I mean, that famous photograph of the African American lawyer about to be, like, speared with a flag right downtown at city government center. 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 Bill Russell died at the age of 88 on July 31, 2022, in Mercer Island, Washington, United States. POLLARD: Yeah, I hope that they walk away understanding that he was not only a great basketball player, but he was also a great man and a complicated man. I mean, we all know that when he became a Celtic, he became the lynchpin that began this dynasty of the Boston Celtics. He was married four times and had three children. This was the first All-Star weekend since the death of 11-time champion, Hall of Fame player and Hall of Fame coach Bill Russell. MARTIN: Whew. He was assaulted by a group of guys that ran by. 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. During his 13-year NBA career, Russell led the Boston Celtics to 11 championships - two as a player coach. He helped start the National Basketball Players Association. Sam Pollard, thanks so much for talking with us. I mean, he just did what he had to do, and he wasn't as vocal as Ali, as we all know. The NBA great Bill Russell has died at age 88. He had led the university team, the San Francisco Dons, to successive NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) championships in 1955 and 1956, a dream run that had included an astonishing streak of 55 wins in a row. I mean, he had a lot of issues. Rose Swisher died aged 78 on September 11, 2014. Or expensive cars with souped-up sound systems so he could blare the music of Laura Nyro, Janis Ian, or Crosby, Stills and Nash some of his favorites. I thought she was going to take care of it. Granted, it was in part because no one could deal with the moody Russell except Russell himself, but it still made him the first African American coach in NBA history, as well as the first to win a title when Boston took the 196768 championship. What Russell did was close the circuit, creating turnovers that allowed Boston to get back on offense even faster, as well as patrol the paint with an intensity that single-handedly compensated for the Celtics imbalance. Without Chamberlain and an injured Jerry West, it was not enough to defeat the Celtics, who won by only two points.Russell later said Chamberlain was week, and should have demanded to go back into the game. The cemetery is also the final resting place of martial arts action star Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee. Copyright 2008-2023 BroBible. MVP All-Star Game (1963) after 19 points and 24 rebounds. 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. Get top headlines from the Union-Tribune in your inbox weekday mornings, including top news, local, sports, business, entertainment and opinion. The NBA great Bill Russell has died at age 88. He most likely would have led the league in blocked shots many times, but the NBA had not yet started keeping track of the statistic. I say yes maam. He was also involved in several build-ups and could intelligently help the team in tight areas and big games. NBA Seattle Supersonics, player/head coach (1973-1977). 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If you have three hours and want to check out Russells story, you can watch this video right below. Best Known For: Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 seasons. Russell used his popularity to fight for civil rights and help others who were in a similar situation. The series airs on Wednesday, February 8, and fans want to know more about his personal life. 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. In 2005, Russell recorded bankruptcy after investing an estimated amount of $250,000 to finance a rubber plantation project in Liberia. He would return and defeat the Sixers in 1968, in a hotly contested Conference Final series, and easily defeat the Lakers in the Finals. Are you kidding? He could care less, you know, about being someone that Bill Russell, one of the greatest Boston Celtics and NBA players ever, died, his family said Sunday. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. They were together from 1956 to 1973. The documentary features the last interview with Russell before his passing, as well as archived interviews throughout his life. The relationship was broken apart in controversy because of Anstetts color. On August 11, 2022, the NBA announced the retirement of Russell's No. 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. His new documentary, "Bill Russell: Legend," is streaming now on Netflix. They are Jacob Russell,William Russell Jr.,and Karen Russell. WebBill Russell was an American former basketball coach and former professional basketball player who was universally acknowledged as one of the greatest American He would not let his defeat in 1967 keep him down. | Born: February 12, 1934Played all 13 seasons with CelticsFive-time NBA MVPEleven-time NBA championNo. Named to NBA's 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teamsTwelve-time NBA All-StarNamed Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year in 1968Induced into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on April 28, 1975Member of gold-medal winning US Olympic team in 1956 Their marriage lasted until her death in 2009. We went all through the projects looking for those 5 guys. WebFamily Life. Being fearless in the real world even when dealing with matters of race in some of the nations darkest times on that topic was somehow even easier. Russell, outspoken and relentlessly intelligent when it came to matters of race, was not just the NBAs first Black superstar; as the Celtics quickly came to dominate the NBA, he also became an activist on par with Muhammad Ali. Stand up for yourself. At the end of the season Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, taking Chamberlain to the other arch-rival of the Boston Celtics. It's titled, appropriately enough, "Bill Russell: Legend.". Although the whole club and their supporters felt betrayed with Russells professional basketball demise, the Celtics board retired his #6 kit number 3 years after his retirement. William Jr, Bills first son, was born in 1957 but passed away from cancer in 2016. Bill Russell achieved a lot during his life. NBA Sacramento Kings, player/head coach (1987-1988). She detailed the racist vandalism the Russell familys Reading home faced once when they were out of town and listed the racist abuse Bill Russell endured from fans. Former Basketball coach, Former Professional Basketball Player. He endured insults and vandalism, but he kept on focusing on making the teammates who he loved better players, and made possible the success of so many who would follow, Obama said that day. Bill Russell knew that basketball was not so much scoring, but keeping your opponent from scoring as well. [December 2003]. He was represented by Russell Spielman, Manager and Booking Agent, GSE Worldwide, Melville, Long Island, New York, United States. But the Celtics kept winning, and he remained the engine that made them go. Celebrities, athletes and politicians are paying homage to NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell, who has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday. William Felton Russell was born on the 12th February 1934 to Mr Charles Russell and Mrs Kutie Russell. Five times he was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player, and his 21,620 rebounds are second only to Chamberlains career mark. And there were things that you could take away and say that he was really wonderful and special. WebBill Russell February 12, 1934 Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. So the Celtics traded centre Ed Macauley and the rights to guard-forward Cliff Hagan, who had yet to play in the NBA owing to his military service, to the St. Louis Hawks shortly after the Hawks used the second overall pick of the draft to select Russell. He was a We don't remember a lot of the abuse that he had to put up with earlier in his career. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. He supported Muhammad Ali when the fighter refused to go to Vietnam. He played alongside star point guard Bob Cousy for a number of years on the Celtics. His In 1969 most of the fabled Celtics had long been gone or had recently retired. Bill Russell: Legend is a new two-part Netflix documentary that covers the Boston greats triumphs on the court, and activism off of it. He was then married to Dorothy Anstett from 1977 to 1980 and Marilyn Nault from 1996 to 2009. Why do you think it is that that part of his life doesn't seem to have gotten the same kind of attention as other athlete activists like the ones that you named, like Jim Brown, like people who - or even, gosh, even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who's thankfully still with us. He won five MVP awards, tied for second-most with Michael Jordan, one behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbars league record. He is a best-selling author and thirty years after he won he remained a recognizable face and a legend. The Celtics went on to win 8 more back-to-back NBA championships winning five against the Lakers in the finals to set up one of the biggest rivalries in the NBA. Celtics's all-time leading rebounder (21,620, 22.5 rpg) in 963 games; second best in history. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. It was a treasure for me to be around Bill and see how he viewed the world in all of its dimensions.. No matter the game went to seven games when it should have been much shorter. Bill Russell turns 88-years-old this February and has lived such an incredible life in the world of sports its almost hard to really wrap the brain around. They were together from 1956 to 1973. Bill Russells first wife was Rose Swisher, whom he married on December 9, 1956. 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. Well, I was 9 years old, and I did what 9 year olds are supposed to. All rights reserved. But the thing that Bill Russell was always focused on as a player was being a member of the Celtic family. Is A Hot Dog A Sandwich? Attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, Inducted into the ESPN Boston Hall of Fame in 2011 (inaugural class) with. Also coached the NBA's Seattle Supersonics and Sacramento Kings. His draft rights were traded by the Hawks to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and. Still yet Russell was without a doubt one of the finest players of his day. moved his family over to Oakland, California, where Who was Bill Russells wife? 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. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 titles in 13 years. In May 30, it was moviemuskie@yahoo.com, Other Works Bill had attended the McClymonds High School, a public school in Oakland, California. MARTIN: One of the things that I think people today don't realize is how much he had to put up with as a player. One of those that personally meant a lot to me was "Four Little Girls" about the 1963 Birmingham church bombings. Russell, while no behemoth, was tall enough to make his high school team on height alone. Bill Russell attended the University of San-Francisco and played on the school team presumably due to his height advantage. Rose and Bill were college sweethearts and were together for much of Bills NBA Like almost all Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was very segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in He Had Three Children with His First Wife Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. Like, how did he deal with all of that? There was no doubt who the fans were yelling at. She went on to win theMiss Washington USA1968 crown title. Bill was a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player, having won 11 championships during the course of his thirteen-year career. His second wife, Dorothy "Didi" Anstett, was the 1968 Miss USA. Somebody had broken in and defecated on the family bed and made - you know, wrote things on the wall and on his garage door. What happened to Lil Durk at Lollapalooza 2022? Bill passed away with Jeannine by his side. And now Netflix is out with a new documentary. For good measure, he might have had 12, had an ankle injury not sidelined him early in the 1958 NBA finals. While in Oakland he was very poor but became a Only Russell remained of the fabled Boston Celtics, except for the emerging superstar John Havlichek, and aging star Sam Jones. We go back to our place and Im crying. All rights reserved. He helped the team to the play-offs and his shot-blocking abilities were efficient in the NBA final against the St. Louis Hawks which the Celtics narrowly won. Both Macauley and Hagan would eventually land in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, an indication of how highly Auerbach valued Russell. But the thing that Bill Russell was always focused on as a player was being a member of the Celtic family. 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. Have something to tell us about this article? Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. They were together from 1956 to 1973. But there was more to it than that: the white Heinsohn was simply a more attractive candidate for many voters. Official Sites. West Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States, Mercer Island, King County, Washington, United States. Thanks, mom. Before, most players would just reject the blocked shot into the stands. Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory. You can swipe through the Instagram gallery below to see the videos and/or check out the full quotes below the Instagram post. The Celtics won a title in his rookie year, and he became the leagues first African American superstar, though not its first Black player (who was Earl Lloyd in 1956). It would be a disservice an insult, really to look at Russell as only a basketball player, even as one of the greatest ever. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. He led the Boston Celtics to an astounding 11 Championships from 1957 to MARTIN: So before we let you go, what's important to you? Why do you think that is? For the first time in the Bill Russell- Wilt Chamberlain rivalry Chamberlain could not say he did not have the team to beat the Celtics, although many contend that the Celtics were evenly match if not inferior in talent to their many rivals. Game Seven in the Finals was one of the most legendary ever played in the history of American sports. The couple divorced in 1973. The former Boston Celtics legend is an 11-time NBA champion and widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. So it was, like, an easy yes for me to say, I'd love to direct this film about Bill Russell. William Felton Russell was born Feb. 12, 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana. However, Russell fought a long and tough battle off the court as well. POLLARD: Yeah, because I think most people see him just as a great sports figure, a legend on the basketball court, and really didn't really dig into how complex his life was off the court. Over the years, Russells approach became the teams overall philosophy as athletic players who saw defense as a means to key the fast break were introduced into the roster. He married Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, in 1956. Who are Bill Russell's children? He received as much as $100,001 annually, plus an extra $25,000 as a player-coach. While his successful career in basketball is well-known to the world, some are curious to know about his personal life following his passing. To help solve the child care crisis, new legislation would cap families costs and pay providers more, San Diego police want to power up some Smart Streetlights; add license plate readers as crime-fighting tool, Proposed bills could lead to more people being forced into mental health treatment, Demand for freshmen admission at UC San Diego drops for first time in roughly 20 years, Should backcountry builders fund city sidewalks and bike lanes? He opted for speed and marking from blind spots rather than man-marking; with this style, he could move to advance positions to help the attack and also run back to assist the defence. Reflecting on the legacy of Celtics great Bill Russell Russells example helped shape the generations that followed him. In 1956 Red Auerbachthe Celtics head coach and general managertargeted Russell in the NBA draft, seeing the solution to his teams shortcomings. He retired in 1969 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame six years later. While there is still progress to be made, the Hall of Famer should get a lot of credit for fighting against what was wrong. 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. Sam Pollard, thanks so much for talking with us. In the wake of her passing he committed himself to his studies. Even after he became a s The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996). And so was his personality, as great as he was in basketball.. Thats what I did, Russell said in 2009. The term Dynasty might have never applied to Basketball had it not been for Bill Russell. Russell who began his professional career in the NBA in 1956 and ended it in 1969 with a total of eleven NBA championships won, is arguably one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Saw no point to them. Once again, there was an element of chance involved: Auerbach had never seen Russell play and instead had to rely on the word of a trusted peer. . . The statement draws attention to his achievements and contributions outside the field over the years. Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human Russell was truly nothing short of a champion.Since his historic victory Russell has been active in broadcasting for NBA games, and occasionally coaching, including the Seattle Supersonics in the 1970s and the Sacramento Kings in the 1980s. Hes still second on the NBAs all-time rebounding list, behind only Wilt Chamberlain, and will probably be in that spot forever since nobody has come remotely close to him in the last 50 years. Coon. Russell was the first player to win an Olympic Gold Medal, an NBA Championship, and a collegiate championship. Hall of Fame basketball center Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to consecutive NCAA titles before starting his pro career with the Boston Celtics in 1956. Holds career playoff record for most rebounds (4,104, 24.9 rpg) in 165 games. However, he still performed well as a player the following season and led the team to yet another NBA championship title. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. INSIDE THE LAKERS LEGENDS RELATIONSHIPS, WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT LEBRON JAMES DAD ANTHONY MCCLELLAND, FANS ASK WHATS WRONG WITH ANTHONY DAVIS? AFTER REACTION TO LEBRON BREAKING RECORD, Best Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury memes after undefeated Brit beats YouTuber, {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. That story was part of a THREE-HOUR interview with Bill Russell that is preserved in the Library Of Congress. MARTIN: Exactly. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. The autograph-seekers almost always declined. She says dont cry. Supervisors explore ways to offset vehicle traffic from new rural housing, Column: Padres offense inspires bright forecasts as Petco Parks worst clouds have lifted, Opinion: Converting Californias empty office buildings to apartments and condos is a great idea. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. And these 5 guys ran by. 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. All 5 of them, 1 at a time. But by his senior year, his game had picked up enough to earn him a starting spot. Russell's In California, life for the Russell family proved rocky. Over the next several decades he periodically came back to the game as a coach or as an executive, but his teams failed to win with the kind of regularity he enjoyed as a player. NBA legend and civil rights activist Bill Russell dies at 88 Then came the proving ground of Boston. However, it is reported that he lives with his wife Sara Marckx Russell in Washington State. Russell led the US national team in aspects of points, recording an average14.1 points per game. He covers an array of topics including NFL, Pop Culture, Fishing News, and the Outdoors. UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: No. And on Sunday, the world lost an absolute legend. Updated. Considered one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, William Felton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. Russell married his first wife Rose in 1956, and the couple had their first child, William Jr., the year after. Dorothy Catherine Anstett was born on June 28, 1947, and was one of nine children of an aircraft plant worker. And I'm just going to play a short clip about that. She's also provided commentary on the high-profile cases of NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams. When he later became a standout college player at USF, Russell recalled how he and his few fellow black teammates were jeered by white students. Scoring as well a player-coach Auerbach valued Russell the court as well as $ annually! Commentary on the high-profile cases of NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Williams... Nba championNo, william Jr., and fans want to know more about his personal.., fans ASK WHATS WRONG with ANTHONY DAVIS the Library of Congress out story! Had their first child, william Russell Jr., and Karen Russell care of.... 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