[160] In 2020, he was ranked No. 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. [48] 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. This was in contrast to other Celtics who had to work during the offseason to maintain their standard of living; Tom Heinsohn sold insurance, Gene Guarilia was a professional guitar player, Cousy ran a basketball camp, and Red Auerbach invested in plastics and a Chinese restaurant. [47], The Harlem Globetrotters invited Russell to join their exhibition basketball squad. Dorothy, who went by Didi, hailed from Kirkland, Washington, and went on to compete at the Miss Universe Pageant in July in Miami Beach of that same year. During a press conference, Russell was asked: "As the first Negro head coach in a major league sport, can you do the job impartially without any racial prejudice in reverse?" Russell was accused of selling out the future of the franchise for a month of his salary. In the pivotal Game 7, Russell managed to hold Chamberlain to 22 points, 28 points below his season average, while scoring 19 points. 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 living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. [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. "[152] 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. He was born on November 2, 1957 and worked for Cox Trucking for several years. The NBA legend was a victim of racism, and not even his basketball fame helped him. Bill Russell has three children. He made a free throw, blocked a shot by Sixers player Chet Walker, grabbed a rebound off a miss by Greer, and passed the ball to teammate Sam Jones, who scored to clinch the win. In honoring the legendary athlete, ESPN writes that recipients of the distinguished award, reflect the spirit of Arthur Ashe, possessing strength in the face of adversity, courage in the face of peril and the willingness to stand up for their beliefs no matter what the cost.. The 11-time NBA champion is survived by his wife Jeannine and two children. Bill Russell (L) greets Jimmy Butler at the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. He was 88. Russell's stint with the Kings was considerably shorter, his last assignment ending when the Kings went 1741 to begin the 198788 NBA season. [107] The teams split the next two games and it all came down to Game 7 in Los Angeles, where Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke angered and motivated the Celtics by putting "proceedings of Lakers victory ceremony" on the game leaflets. Russell, a civil rights activist who went from championship player to the first black. 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972,[113] Russell had worn the same number 6 at the USF and for the 1956 U.S. Olympic team. Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me. [34] In one incident, hotels in Oklahoma City refused to admit Russell and his black teammates while they were in town for the 1954 All-College Tournament. Bill Russell's legacy of lonely courage in the fight against hate Kevin Cullen Dan McGowan The Rhode Island Senate president's final words for Providence Mayor Elorza YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED We. You are a Negro. August 1, 2022 9:47 AM Bill Russell discusses his views on race and being a barrier breaker in the 1960s. 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. [193][194] For his promotion to coach, the Celtics paid Russell an annual salary of $25,000 which was in addition to his salary as a player. 1962) (TV Pundit, Lawyer) and 2 sons named William Russell Jr. and Jacob Russell. The NBA family just learned this afternoon that Bill Russell, the 11-time champion and Hall of Fame icon of the Boston Celtics, who used that fame to further the civil rights cause in the. [109] He was so tense before every game that he regularly vomited in the locker room; early in his career, it happened so frequently that his fellow Celtics were more worried when it did not happen than when it did. Just found out I will be receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Bill Russell, Boston Celtics legend, dies at 88 July 31, 2022 / 12:48 PM / AP BOSTON (AP) Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13. [77] In the Eastern Division championships of the 1962 NBA playoffs, the Celtics met the Philadelphia Warriors led by Chamberlain, who averaged 50 points per game that season, and Russell did his best to slow him down. Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in . Please logout and login again. Today, Karen is 57 years old. [12] Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. [59], At the start of the 195758 NBA season, the Celtics won fourteen straight games and continued to succeed. [52], Due to his Olympic commitment, Russell could not join the Celtics for the 195657 NBA season until December. [115] While Russell long had sore feelings towards Boston, there was something of a reconciliation, and he visited the city regularly in his later years, something he never did in the years immediately after his retirement. [48], In the draft, Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach set his sights on Russell, thinking his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess were the missing pieces the Celtics needed. [166] On June 15, 2017, Russell was announced as the inaugural recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. I averaged over 20 points and over 20 rebounds, and I was the only guy in college blocking shots. Bill Russell, who earned 11 NBA championship rings during his career, died on Sunday with his wife Jeannine by his side . [119] In addition, Russell ran into financial trouble. [156] Russell ranked No. [171] The art is by Ann Hirsch of Somerville, Massachusetts, in collaboration with Pressley Associates Landscape Architects of Boston. [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. [102] In the Eastern Division Finals of the 1968 NBA playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers had the better record than Boston and were the favorites. 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. [104] He is one of four players (along with Cousy, George Mikan, and Bob Pettit) to have made all four NBA anniversary teams: the NBA 25th Anniversary Team (1970), the NBA 35th Anniversary Team (1980), the NBA 50th Anniversary Team (1996),[5] and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021). 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! [49] Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 9795 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. Jones. [20], At USF, Russell became the new starting center for coach Phil Woolpert of the San Francisco Dons. Although Russell was a good runner and jumper and had large hands,[20] he did not understand the game and was cut from the team at Herbert Hoover Junior High School. She already does volunteer work as a tutor for underprivileged children in her hometown.. [16] In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time for his coaching career. At 18 he went to college, at San Francisco, where he won two NCAA Championships in 1955 and 1956. If that isn't goaltending, I want somebody to tell me what it is. (2004). . [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. [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. [49][89], In the 196364 NBA season, the Celtics posted a league-best 5822 record in the regular season. In the 1959 NBA Finals, the Celtics recaptured the NBA title, sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers 40. She was born on January 20, 1962. [101], In the 196768 NBA season, the 34-year-old Russell averaged 12.5 points per game and 18.6 rebounds per game,[1] the latter of which was good enough for the third-highest average in the league. I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. He led the San Francisco Dons to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956,[4] and he captained the gold-medal winning U.S. national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics. Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana.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. Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics is awarded the 1963 NBA All-Star MVP Trophy after the 1963 NBA All-Star Game circa 1963 in Los Angeles,. [179] In 1977, he married Dorothy Anstett, Miss USA of 1968;[179] they divorced in 1980. 6 for most regular season MVPNBA Finals MVP awards, despite the latter being assigned only since 1969. Despite going through numerous struggles, he managed to stay strong and make the most out of the opportunity that was given to him. 6 jersey to be retired throughout NBA", "NBA players who currently wear No. The burglars had poured beer on the pool table and ripped up the felt," Karen wrote in the . [34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all-time. Both of them had three children together. Would love your thoughts, please comment. [19] While there, they fell into poverty and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of public housing projects. 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. [120] Perennially wary of what he long perceived as a racist city, Russell decided to make amends and gave his approval. I like most blacks because I am black." Russell anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 titles in 13 years . [176], On August 2, 2020, the West Coast Conference (WCC), which has been home to Russell's alma mater of USF since the league's formation in 1952,[177][a] became the first NCAA Division I conference to adopt a conference-wide diversity hiring commitment, announcing the Russell Rule, named after Russell and based on the National Football League's Rooney Rule. When the Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper and they came into Washington, D.C., to sign his contract, Walter Brown the owner of the team walked up to him and said: 'Mr. Mr. Russell has a large family and a large number of friends who are proud of him for his services to society. As Chamberlain was often defended by Celtics backup center Wayne Embry, the press speculated that Russell was worn down. [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. [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. [117] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. The bill has specific provisions for protecting children and Molly's father, Ian, called for it to be introduced "urgently" after the hearing. Nothing went on outside the borders of the court. Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, Russell steered the club to 11 titles. BOSTON (AP) 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 civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr., died Sunday. Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. [5] Russell was elected to one NBA All-Defensive First Team. [189] He was issued a citation and released, and the Transportation Security Administration indicated it would levy a civil penalty, which would be between $3,000 and $7,500. [101] 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. As Russell takes to the stage to accept the award, some fans may grow curious about his family and children. When their family uprooted to Oakland, California, they lived in the projects. 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. 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. [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. Russell had three children with his first wife; two sons and a daughter. [105] Russell pulled himself together and put up 9.9 points and 19.3 rebounds per game;[1] the aging Celtics stumbled through the regular season. [56] Russell had a more cordial relationship with many of his teammates with the notable exception of Heinsohn, his old rival and fellow rookie. [195] Russell also had a shoe designed by Bristol Manufacturing Corporation in 1966, the Bill Russell Professional Basketball Shoe. 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." Career-wise in rebounds, Russell ranks second to Chamberlain in regular season total (21,620) and average per game (22.5), and he led the NBA in average rebounds per game four times. 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. He later commented that he would have participated in the high jump if he had been snubbed by the basketball team. [56] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. In the interim, Russell won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. Hailed as the greatest team player on the greatest team of all time, Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics in the longest championship streak in U.S. sports history. He's the guy who whipped us psychologically. And so the Celticsall we looked for was: 'Can he play?' In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 29.4 rebounds. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. Bill Russell- a pioneer of NBA, legendary player, Hall of Famer, activist, and Boston Celtics icon who had bagged five MVPs awards and 11 Championships in his career, died on July 31, 2022, due to natural reasons at his home at the age of 88. [49], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. [30] Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. The Celtics made good use of the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers had exhausted the St. Louis Hawks in a long seven-game Western Conference Finals,[75] and Boston won the 1961 NBA Finals in five games. He led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, including a string of 55 consecutive victories, and an unofficial double triple-double with 26 points, 27 rebounds, 20 blocks, 3 steals, and an assist. [189], Russell died at his Mercer Island, Washington, home on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. [49] 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. "[165] During the NBA All-Star Weekend on February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals MVP award would be named after Russell. The couple grew emotionally distant and divorced. He was one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball and left behind an amazing legacy. [71][72] In the 1960 NBA Finals, the Celtics outlasted the Hawks 43 in the series and won their third championship in four years. [137][138] Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011. This was the first time in seven years that he failed to average at least 23 rebounds a game. [105] 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. Rose Swisher (1956-1973) - Bill began dating his college acquaintance Rose Swisher in 1956, his senior year in college. [186], In 1959, Russell became the first NBA player to visit Africa. He Had Three Children with His First Wife Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and. Posted at 11:33 AM, Jul 31, 2022. and last updated 3:37 PM, Jul 31, 2022. And what we would do is[Auerbach] trusted all his playersso like when he'd make a coaching decision, he could talk: he talked to [Bob] Cousey [who is white], he talked to me [black], he talked to [Bill] Sharman [white], he talked to Sam [Jones] [black]all of us: 'What do you think?' He is quoted by Fox Sports as saying that his father lived in Louisiana. 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 shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. There are no Insights into his past relationship. The block preserved Boston's slim 103102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. 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. 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. One makes himself look good at the expense of the other guys on the floor. [38] He became known for his strong defense and shot-blocking skills, once denying 13 shots in a game. [60], The Celtics finished the 195657 regular season with a 4428 record, the team's second-best record since beginning play in the 194647 BAA season, which guaranteed Russell his first NBA playoffs appearance,[61] where the Celtics met with the Syracuse Nationals, a team led by Dolph Schayes, through the Eastern Division Finals. In protest, the whole team decided to camp out in a closed college dorm, which was later called an important bonding experience for the group. [4][8] While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. ___ [170] Each plinth features a key word and related quote to illustrate Russell's multiple accomplishments. The couple got divorced in 1973. Russell's 51 rebounds in a single game is the second-highest performance ever, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's all-time record of 55. 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. "[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. He had a difficult childhood and grew up in poverty. With the added defensive presence of Russell, the Celtics had laid the foundation for a dynasty, as the team utilized a strong defensive approach to the game, forcing opposing teams to commit many turnovers, which led to many easy points on fast breaks. [26], Russell soon became noted for his unusual style of defense. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. Their 4834 record was the team's worst since the 195556 NBA season and they entered the 1969 NBA playoffs as the fourth-seeded team in the East. Although the salary was touted in the press as a record for an NBA coach, it is unclear whether Russell's continued $100,001 salary as a player was included in the calculation. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 titles in 13 years. Cooper, the Boston Celtics will never embarrass you.' [157][158] In 2007, he was voted the third best center of all-time by ESPN behind Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain. [115], As a consequence of his endured racist abuse, Russell was extremely sensitive to all racial prejudice. In Game 2, Philadelphia evened the series with a 115106 win and then went on to win Games 3 and 4. [5] Auerbach's thoughts were unorthodox, as in that period centers and forwards were defined by their offensive output, and their ability to play defense was secondary. 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. [56] Auerbach assigned him to shut down the Hawks' main scorer and Russell impressed the Boston crowd with his man-to-man defense and shot-blocking. The centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty who earned 11 NBA titles during . He said: "The Celtics were the first [NBA basketball] team to draft a black player, period: a guy named Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. [56], Russell was an elite help defender who allowed the Celtics to play the "Hey, Bill" defense: whenever a Celtic requested additional defensive help, he would shout "Hey, Bill!" Bill was born in Milltown, Tennessee on April 14, 1942. Be the first one to comment on this story. [123] 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. [29] When DeJulio offered Russell a scholarship, he eagerly accepted. Frank Robinson, a future member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, was one of Russell's high school basketball teammates. He was notorious for his public surliness and judgmental attitude towards others. [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. [128] Russell also received honorary degrees from Harvard University on June 7, 2007,[129] and from Dartmouth College on June 14, 2009. [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. [67][108] The Celtics held on for a 108106 victory and Russell claimed his eleventh championship in thirteen years. If you were too sheltered, Im afraid youd be too naive. [118] Russell then served as general manager of the Kings during the 198889 season. 18 on ESPN's "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century" list in 1999. . I was able to separate the Celtics institution from the city and the fans. Television Pundit and Lawyer Karen Russell is the only daughter of Bill Russell. "[164] In 2000, his longtime teammate Tom Heinsohn described both Russell's stature and his uneasy relationship with Boston more earthily, saying: "Look, all I know is the guy came to Boston and won 11 championships in 13 years, and they named a bleeping tunnel after Ted Williams. 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, according to a family statement from. That's the first thing Walter Brown said to Chuck Cooper. I could always be myself with them and they were always there for me. Bill Russell's daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. Auerbach replied that Gottlieb's statements were "absolutely ridiculous" and said any controversy was "a question of sour grapes". Russell responded to the honor by tweeting, Just found out I will be receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. At one point, the article reads, The girl [Dorothy] listed as one of lifes ambitions the chance to teach high school for mentally retarded children. [127] On May 20, 2007, Russell was awarded an honorary doctorate by Suffolk University, where he served as its commencement speaker. 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