1988). His time as a coach was lackluster; although he led the struggling SuperSonics into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, Russell’s defensive, team-oriented Celtics mindset did not mesh well with the team. Ironically, later coach Lenny Wilkens would use a similar concept to help the SuperSonics win the title in 1979. Russell’s stint with the Kings was considerably worse, his last assignment ending when the Kings went 17-41. Between his coaching stints, he worked as a color commentator, but found he was not cut out for this job. Russell also wrote books, usually written as a joint project with a professional writer. After spending several years outside the public eye, he rose to prominence again in January 2006, when he convinced Miami Heat superstar center Shaquille O'Neal to bury the hatchet with fellow NBA superstar and former Los Angeles Lakers team mate Kobe Bryant, with whom O'Neal had a bitter feud. Later that year, on November 17, 2006, the two-time NCAA winner Russell was recognised for his impact on college basketball as a member of the founding class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was one of five, along with John Wooden, Oscar Robertson, Dean Smith and Dr. James Naismith, selected to represent the inaugural class.

Awards and feats

Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports. His awards and achievements include an amazing eleven NBA championships as a player with Boston Celtics in 13 seasons (1957, 1959-66, 1968-69), among them two NBA championships as player/head coach with Boston Celtics (1968-1969). His stint as coach of the Celtics was also of historical significance, as he was appointed first black head coach in major U.S. professional sports when he succeeded Red Auerbach. In addition, he won five NBA Most Valuable Player Awards (1958, 1961-63, 1965), was nominated three times for the All-NBA First Teams (1959, 1963, 1965) and eight Second Teams (1958, 1960-62, 1964, 1966-68), was elected into one NBA All-Defensive First Team (1969) and is a twelve-time NBA All-Star (1958-1969). Furthermore, he was MVP of the 1963 All-Star Game. Furthermore, Russell led the NBA in rebounds per game in first three seasons (19.6, 22.7, 23.0) and five times overall, led the NBA in minutes played (1959, 42.5 mpg) and in 1965 (44.5 mpg), and scored 14,522 points (15.1 ppg) in his career and averaged 16.2 ppg in 165 playoff games.

Concerning individual games, Russell also several rebounding records. He holds the NBA record for most rebounds in a half (32) vs. Philadelphia (November 16, 1957) and is the Celtics' all-time leading rebounder (21,620, 22.5 rpg) in 963 games, second best in history behind his perennial rival Wilt Chamberlain. Russell grabbed a then-record 51 rebounds vs. Syracuse (February 5, 1960), making him one of two players ever (Wilt Chamberlain is the other) to grab more than 50 boards in a game. Russell also had seven games with 40 or more rebounds. Russell also holds the career playoff record for most rebounds (4,104, 24.9 rpg) in 165 games, the NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5 rpg, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9 rpg, 1957). In addition, Russell also holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most free throws attempted in one half (15, April 11, 1961) vs. St. Louis, most rebounds (40, March 29, 1960 vs. St. Louis and April 18, 1962 vs. Los Angeles), most rebounds by a rookie (32, April 13, 1957 vs. St. Louis), and most rebounds in a quarter (19, April 18, 1962 vs. Los Angeles).

For his achievements, Russell was named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated in 1968, "Greatest Player in the History of the NBA" by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980 and made all three NBA Anniversary Teams, the NBA 25th Anniversary All-Time Team (1970), the NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team (1980) and the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996). Finally, his number 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics in 1972.

Legacy

Bill Russell is the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics dynasty.

— introductory line of Russell's nba.com summary.

Russell is the NBA's most honored player of all time in terms of leading his teams to championships. He won 11 championships in the 13 years that he played in the NBA, and is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level. Russell was known as one of the most clutch players in the NBA. He played in 11 deciding games (10x a deciding Game 7, once a deciding Game 5), and ended with a flawless 11-0 record. In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18 points and 29.45 rebounds. On the hardwood, he was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his unmatched defensive intensity, his stellar basketball IQ and his sheer will to win. Russell excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive and offensive rebounds. He also could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast break points. He was also known as an excellent passer and pick-setter, featuring a decent left-handed hook shot and finishing strong on alley oops. However, on offense, Russell's input was limited. His NBA career personal averages describe him as a mediocre scorer (15.1 points career average), a poor free throw shooter (56.1%), and average overall shooter from the field (44%, not exceptional for a center). In his 13 years, he averaged a relatively low 13.4 field goals attempted (normally, top scorers average 20 and more), illustrating he was never the focal point of the Celtics offense, instead open to focus on his tremendous defense.

Having won an NCAA Championship his final year with the University of San Francisco in 1956 and an NBA title with the Celtics in 1957, Russell is only one of four players in basketball history to win an NCAA championship and an NBA Championship back-to-back, the others being Henry Bibby (UCLA 1972, New York Knicks 1973), Magic Johnson (Michigan State University 1979, Los Angeles Lakers 1980) and Billy Thompson (University of Louisville 1986, Los Angeles Lakers 1987). In the interim, Russell collected an Olympic gold medal in 1956. Russell continued with his strong play by establishing an impressive list of individual feats. In his first full season (1957-58), Russell became the first player in NBA history to average more than 20 rebounds per game for an entire season; a feat he accomplished 10 times in his 13 seasons. Career-wise, Russell ranks second only to Wilt Chamberlain in regular season total (21,620) and average (22.5) rebounds per game. Russell's 51 rebounds in a single game is the second best performance ever, only trailing Chamberlain's all-time record of 55, and he still holds the NBA record for rebounds in one half with 32. Russell is the all-time playoff leader in total (4,104) and average (24.9) rebounds per game, he grabbed 40 rebounds in three separate playoff games, and he never failed to average at least 20 rebounds per game in any of his 13 post-season campaigns. In his career, Russell won earned five regular season MVP awards (1959, 1961-63, 1965), good for second all-time behind Kareem Abdul Jabbar's six awards and matching the career total of Michael Jordan. In 1970, the Sporting News named Russell the "Athlete of the Decade". Russell is universally seen as one of the best NBA players ever, and was declared "Greatest Player in the History of the NBA" by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980.

However, despite his incredible success, it is remarkable how much Russell and the Celtics were shunned by the Boston public. During Russell's career, the crowd averaged a mere 8,406 fans, thousands short of a sellout. Sportswriter Dave Zirin stated a factor were the other popular local franchises, like the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Bruins, but another factor was contemporary racism. Zirin recalled that Russell was a constant victim of racial abuse, and when Russell protested, the press was quick to point out his alleged "bad attitude". When Russell once tried to move from his home in the Boston suburb of Reading, Massachusetts to a new home across town in 1968, Tom Heinsohn recalled his would-be neighbours filed a petition trying to block the move, and when that failed, other neighbors banded together to try to purchase the home that Russell wanted to buy. Vandals broke into Russell's home and defecated on his bed. This event that led Russell to call the city of Boston a "flea market of racism". Heinsohn also added that two white sportswriters from Boston told him they would not vote Russell the league's Most Valuable Player because he was black. However, in later years, Russell has begun a process of reconciliation with the Boston community, and on May 6, 1999 the Celtics re-retired Russell's jersey in an emotional ceremony. The crowd finally gave Russell the love and admiration they had so long denied him, treating him to a prolonged standing ovation, which brought tears to Russell's eyes.

Personal life

Russell is the son of Katie and Charlie Russell, whose family also included the noted playwright Charlie L. Russell, Russell's older brother. Russell himself was married to his college sweetheart Rose Swisher from 1956 – 1973, with whom he had three children, namely daughter Karen Russell, the television pundit and lawyer, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. When Rose and Russell divorced, he married former "Miss USA" of 1968, Dorothy Anstett, in 1977 whom he also eventually divorced. In addition, Russell was close friends with his perennial opponent Wilt Chamberlain. It should be noted however that Russell never considered Chamberlain his rival and disliked the term, instead pointing out that they rarely talked about basketball. When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain’s nephew stated that Russell was the second person he was ordered to break the news to. Asked about his idols, Russell has stated that his childhood hero was his father, and regarding basketball, his idol was Minneapolis Lakers superstar George “Mr. Basketball” Mikan, whom he met when he was in high school.

Russell's life was marked of an uphill battle against racism. As a child, the young Russell witnessed how his parents were victims of racist abuse, and eventually moved into housing projects to escape the daily torrent of bigotry. When he later became a standout amateur basketball player at USF, Russell bitterly recalled how he and his few fellow African-American colleagues were jeered at by white students.

Even after he became a superstar on the Boston Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. Once, he refused to play a game when he and his black teammates were refused service at a local restaurant in 1962. Matters in Boston were made worse by a hostile press failing to acknowledge Russell's torment, instead citing Russell's perceived "bad attitude" as the problem. "I didn't play for Boston," he once said, "I played for the Celtics." While the Celtics founded the most successful sports dynasty of all time, bringing in 11 NBA championships in 13 years, the Boston Garden was snubbed by the local sports fans. During Russell's career, the crowd averaged a mere 8,406 fans, thousands short of a sellout. By contrast, the Celtics teams of the 1980's led by white legend Larry Bird sold out the 14,890-seat Garden for 662 straight games. The worst case of bigotry was recalled by Russell's white Celtics team mate Tom Heinsohn. He recalled the instance when Russell tried to move from his home in the Boston suburb of Reading to a new home across town in 1968. His would-be neighbors filed a petition trying to block the move, and when that failed, other neighbors banded together to try to purchase the home that Russell wanted to buy. Vandals broke into Russell's home and defecated on his bed. This event that led him to call the city of Boston a "flea market of racism". Heinsohn also added that two white sportswriters from Boston told him they would not vote Russell the league's Most Valuable Player because he was black. Furthermore, once in Marion, Indiana, he had been given the key to the city only to be refused service that evening in his hotel's dining room. Russell went to the mayor's home, woke him up, and returned the key.

These hostile reactions made Russell sullen and wary. Similar to fellow NBA center legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was known to be very aloof, Russell was known for his deep mistrust against the media, and was also notorious for his refusal to sign autographs. He stated: "You owe the public the same it owes you -- nothing". In addition, Russell neither was present in person when his Number 6 jersey was retired in 1972, nor when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975, shunning the limelight both times. Russell has stated that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds and he never permitted himself to be a victim, denying the bigots their triumph. He said: "I was a man first and basketball player second. I did not want people to define me by what I did for my profession." However despite this bitterness which Russell felt toward Boston, in recent years he has visited the city on a regular basis, something he never did in the years after his retirement. Russell still has sore feelings towards the city, but there has been something of a reconciliation in recent years. When Russell originally retired he demanded that the retiring of his jersey be done with no fans present, however on May 6, 1999 the Celtics re-retired Russell's jersey in a ceremony attended by Russell's on-court nemesis Chamberlain, along with Celtics' legend Larry Bird and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The crowd gave Russell a prolonged standing ovation, which brought tears to his eyes. Finally, Russell and his daughter Karen — both sarcoidosis patients — have joined with the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research to help raise national awareness of this disease.

Video game appearances

• Featured in NCAA March Madness 2006 as C #6 for the 1955 University of San Francisco team.
• Featured in NBA Ballers as an unlockable legend.
• Featured in all NBA 2K series and NBA Live series games as a member of the 60s All-Stars.

Books

• Russell, Bill (1979). Second Wind. Ballantine Books. ISBN-13: 978-0394503851. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Russell, Bill (2001). Russell Rules. New American Library. ISBN 0-525-94598-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)

Further reading

• Heisler, Mark (2003). Giants: The 25 Greatest Centers of All Time. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 1-57243-577-1. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Pluto, Terry (1992). Tall Tales: The Glory Years of the NBA in the Words of the Men Who Played, Coached, and Built Pro Basketball. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-671-74279-5. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

References

1. ^ Thompson, Tim. "Bill Russell overcame long odds, dominated basketball". Retrieved 2007-02-08. Cite error: The named reference "Current" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
2. ^ nndb.com. "Bill Russell". Retrieved 2007-02-08.
3. ^ Schneider, Bernie. "University of San Francisco: "1953-56 NCAA Championship Seasons: The Bill Russell Years"". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
4. ^ Matthews, Chris. "Bill Russell and American racism". Retrieved 2007-02-09.
5. cnnsi.com. "A conversation with Bill Russell". Retrieved 2007-02-09. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
6. usatoday.com. "A conversation with Bill Russell". Retrieved 2007-02-09.
7. ^ nba.com. "Bill Russell nba.com summary". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
8. ^ "Bill Russell Biography". HickokSports.com. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
9. "Rules of Basketball". Retrieved 2007-02-08.
10. Green, Ben (2005). Spinning The Globe. Amistad. ISBN 0-06-055549-1. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
11. ^ Russell, Bill. "Chat Transcript: Celtics Legend Bill Russell @ celtics.com". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
12. ^ Ryan, Bob. "Timeless Excellence, essay @ nba.com". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
13. ^ basketball-reference.com. "Bill Russell stats". Retrieved 2006-12-01. Cite error: The named reference "brstats" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
14. basketball-reference.com. "Boston Celtics". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
15. basketball-reference.com. "1957 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
16. basketball-reference.com. "1958 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
17. basketball-reference.com. "1959 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
18. ^ nba.com. "Wilt Chamberlain nba.com summary". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
19. ^ hoophall.com. "Bill Russell NBA Hall of Fame summary". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
20. basketball-reference.com. "1960 NBA Finals". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
21. basketball-reference.com. "Boston Celtics". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
22. basketball-reference.com. "1961 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
23. basketball-reference.com. "1962 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-06.
24. basketball-reference.com. "1963 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
25. basketball-reference.com. "1964 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
26. basketball-reference.com. "1965 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
27. basketball-reference.com. "1966 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
28. basketball-reference.com. "1967 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
29. basketball-reference.com. "1968 NBA Season Summary"..
30. basketball-reference.com. "1969 NBA Playoffs". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
31. basketball-reference.com. "Boston Celtics". Retrieved 2006-12-04.
32. ^ Flatter, Ron. "Russell was a proud, fierce warrior". Retrieved 2006-12-01.
33. espn.com. "Shaq heeds Russell's call for peace; Lakers hold on for win". Retrieved 2006-12-03.
34. nba.com. "Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame to induct founding class". Retrieved 2006-12-02.
35. ^ Zirin, Dave. "Barry Bonds vs. Boston". Retrieved 2007-02-09.
36. Zirin, Dave. "Redeeming the Olympic Martyrs of 1968". Retrieved 2006-04-30.
37. ^ Macquarrie, Brian. "Bitterness subsides". Retrieved 2007-02-09.
38. ^ Sandomir, Richard. "Russell Redux: A Private Man Bursts Back Into the Public Eye". Retrieved 2007-02-09.
39. nndb.com. "Bill Russell @ nndb.com". Retrieved 2007-01-01.
40. Zirin, Dave. "Redeeming the Olympic Martyrs of 1968". Retrieved 2006-04-30.
41. lakersblog.latimes.com/. "Talking With Kareem". Retrieved 2006-12-05.
42. cnnsi.com. "A conversation with Bill Russell". Retrieved 2007-02-09. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
43. usatoday.com. "A conversation with Bill Russell". Retrieved 2007-02-09. Note: This source appears to have a typo it was corrected in this article: It reads "I did now want..." in the source, it was changed to the obviously intended form, "I did not want..."
44. "Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research". Retrieved 2007-01-01.

External links

• Bill Russell career stats
• NBA.com: Bill Russell
• Bill Russell: Hall of Fame
• USFDons.com: Bill Russell years
• NBA.com about Russell
• Online excerpt of Russell's book "11 Lessons"
• Bill Russell biography and video interview
• Bill Russell: Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research

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