In the first two games, Russell ordered his players not to double-team West, who used the freedom to score 53 and 41 points in the Game 1 and 2 Laker wins. Jacob H. Russell was born on July 6, 1959 and lives in Renton, Washington with his 44-year-old wife Sara Marckx Russell. At 18 he went to college, at San Francisco, where he won two NCAA Championships in 1955 and 1956. 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. [152] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. [78] At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. [121] Russell also wrote books, usually written as a joint project with a professional writer, including 1979's Second Wind,[122] and played Judge Roger Ferguson in the Miami Vice episode "The Fix" (aired March 7, 1986). [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. In a 1980 poll of basketball writers, he was voted the greatest . "[200], Russell was driven by "a neurotic need to win", as his Celtic teammate Tom Heinsohn observed. [12] Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. Jones. [4] Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds,[35] saying: "I never permitted myself to be a victim. I owe so much to him it's impossible to express. Together, the longtime couple are also grandparents to seven children, including Kate's kids, Ryder Robinson, Bingham Hawn Bellamy, and Rani Rose Hudson Fujikawa; Oliver's kids, Bodhi Hawn Hudson,. [107] Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. [59] Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable. The most prolific winner in NBA history, Russell was the centerpiece of. [5] This took place during his last season (1969) and was the first season the NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected. Asked by Russell what was wrong, his grandfather replied how proud he was of him, being coach of an organization in which blacks and whites coexisted in harmony. The NBA great Bill Russell has died at age 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. In the letter she wrote for The New York Times in 1987, Karen Russell said her family came home from a three-day weekend one night to find their house robbed and vandalized. A living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. [85] On February 10, 1963, Russell recorded his first regular season triple-double after putting up 17 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 129123 win over the New York Knicks. [67] 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". The children and grandchildren of the Boston Celtics legend were able to say their goodbyes on Saturday, a source told Andscape. 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 tied the knot with childhood girlfriend Sherrill Hansen and they have son. [70] Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. In the 1960 NBA playoffs, Russell's Celtics met Chamberlain's Warriors in the Eastern Division Finals. Well, that let me know that if I were to accept these as the final judges of my career I would die a bitter old man." While in Oakland he was very poor but became a skillful basketball player. "[5][120] On November 3, 1979, Russell hosted Saturday Night Live, in which he appeared in several sports-related sketches. 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. [39][40] During his college career, Russell was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955, averaging 20.7 points per game and 20.3 rebounds per game. Bill Russell's Parents Charles Russell and Katie Russell are his parents. [20] Russell was closer to his mother Katie than to his father,[20] and he received a major emotional blow when she suddenly died when he was 12 years old. UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". [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. [196], In 1966, The New York Times wrote that "Russell's main characteristics are pride, intelligence, an active and appreciative sense of humor, a preoccupation with dignity, a capacity for consideration once his friendship or sympathy has been aroused, and an unwillingness to compromise whatever truths he has accepted. [14] In 2011, Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the court and in the civil rights movement. 6 for most regular season MVPNBA Finals MVP awards, despite the latter being assigned only since 1969. [5] Russell's team again beat Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers 41 in the Eastern Division Finals, proceeding to win the NBA Finals in a tight showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers, with Russell scoring 25 points and grabbing 32 rebounds, plus giving out an assist,[97] in a 9593 win in Game 7. [26], Russell soon became noted for his unusual style of defense. [38] Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition. "[109] This supported the opinion of many white fans that Russell, who was by then the highest-paid Celtic, was egotistical, paranoid, and hypocritical. Karen graduated from Harward Law School and has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues. In addition to his career accomplishments, Russell was a prominent human rights activist in sports. Russell was accused of selling out the future of the franchise for a month of his salary. [109] Journalists were often treated to the "Russell Glower", described as an "icily contemptuous stare accompanied by a long silence". He was convinced that the U.S. was a corrupt nation and that he was wasting his time playing something as superficial as basketball. [21] In delivering a eulogy for Chamberlain, Russell stated that he did not consider them to be rivals, but rather to have a competition, and that the pair would "be friends through eternity". FILE - Boston Celtics legendary player Bill Russell is greeted at his seat before Game 1 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers . "[206] To teammates and friends, Russell was open and amicable; he was extremely distrusting and cold towards anyone else. is LYING to you. [120], Russell became a vegetarian, took up golf, and worked as a color commentator for CBS and TBS throughout the 1970s into the mid-1980s, but he was uncomfortable as a broadcaster. [37], On the hardwood, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. 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?" Bill Russell siblings 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,. Mr. Russell has a large family and a large number of friends who are proud of him for his services to society. [49], The Celtics lost Cousy to retirement after the 196263 NBA season, and they drafted John Havlicek and were powered by Russell, who averaged 16.8 points and 23.6 rebounds per game, won his fourth regular-season MVP award, and earned the NBA All-Star Game MVP honors at the 1963 NBA All-Star Game following his 19-point, 24-rebound performance for the Eastern Conference's All-Star team. @celtics . In addition to Macauley, who was the Celtics' premier player at the time, he wanted Cliff Hagan, who had been serving in the military for three years and had not yet played for the Celtics. [5] Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony. [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. 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. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. Schayes, who had become the 76ers coach, said: "The Celtics can thank the Good Lord for Bill Russell. [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. This was the first time in seven years that he failed to average at least 23 rebounds a game. They were together from 1956 to 1973. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty, winning eleven NBA championships during his . [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. I'm certainly going to ask Maurice Podoloff." One makes himself look good at the expense of the other guys on the floor. After the next provocation, Russell pounded Felix to the point of unconsciousness, paid a modest $25 fine, and rarely was the target of cheap fouls thereafter. http://t.co/rFfk4qnCEb, KarenKenyattaRussell (@Karen_Russell) June 19, 2013. He grew up in a racially segregated neighbourhood where his family was often subjected to rampant acts of racism. Auerbach replied that Gottlieb's statements were "absolutely ridiculous" and said any controversy was "a question of sour grapes". [204] At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach's impact as a coach, regarding him as the greatest of all coaches, confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. [6][7][8][9] Standing at 6ft 10in (2.08m) tall, with a 7ft 4in (2.24m) arm span,[10][11] his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense were major reasons for the Celtics' dominance during his career. [2] Russell and Henri Richard of the National Hockey League are tied for the record of the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league. In the interim, Russell won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. He later recalled: "To play good defense it was told back then that you had to stay flatfooted at all times to react quickly. [205], Russell was known for his distinctive high-pitched laugh, of which Auerbach quipped: "There are only two things that could make me quit coaching. [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. [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. William Lane Russell (Bill), age 78 of Tunnel Hill, Georgia died unexpectedly on November 24, 2020. [142][155] Russell is universally seen as one of the best NBA players ever,[5] and he was declared "Greatest Player in the History of the NBA" by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980. The 11-time NBA champion had been dealing with health issues in recent years, sources said. In the 1961 NBA playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 41 in the Eastern Division Finals. July 31, 2022 1:27pm. Chamberlain often invited Russell over for Thanksgiving dinner; at Russell's place, conversation mostly concerned Russell's electric trains. Russell articulated these views with a measure of self-criticism, saying: "I consider this a deficiency in myselfmaybe. Karen appears frequently on CNN, MSNBC, and TruTV as a legal and political analyst. The NBA legend was a victim of racism, and not even his basketball fame helped him. 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. [209] After that, the two were often seen together at various events and interviewed as friends. He was born on October 21, 1948 in Monroe, Louisiana as William Felton Russell. , greasy substance which covered you being assigned only since 1969 greatest defensive man i ever! 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