document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Affiliate Disclosure: We may earn commissions from purchases made on Amazon via our links. The term Dynasty might have never applied to Basketball had it not been for Bill Russell. He last led the Sacramento Kings as president of basketball operations in the late 1980s. She is reportedly a legal and political analyst who graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. But if those souvenir hounds had taken Russell up on the chance to sit with him for a meal, they might have heard about his obsession with golf. Omissions? Outside the classroom, Russell began playing basketball. Go back to Africa, you baboon. Russell once got asked a question about being a Black star in Boston, a city with a complicated history when it comes to race. That same year, in the NBA draft, the Boston Celtics orchestrated a deal with the St. Louis Hawks and traded for the draft rights to the young center. The basketball legacy is beyond well-known: 11 championships in 13 years with the Boston Celtics, first Black coach in the NBA, first Black coach to win an NBA title, Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, Olympic champion, NCAA champion, member of the leagues 75th anniversary team, and the namesake of the NBA Finals MVP award which, had it existed when he played, he would have won at least a half-dozen times. William Felton Russell Jr., also known as "Buddha," lost a courageous battle with cancer. After her marriage to Bill ended, Rose stayed out of the limelight and lived a relatively secluded life. He helped start the National Basketball Players Association. The world has many of them. Shedding light on his life achievements outside basketball, the statement read: But for all the winning, Bills understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life. In addition, he was a high-level sprinter and high jumper on USFs track-and-field team (Wilt Chamberlain, his future archrival, also excelled at track and field up until his pro basketball career). Throughout his career, Bill Russell won 11 NBA championship rings. Bill Russell, the greatest defensive player of all time, has a special place in the NBAs Hall of Fame. This unlikely superstar came into the NBA as a center for the Boston Celtics and played for the team for his entire 13 years of career. The raccoons heard about that, Russell said. Even against more physically imposing centers, like .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Wilt Chamberlain, Russell was a defensive and rebounding force. And so, to do this took thought, planning and discretion and intelligence. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Bill Russells family announced his demise through a statement on Sunday, July 31. William Felton Russell was born Feb. 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana, before his family moved west, settling in Oakland, California. MARTIN: Exactly. Russells impact was immediate. Bill Russell was an American former basketball coach and former professional basketball player who was universally acknowledged as one of the greatest American sportspersons of all time. During his days playing in the NBA, brands were not accustomed to signing sponsorship and endorsement deals with players. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. There were things you might take away from Bill Russell and say, wow, you know, for him to have - hold this grudge against Wilt Chamberlain for so many years. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.died July 31, 2022), American basketball player who was the With Russell anchoring the middle of the floor, the Celtics finished with the NBA's best record in 1957, and went on to win the title over the Hawks in a tense seven-game series. He was 88 years old. While there is still progress to be made, the Hall of Famer should get a lot of credit for fighting against what was wrong. In 2005, Russell recorded bankruptcy after investing an estimated amount of $250,000 to finance a rubber plantation project in Liberia. WebAbout Bill Russell Composer William "Bill" Russell (February 26, 1905 August 9, 1992) was an American music historian and modernist composer. Bill Russell was born in 1934 in Louisiana and when he was eight years old his family moved west to Oakland, California during WWII looking for a new life. I went and told my mother. You know, what - is there something in particular you're hoping people will draw from this film? He stood side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s, the height of the civil rights movement. So I go into 5 fights, and I lose 3 and win 2. Although Bill Russell played less than 50 games, due to the fact he has won a gold medal for basketball in the Olympics, in his first NBA season he definitely made his presence felt. The relationship was broken apart in controversy because of Anstetts color. In 1996 Russell married his third wife, Marilyn Nault. A look at Bill Russells family life Bill was born to Katie and Charles Russell. BroBible is the #1 place on the internet for the very best content from the worlds of sports, culture, gear, high tech, and more. He married Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, in 1956. He was married four times and had three children. And she said What!. The series airs on Wednesday, February 8, and fans want to know more about his personal life. It is a truly staggering rate of success, one that no other NBA player has come close to approaching. Copyright 2023 NPR. 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. Athletically awkward at first, Russell struggled to find playing time on the team at McClymonds High School in Oakland. When Auerbach retired after the Celtics won the 196566 NBA title, Russell succeeded him as coach. Now the incident is under review. This site uses cookies to serve you better. Bill Russell has been married on 4 different occasions but had never kept a marriage for up to 2 decades, the longest being 17 years (19561973) to a lady called Due to the demise of his mother, Bills father decided to work in a steel factory in order to provide emotional support for his children. His new documentary, "Bill Russell: Legend," is streaming now on Netflix. Former Basketball coach, Former Professional Basketball Player. The NBA great Bill Russell has died at age 88. They are the only children Bill had. Russell was the first player to win an Olympic Gold Medal, an NBA Championship, and a collegiate championship. And these 5 guys ran by. Before his arrival, the Celtics had been a shot-happy, nearly out-of-control team, led by passing wizard Bob Cousy. Russell was married three times. He is a best-selling author and thirty years after he won he remained a recognizable face and a legend. He would direct his blocks to a player releasing on a fast break or off the backboard to keep the ball in play. After taking the first two at home the Lakers returned to the Boston Garden to lose the next two. NBA Boston Celtics, player/head coach (1966-1969). But the thing that Bill Russell was always focused on as a player was being a member of the Celtic family. MARTIN: Do you kind of get the feeling that, in a way, his story was hiding in plain sight? He was born and brought up in a super-rich-class Catholic Christian family from West Monroe, Louisiana, United States. Rose and Bill were college sweethearts and were together for much of Bills NBA Bills third wife was Marilyn Nault, whom he married in 1996. On joining the Celtics during the mid-season, he made his professional debut against the St. Louis Hawks. Bill Russell who was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks as its first-round second overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft earned a draft trade and was acquired by the Boston Celtics but soon after participated in the Olympics which delayed his participation with the Celtics. He won the NCAA in his finals and even earned recognition as a shot-blocker and defensive maestro. The comedy centered on a family in Harlem and addressed both the political and generational conflicts of the time. POLLARD: My pleasure, Michel. His home was accosted on a few occasions, and he heard he would not get MVP because he was black from a reporter. Bill Russell died at the age of 88 on July 31, 2022, in Mercer Island, Washington, United States. Bill Russelll described the incident as one that changed my whole attitude sticking up for yourself. He Had Three Children with His First Wife Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. Named Russell William Wagner at birth, when he decided to become a classical music composer, he dropped his last nameas it already "was taken" by Richard Wagner. It wasnt long before the defensively adept Russell proved to be dominating presence, with a scorers touch and uncanny ability to rebound. In 1956 Bill Russell entered the NBA draft. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. During his three-year varsity career, in which he led the team to consecutive NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956, he averaged 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. Russell would lead these teams over some other among the greatest of all time, including Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Hal Greer, and his most famous rival Wilt Chamberlain.While Russell was rewriting Boston sports history he faced immense racism from the most devout Celtics fan. Yet in a sport that traditionally celebrates scoring and offensive heroics, Russell was an anomaly: a dominant player for whom making shots was truly secondary. Following his passing on Sunday at 88, tributes poured in fast His mind was bigger than basketball, author Taylor Branch, who spent about a year living with Russell near Seattle in the 1970s while working with him on a book, said Sunday. 6 jersey across the entire league. Bill Russell is survived by three children: Jacob, William Russell Jr, and Karen. He was a marginal player until, while on a summer basketball tour he had been selected for as an afterthought, he realized that running and jumping could be used to mirror and counteract the flashy, creative scorers that routinely gave teams fits. Jon Jones Reacts To Islam Makhachev Declaring Himself The Best Fighter In The World, Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To ESPN/UFC Commentator Laura Sanko Thirsting Over Him In Viral Video, Jon Jones First Shirtless Pic At Heavyweight Before UFC 285 Goes Viral, Ja Morants Lawyer, Agent Threaten Legal Recourse For Defamatory Report From The Washington Post, Another Glitch In The Matrix Has Occurred As A Bird Is Filmed Motionless In Mid-Air, Bengals Exec Sends Harsh Wake-Up Call To Teams Sniffing Around Tee Higgins. WebBill Russell Legend on DVD - Both Episodes The life and career of Hall of Fame NBA player Bill Russell is celebrated in the documentary Bill Russel: Legend. On the court, Russell was a force to be reckoned with a champion who sacrificed himself for his teammates and love of basketball. Rose Swisher and Bill Russell had three children, daughter Karen Russell and sons William Jr and Jacob. And on Sunday, the world lost an absolute legend. And one of them slapped me as they went by. But without Bill Russell there is no doubt the Boston Celtics would not be the rock-solid professional sports team they have become in their legendary run of championships. Coon. NBA Sacramento Kings, player/head coach (1987-1988). Accuracy and availability may vary. A San Diego judge had a defendants 13-year-old daughter handcuffed. William Jr, Bills first son, was born in 1957 but passed away from cancer in 2016. In 2013, Boston erected a significant statue of their legend, Bill Russell right outside the Boston City Hall Plaza. His second wife, Dorothy "Didi" Anstett, was the 1968 Miss USA. Throughout his 13-year career, he enjoyed a successful spell with the Celtics. In 1987, Russell began coaching the Sacramento Kings but was fired due to lack of performances following a loss in the opening fixture of the 1988/89 season. He married again Dorothy Anstett (Miss USA 1968) in 1977. It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. His calling card was defense, rebounding, andabove all elseshot blocking, which he transformed into a fluid athletic art in the same way that some of his contemporaries had altered the perception of what was possible on offense. Bill Russell viewed basketball as a science, and played the game with an analytical view as well as with an emotional intensity.Russell played the game psychologically as well, defending his various opponents so well that many times he made those he defended feel like they could not score a basket. The following season, Russell earned the NBA MVP award and helped the Celtics to another NBA final which they lost. And so thats the kind of stuff I got from my mother.. But above all else, Russell was basketballs ultimate winner. It was the start of an unprecedented championship run for Russell and the Celtics. Russell did not create the first basketball dynasty, but to date, through Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Bill Russell has one more championship than any other basketball player.Bill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. He is an American by nationality and has a belief in the Catholic Christian religion. He married Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, in 1956. Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory. In his 1st season, the Celtics failed to reach and win the NBA finals for the 1st time in 8 years. Russell was married three times. Bill Russell: Legend is a new two-part Netflix documentary that covers the Boston greats triumphs on the court, and activism off of it. The victory got Russell his 10th NBA Championship title in 12 career years and the Sports Illustrateds Sportsman of the Year Award. POLLARD: Well, first of all, he was a very angry guy about that. Bill Russells family announced his demise through a statement on Sunday, July 31. POLLARD: Well, I was approached by Ross Greenberg, who used to be the president of HBO Sports, about two years ago to get involved with the film as a director. As at 2020, Bill Russell is married to Jeannine Russell and the couple appears frequently together on his Instagram. POLLARD: I don't think he was as vocal. 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