They were all born to him during his marriage to his first wife, Rose Swisher. [104] After losing for the fifth straight time against Russell and the Celtics, Hall-of-Fame Lakers guard Jerry West stated: "If I had a choice of any basketball player in the league, my No. The children from Bill's marriage to Rose include Karen Russell, William Russel Jr., and Jacob Russell. [98] Third choice Tom Heinsohn also said no because he did not think he could handle the often surly Russell,[98] whom he proposed as a player-coach. [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. Bill and Jeannine did not have any kids together. [14][191] The news was announced in a Twitter post by his family. [80] As the game was tied, Russell had the daunting task of defending against Baylor with little frontline help: Loscutoff, Heinsohn, and Satch Sanders, the three best Celtics forwards, had fouled out. Says Bill Russell: "Basketball is a game that involves a great deal of psychology. And so the guy that owned the Celtics [Walter Brown] was [in addition to Auerbach for whom Russell expressed 'respect' and 'actual love'] another one of the fine, good, and decent human beings that I've ever encountered. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2ac29f4a77691b At one point, Karen asked her father if it was difficult to send her to school in Boston, where she attended Harvard Law School. Therefore, on January 25, 2016, the 58-year-old passed away peacefully in his sleep in the comfort of the Mountain West place hed learned to call home alongside some of his closest loved ones. [5][49], In the 196061 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game,[1] leading his team to a regular season mark of 5722. (embedded photo)", "Rare Photos of Bill Russell (third photo in gallery", "Eight players who have won NCAA, NBA, and Olympic titles", "2003 draft eventually may be best in history", "Philadelphia Warriors vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 1, 1957", "Russell of Celtics Violates N.B.A. 6 jersey would be retired throughout the National Basketball Association, the first time a jersey had been retired league-wide in NBA history, and joining Jackie Robinson and Wayne Gretzky in the honor among the four major American sports leagues. Bill Russell was also playing for the US National basketball team, where he was the team captain during the 1956 Summer Olympics, and in fact, the team won it. 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. [193] When Wilt Chamberlain became the first NBA player to earn $100,000 in salary in 1965 (equivalent to $859,873 in 2021), Russell went to Auerbach and demanded a $100,001 salary, which he promptly received. 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. In a game called as "unreal" and "devoid of emotion", the Sixers lost 127118 on April 5. [190], Russell died at his Mercer Island, Washington, home on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. I like most blacks because I am black." Fri 5 Aug 2022 10.44 EDT. [55] Russell's first Celtics game came on December 22, 1956, against the St. Louis Hawks, led by star forward Bob Pettit, who would go on to hold several all-time scoring records. The couple tied the knot in 1956 before parting ways in 1973. [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. Your login session has expired. Bill Russells Wives: Where Are They Now. 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. [93], In the 1965 NBA playoffs, the Celtics played the Eastern Division Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, a team that had traded for Chamberlain. Russell also ignored Heinsohn's request for an autograph on behalf of his cousin and openly said to Heinsohn that he deserved half of his $300 Rookie of the Year check. "[5][121] On November 3, 1979, Russell hosted Saturday Night Live, in which he appeared in several sports-related sketches. [50], The St. Louis Hawks, who owned the second pick, drafted Russell but were vying for Celtics center Ed Macauley, a six-time NBA All-Star who had roots in St. Louis. [45][46] He also competed in the 440 yards (402.3m) race, which he could complete in 49.6 seconds. Bill Russell was born on February 12, 1934 and he died on July 21, 2022 aged 88. Yet its important to note that the happily married Seattle, Washington resident has since been serving at King Countys Metro Transit, where he currently holds the post of Transit Operator. Bill marched with Martin Luther King Jr. when he delivered his "I Have a Dream . Although the middle child of Bill Sr. and Rose Swisher (born on July 6, 1959), Jacob is arguably the simplest member of the prominent Russell family in almost every sense of the term. [78] At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. On July 31, 2022, shetweeteda series of pictures with her late father, captioned: "Keanu Reeves on death, 'I know that the ones who love us will miss us.'". When the NBA All-Stars toured the U.S. in the 1958 offseason, white hotel owners in segregated North Carolina denied rooms to Russell and his black teammates, causing him to later write in his 1966 memoir Go Up for Glory: "It stood out, a wall which understanding cannot penetrate. He was born William Felton Russell Jr. on November 2, 1957. 6 jersey", "Bill Russell Statue Unveiled At Boston City Hall", "Bill Russell statue to be unveiled Nov. 1", "City Hall Plaza statue honors Celtics' Bill Russell", "Basketball's Bill Russell joins the Bronze Age", "Russell Rule Diversity Hiring Commitment", "The University of San Francisco Honors the Memory of Marilyn Nault Russell", "Bill Russell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know", "Bill Russell, legendary Celtics center and NBA coach, dead at 88", "Indomitable Russell Values One Accolade Above the Rest", "Police: NBA legend Bill Russell arrested with gun at airport", "Bill Russell, Basketball Great With Record 11 NBA Titles, Dies At 88", "Celtics legend, 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell dies at 88", "What NBA salaries would these superstar players make today? Would love your thoughts, please comment. [The sound of Russell throwing up] is a welcome sound, too, because it means he's keyed up for the game, and around the locker room we grin and say, 'Man, we're going to be all right tonight. [5], Despite his limitations on offense, as Russell averaged 15.1 points per game, his rebounding, defense, and leadership made him one of the dominant players of his era. William Felton Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana, a small agricultural community where his parents were subjected to the constant indignities that were the lot of African Americans in the Deep South at the time. In its announcement, the WCC stated: "The 'Russell Rule' requires each member institution to include a member of a traditionally underrepresented community in the pool of final candidates for every athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach position in the athletic department. ", "Glory at the Basket, William Felton Russell", "The Ring Leader: Bill Russell helped the Celtics rule their sport like no team ever has", "Celtics Name Russell Coach, Making Him First Negro to Lead Major Team", "A Farewell Fiercest Rival: Bill Russell Recalls Wilt As His Friend For Eternity", "Bill Russell: Working with Red Auerbach", "More than 40 years later, Celtics great Bill Russell finally accepts his Hall of Fame ring", "Third Annual 'We Are Boston' Event Honors Outstanding Contributions to Boston's Diversity", "Bill Russell: 'Tell those NFL players, I'm with them', UPI College Basketball Player of the Year Award, Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year, NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1955 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1956 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Russell&oldid=1142551823, African-American male track and field athletes, African-American sports executives and administrators, All-American college men's basketball players, American sports executives and administrators, Basketball players at the 1956 Summer Olympics, Basketball players from Oakland, California, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association broadcasters, National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball, San Francisco Dons men's basketball players, San Francisco Dons men's track and field athletes, Track and field athletes from Oakland, California, United States men's national basketball team players, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 01:53. Many people thought that Russell was more important even though he had only played half the season. [37], On the hardwood, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. [5] Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career. Russell was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955. [20] When World War II broke out, the elder Russell became a truck driver. [116], After retiring as a player, Russell had stints as head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics (19731977) and Sacramento Kings (19871988). During a conversation with students, a reporterunknown to Russellheard Russell describe Chamberlain as a malingerer and accused him of "copping out" of the game when it seemed that the Lakers would lose. The NBA has seen countless legendary players throughout its history, but there are a select few who have truly stood out as the greatest of all time. [8][38] His awards and achievements include eleven NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in thirteen seasons,[52] two of which were won as player-coach,[142] and he is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level. In the pivotal Game 7, Russell managed to hold Chamberlain to 22 points, 28 points below his season average, while scoring 19 points. As if this isnt enough, her written pieces have been featured in the New York Times, the Seattle Times, and the Huffington Post, amongst many other publications, and she has a TEDx talk on Mentoring. He still holds the NBA record for rebounds in one half with 32 (vs. Philadelphia, November 16, 1957). [114] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. [66] Lakers head coach John Kundla praised Russell, stating: "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. I knew youd encounter racism and sexism, and maybe, in some ways, thats a good thing. "[22], During his early years, Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. 18 on ESPN's "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century" list in 1999. In addition, Auerbach had already used his NBA territorial pick to acquire talented forward Tom Heinsohn. Thus Russell initialized as the first black head coach in NBA history. [5] Russell was known as one of the most clutch players in the NBA. Constantly provoked by New York Knicks center Ray Felix during a game, he complained to coach Auerbach, who told him to take matters into his own hands. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. ADVERTISEMENT. Aside from that, the late Russell remained a big part of the . [32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. Brown, who gave him a high $24,000 rookie contract, just $1,000 shy of the top-earning veteran Bob Cousy.[121]. "[207] Years after Taylor's book, Russell published the autobiographical account Red and Me, which chronicled his lifelong friendship with Auerbach. [19] 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. [56] He also became famous for his shot-blocking skills and pundits called his blocks "Wilsonburgers", referring to the Wilson NBA basketballs he "shoved back into the faces of opposing shooters". "[121] In December 2008, the We Are Boston Leadership Award was presented to Russell. He was born on November 2, 1957, and spent several years working for Cox Trucking. As a freshman at McClymonds High School in Oakland,[23][24] Russell was almost cut again;[25] as he saw Russell's raw athletic potential, coach George Powles encouraged him to work on his fundamentals. [50] He had the option to skip the tournament and play a full season for the Celtics, but he was determined to play in the Olympics. [56] Russell's defense was called into question by Eddie Gottlieb, coach of the Philadelphia Warriors, after the WarriorsCeltics game on January 1, 1957, in which he recorded 17 points and 25 rebounds, plus an assist. The youngest son of the NBA legend hasn't led a very public life, which is why there isn't much information about him. [13], Russell's life was marked by an uphill battle against racism and controversial actions and statements in response to racism. NBA legend Bill Russell passed away at the age of 88. When the reporter asked how, Russell responded: "Because the most important factor is respect. Getty Images/Getty Images. The couple actually kept their relationship well away from the public eye, so we only know they renewed their vows in 2020 before continuing to establish a comfortable life in Seattle, thanks to their social media platforms. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. In his first playoff game, Russell finished with 16 points and 31 rebounds, along with 7 reported blocks, which were not yet an officially registered statistic. 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. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony. Bill Russell is an 11-time NBA champion, and 12-time All-Star and is perhaps the game's greatest champion. [209], Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. In the 1961 NBA playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 41 in the Eastern Division Finals. [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. Read More: Bill Russells Wives: Where Are They Now? Bill Russell Personal life, Spouse & Trivia. Russell was accused of selling out the future of the franchise for a month of his salary. If you were too sheltered, Im afraid youd be too naive. I'm certainly going to ask Maurice Podoloff."