[34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. 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. [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. The fans could do or think whatever they wanted. Russell was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955. Bill Russell Speaks at Ceremony for New Statue, For the unveiling of the new statue in Boston City Hall Plaza, Bill Russell speaks about his career as both an athlete and activist, as well as the importance of mentoring and friendship. He reasoned that if Saperstein was too smart to speak with him, then he was too smart to play for Saperstein. [199][200] Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me. NBA legend Bill Russell was also a civil rights activist : NPR Russell's daughter, Karen, is a legal . "[198] In 2009, Russell wrote his paternal grandfather's motto, passed down to his father and then to him: "A man has to draw a line inside himself that he won't allow any man to cross." He revealed that his mother died when he was 12. [19], During World War II, the Second Great Migration began, as large numbers of blacks were moving to the West to look for work there. The NCAA had previously prohibited goaltending in response to George Mikan (1945) and later banned the dunk shot due to Lew Alcindor (1967), although the latter rule was later repealed. Russell was equally notable for his rebounding abilities, and he led the NBA in rebounds four times, had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds,[12] and remains second all time in both total rebounds and rebounds per game. 6 to be retired across NBA following legend's death last month", "Chat Transcript: Celtics Legend Bill Russell", "Russell 'So good, he scares you' Mikan", "Bill Russell Named Boston Celtic Coach; Basketball Star To Draw $125,001 Salary a Record for a Pro Coach or Manager He'll Take over Next Season", "Who's Better At Hoops: Bill Russell Or Frank Robinson? The centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty who earned 11 NBA titles during . Russell, a legend on the court and in the civil rights movement, has been an integral part of MENTOR since its inception more than 30 years ago and has remained steadfastly committed as a champion of the mentoring movement. [52], Due to his Olympic commitment, Russell could not join the Celtics for the 195657 NBA season until December. . [107] West then hit one basket after the other and cut the lead to one, and Chamberlain asked to return to the game. 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. Your IP: Bill Russell only had children with his first wife Rose; they are Karen, Jacob, and William Russell Jr. Karen Russell. Bill Russell (1934-2022), Boston Celtics legend - Legacy.com Bill Russell, 11-time NBA champion, Boston Celtics legend and all-time He unfortunately passed away from cancer back in 2016 at the early age of 58, according to NBC News. Bill Russell, NBA legend and Boston Celtics great, dies at 88 - USA TODAY [126] Russell's Rules was published in 2001, and he convinced Miami Heat superstar center Shaquille O'Neal to bury the hatchet with fellow NBA superstar and former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant and end the ShaqKobe feud in January 2006. [208] The close relationship ended after Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals, when Chamberlain injured his knee with six minutes left and was forced to leave the game. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. [50] Auerbach later said that Brown offered Harrison guaranteed performances of the Ice Capades if they did not draft Russell; it is difficult to verify or disprove this, but it is clear that the Royals underrated Russell. Russell also had seven regular-season games with 40 or more rebounds, the NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9, 1957). [189] On October 16, 2013, Russell was arrested for bringing his registered, loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun to the SeattleTacoma International Airport. [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. "[217] Referring to a time when the Celtics did not frequently sell out the Boston Garden, while the generally mediocre and all-white NHL Boston Bruins did, Russell recalled: "We [the Celtics] did a survey about what we could do to improve attendance. Bill Russell obituary | NBA | The Guardian That sums up Friday's Real Time with Bill Maher, as the actor/comedian and the politician railed against the machine and said the system has to be changed to give a voice to the working class.. Maher, for once, largely let them have at it. [205] At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach's impact as a coach confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. Bill Russell, Celtics legend and NBA trailblazer, dead at 88 He told her to go home and remove the dress, which he described as "white woman's clothing". Tonights event will be hosted by Tracy Morgan, and will air live on ABC from 7-10pm ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. [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. 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. [78] At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. [69] It was the record for most rebounds in a single game until November 24, 1960, when Chamberlain grabbed 55 rebounds against Russell,[13] who led the Celtics to a 132129 win over the Philadelphia Warriors with 18 points, 19 rebounds, and 5 assists. She graduated as an English Major from the University of Washington. Click to reveal . After USF kept Holy Cross Crusaders star Tom Heinsohn scoreless in an entire half,[31] Sports Illustrated wrote: "If [Russell] ever learns to hit the basket, they're going to have to rewrite the rules. Frank Robinson, a future member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, was one of Russell's high school basketball teammates. [19] In another incident, Russell's mother was walking outside in a fancy dress when a white policeman accosted her. As indicated, Bill Russell's children are Jacob Russell, Karen Russell, and William Russell Jr. Bill Russell was a father to two sons named Williams Jr. and Jacob. Russell's daughter, Karen, is a legal and political analyst, as well as a blogger. In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 29.4 rebounds. Auerbach, Red and John Feinstein. 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. @NBATV before Game 6 of 2013 #NBAFinals. [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. ", "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. [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. [1] Boston defeated the Cincinnati Royals 41 to earn another NBA Finals appearance and then won against Chamberlain's newly relocated San Francisco Warriors 41. Auerbach agreed to trade Macauley, who had previously asked to be traded to St. Louis in order to be with his sick son, if the Hawks gave up Russell. 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. He Had Three Children with His First Wife. Bill . [84] President John F. Kennedy posed for a picture with Auerbach and the nine Celtics but not Russell, who overslept because he thought it was just a tour of the White House and did not know President Kennedy would be meeting them. William Felton Russell Jr., Bill Russell's oldest son who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, died in 2016. 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972. He still holds the NBA record for rebounds in one half with 32 (vs. Philadelphia, November 16, 1957). Three women by the names of Rose Swisher, Dorothy Anstett, and Marilyn Nault were married off by the 11-time NBA champion. At first, the couple was very happy. [30], Combining the stature and shot-blocking skills of a center with the foot speed of a guard, Russell became the centerpiece of a USF team that soon became a force in college basketball. A local kid from Somerville and several girls from the nearby area . [53] His former USF and future Celtics teammate K. C. Jones joined him on the Olympic squad and contributed 10.9 points per game,[54] including a RussellJones combined 29 points in the finals. In the 1961 NBA playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 41 in the Eastern Division Finals. [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. "[36], Racism shaped his lifelong paradigm as a team player, about which Russell said: "At that time it was never acceptable that a black player was the best. [79] Game 7 was tied one second before the end of regular time, when Lakers guard Rod Hundley faked a shot and passed out to Frank Selvy, who missed an open eight-foot last-second shot that would have won Los Angeles the title. Yet for now, if you simply wish to learn more about the individuals carrying on his legacy in their last name his children William Bill Jr., Jacob, and Karen Russell weve got you covered. "[49] That playoff series ended in a dramatic Game 7, when the Sixers were trailing 110109 five seconds before the end, but Russell turned over the ball. [37], On the hardwood, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. In addition, Auerbach had already used his NBA territorial pick to acquire talented forward Tom Heinsohn. [221] On November 15, 2019, Russell accepted the Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony with family. He replied: "Yes." The former University of San Francisco and Boston Celtics center was professional basketball's . [109] According to Taylor, Russell discounted the fact that his career was facilitated by white people who were proven anti-racists: his high school coach George Powles, who encouraged him to play basketball, his college coach Phil Woolpert, who integrated USF basketball, Celtics coach Red Auerbach, who made him the first black NBA coach and is regarded as an anti-racist pioneer for his no color barrier, and Celtics owner Walter A. 6 jersey will be retired across the NBA, was a champion, a gold medalist and a civil rights activist. Despite the former Miss USA 1968 and Russell being happy at first, things took a turn south, and they divorced in 1980. 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. Bill Russell's daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. Bill Russell was one of the greatest players in NBA history who was known for his outstanding defense. He lost his mother when he was just 12 years old. "[153] 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. The couple has 3 children whose name is Karen Russell, William Jr, and Jacob. [5][96], In the 196566 NBA season, Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. Chamberlain often invited Russell over for Thanksgiving dinner; at Russell's place, conversation mostly concerned Russell's electric trains. Bill Russell's first wife was his childhood love. Rose and Bill started dating in their college days. In 1954, he became the first coach of a major college basketball squad to start three African-American players: K. C. Jones, Hal Perry, and Russell. The couple actually tied the knot on December 9, 1956, with Bill soon making it clear he owed a vast majority of his ambition, compassion, drive, and success to his supportive wife, Rose. [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. The ex-wife of Bill Russell. In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that Russell was "the greatest champion in all of team sports". All about Marilyn Nault, NBA Legend Bill Russell's third wife The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. We won 28 out of 29 games. [117] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. 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. Bill Russell Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Moreover, the Next Gen: #BLM founder helps clients manage, execute, as well as maintain inclusive initiatives as a freelance consultant while also helping democratic women vote full ballots as an activist. 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. [5] Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled. [68] Both men awed onlookers with "nakedly awesome athleticism",[68] and while Chamberlain outscored Russell 30 to 22, the Celtics won 115106, and the match was called a "new beginning of basketball". [170], In 2013, Boston honored Russell by erecting a statue of him on City Hall Plaza. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. [59] With the Celtics leading 125123 with one second left, the Hawks had the ball at their own baseline. Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. As Chamberlain was often defended by Celtics backup center Wayne Embry, the press speculated that Russell was worn down. One of the greatest players in NBA history, Bill Russell, is currently in his 4th marriage. [116], After retiring as a player, Russell had stints as head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics (19731977) and Sacramento Kings (19871988). Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. The children from Bill's marriage to Rose include Karen Russell, William Russel Jr., and Jacob Russell. Russell's impact even breached the walls of racism and segregation in that area; amazingly, some white children attended the sports learning camp. [173] The statue was unveiled on November 1, 2013, with Russell in attendance. Bill Russell Net Worth 2023: Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Kids, Bio-Wiki 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. "[214], In 1966, Russell was promoted to head coach of the Celtics. Updated. West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, San Francisco Dons men's basketball 195455 NCAA champions, San Francisco Dons men's basketball 195556 NCAA champions, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career minutes played leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks, List of National Basketball Association single-game rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association rookie single-season rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association single-season rebounding leaders, List of NBA players with most championships, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career rebounding leaders, "Bill Russell, Henri Richard Famous Elevens Gallery", "195356 NCAA Championship Seasons: The Bill Russell Years", "Bill Russell's Trailblazing Legacy Is Secure (Even If Stats Can't Measure It)", "Bill Russell Is A Champion By Defintion [sic]", "Where does Bill Russell rank among best centers in NBA history? NBA Legend Bill Russell receives the 2017 NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. [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. She and Bill tied the knot on December 9, 1956, and reportedly met in college. Born to William Bill Russell and his college sweetheart Rose Swisher a year into their marriage (December 9, 1956) on November 2, 1957, William Bill Felton Russell Jr. was their firstborn. In the year 1977, Bill got the divorce from his wife and married, Miss USA named, Dorothy Anstett. He was notorious for his public surliness and judgmental attitude towards others. "[213] Describing the Celtics organization, as distinguished from Boston sports fans in the 1950s and 1960s, as very progressive racially, Russell recalled in 2010 a list of the organization's accomplishments on racial progress both in terms of objective milestones and his own subjective experience as a member of the organization. Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in a major American sports league, died July 31. Schayes, who had become the 76ers coach, said: "The Celtics can thank the Good Lord for Bill Russell. I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. Pin. Bill Russell's Daughter Account of Racism He Faced Resurfaces - MSN Unfortunately, everything changed in late 2015 as Bill was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer that had already spread to his liver, especially as it was too advanced to even consider surgery. Rest in Peace, Bill. [206], Russell was known for his distinctive high-pitched laugh, of which Auerbach quipped: "There are only two things that could make me quit coaching. I'm certainly going to ask Maurice Podoloff." Meet Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr. and Karen Russell, Bill Russell Russell's No. During Russell's college career, the conference was known as the California Basketball Association. They were all born to him during his marriage to his first wife, Rose Swisher. The duo shares three children together. The couple grew emotionally distant and divorced. Bill Russell, the Boston Celtics' Hall of Fame center who almost single-handedly redefined the game of basketball, was, in the words of Basketball's Big Men by David Klein, "the standard against whom all others will be judged." A big man who specialized in defense rather than scoring, Russell was the ultimate winner. She's also provided commentary on the high-profile cases of NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams. 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. 1973. As part of the 1961 Celtics boycott, he and the other black teammates refused to play in the exhibition game and flew home, drawing a great deal of controversy and publicity. [56] Russell never had to work part-time. [49] Bill Simmons has estimated that Russell had between 8 and 15 blocks per game in the playoffs. The Untold Truth Of Bill Russell - Grunge [61] In Boston, both fans and journalists felt betrayed because Russell left the Celtics without a coach and a center, and he sold his retirement story for $10,000 to Sports Illustrated. If I looked at it objectively, detached myself, it would be a deficiency. . Television Pundit and Lawyer Karen Russell is the only daughter of Bill Russell.