The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bill-Russell, Academy of Achievement - Biography of Bill Russell, Bill Russell - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), The great Bill Russell remembered at NBA All-Star weekend. Russell married his first wife Rose in 1956, and the couple had their first child, William Jr., the year after. Following the 1966 season, in which Russell led the Celtics to an eighth consecutive title, Auerbach retired from coaching. She married BillRussell in 1977. 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. Do you know what I mean? 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. His early childhood was shaped by poor health, as the sickly Russell battled several different illnesses. Copyright 2008-2023 BroBible. Take away all the on-court accomplishments, and Russell still lived a life. Well, I was 9 years old, and I did what 9 year olds are supposed to. Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, who won 11 championships in 13 seasons with the team, 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. William Felton Russell was born Feb. 12, 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana. Its impossible to tell the story of the NBA without also telling the story of Bill Russell. Bill Russell died at the age of 88 on July 31, 2022, in Mercer Island, Washington, United States. The cemetery is also the final resting place of martial arts action star Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee. You know, I think people remember that sort of ugly era in Boston's history, which went on for quite some time, like the racial tension in Boston. She has done a lot of activist work, and her articles can be found in the New York Times Magazine, HuffPost, and many other publications. 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. Holds career playoff record for most rebounds (4,104, 24.9 rpg) in 165 games. In 1966 Wilt Chamberlain was traded from the Golden State warriors to his new hometown Philadelphia 76ers. Russell immediately made an impact by improving the Celtics defence with his shot-blocking talent. He was in the audience when King delivered the I Have A Dream speech in Washington in 1963. Your login session has expired. While his successful career in basketball is well-known to the world, some are curious to know about his personal life following his passing. NBA 25th Anniversary All-Time Team (1970). And one of them slapped me as they went by. Holds NBA Finals single-game record for most free throws attempted in one half (15, April 11, 1961) vs. St. Louis; most rebounds (40, March 29, 1960 vs. St. Louis and April 18, 1962 vs. Los Angeles); most rebounds by a rookie (32, April 13, 1967 vs. St. Louis); and most rebounds in a quarter (19, April 18, 1962 vs. Los Angeles). This is why you don't see just one author for this article. He married Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, in 1956. The oldest son of Bill Russell, William Felton Russell Jr, who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, unfortunately passed away in 2016. MARTIN: Exactly. I mean, he had a lot of issues. However, it is reported that he lives with his wife Sara Marckx Russell in Washington State. We don't remember a lot of the abuse that he had to put up with earlier in his career. Bill Russell, a towering figure in the NBA and in American sports history, died at 88 on Sunday, his family announced. 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}}. Accuracy and availability may vary. Never turned the trash cans over again.. It was, however, a milestone made possible by Russells performance and larger significance. Bill Russell married his college Girlfriend Rose Swisher in 1956 and had one daughter named Karen Russell and two sons named I thought she was going to take care of it. In California, life for the Russell family proved rocky. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in the history of American sports, died Sunday. In this article, we take a look at how many kids Bill Russell had and who they are. His last season came in 1968/69 as he began to age and lose interest in the professionalism of basketball. Even after he became a s Due to his height, the NCAA changed some rules that could foster the progress of Bill Russell and other NBA prospects with tall frames. She's also provided commentary on the high-profile cases of NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams. Bill Russells daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. Two-time All-Conference, State, District and American. NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996). When word of this got back to Bill Russell, he told his teammates something to the affect of "We're going to have to do something about that." They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He was the greatest and most dominant winner we've ever seen in the history of basketball. [December 2003]. Are you kidding? On the road it was not uncommon for him to have to sleep in a different hotel from the one the rest of the club used. Celtics's all-time leading rebounder (21,620, 22.5 rpg) in 963 games; second best in history. This intensity not only paid off in the Olympics, and in college, but it would have an immediate impact in the NBA. SAM POLLARD: If it weren't for Bill Russell winning all them championships, would anybody be talking about the Boston Celtics? POLLARD: Well, first of all, he was a very angry guy about that. Member, gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team (1956). I say yes maam. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. 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. 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. He supported Muhammad Ali when the fighter refused to go to Vietnam. Thanks, mom. And she said What!. 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. Both Macauley and Hagan would eventually land in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, an indication of how highly Auerbach valued Russell. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Rose Swisher died aged 78 on September 11, 2014. But there was more to it than that: the white Heinsohn was simply a more attractive candidate for many voters. 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 received as much as $100,001 annually, plus an extra $25,000 as a player-coach. If you have concerns about something that doesnt look right in this Bill Russell Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life, please dont hesitate to contact us. Coon. So how did he deal with it? The couple divorced in 1973. Bill had attended the McClymonds High School, a public school in Oakland, California. President Barack Obama at about 6-foot-2, a taller-than-average individual had to stretch a bit when draping the Presidential Medal of Freedom around Russells neck in 2011, even after Russell crouched down to accommodate the moment. Write to him at treynolds(at)ap.org, More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports. He had made great strides within the game of basketball, but the restless, conscientious Russell felt that there were bigger battles to fight. Have something to tell us about this article? He was also included in the All-NBA First Team thrice (1959, 1963, 1965), the All-NBA Second Team 8 times (1958, 19601962, 1964, 19661968), and the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 1969. Later that year she won Miss USA1968 while studying at Washington. . She is reportedly a legal and political analyst who graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. A the time of his death, he was married to his fourth wife Jeannine, who is believed to have been a competitive golfer. Karen graduated from Harward Law School and has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family to Oakland, California, where the job prospects were better. Bill passed away with Jeannine by his side. Bill was only nine years old at the time. She says dont cry. The NBA legend was a victim of racism, and not even his basketball fame helped him. But the Celtics kept winning, and he remained the engine that made them go. Reflecting on the legacy of Celtics great Bill Russell Russells example helped shape the generations that followed him. 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. He was at the '67 summit in Cleveland with Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali. Holds the NBA single-game record for most rebounds in a half (32) vs. Philadelphia on Nov. 16, 1957. WebFamily Life. Outside the classroom, Russell began playing basketball. Bill Russells family announced his demise through a statement on Sunday, July 31. 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. In 1964 they became the first team in the NBA to start an all-Black lineup. Moreover, the Celtics needed to move up in the draft order to pick him; with Russell coming off two straight NCAA titles, some team was bound to take the plunge. That story was part of a THREE-HOUR interview with Bill Russell that is preserved in the Library Of Congress. It seems weird that there hasn't been this kind of full feature-length treatment until now, given the impact that he had. 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. 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. Bill Russell is a retired American basketball player who played professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Boston Celtics. 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 Rose. In his second season with the Celtics, Russell bought a house in Reading. Russell, while no behemoth, was tall enough to make his high school team on height alone. Inducted into the Sport in Society Hall of Fame, 2000. The couple divorced in 1973. Who was Bill Russells wife? Full Article. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.), American basketball player who was the first outstanding defensive centre in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and one of the sports greatest icons. He won 11 NBA titles in the 13 seasons that he played with Russell was lightly recruited by colleges, but Hal DeJulio, a former player at the nearby University of San Francisco (USF), had seen him play and had an inkling as to his potential, so he recommended Russell to his old school. All rights reserved. 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 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. He was assaulted by a group of guys that ran by. Russell took home one more championship before hanging up his sneakers for good in 1969. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. In 1979, Russell teamed up with professional writers to publish the Second Wind book and also featured in a 1986 movie named The fix as Judge Ferguson. Bill Russells Mom Changed His Life Forever By Making Him Fight 5 Guys In The Projects To Learn A Lesson. Bill Russel biography facts, childhood, net worth and personal life present a complete rundown of the profile, career and life from childhood to date, of the 12-time All-Star and 5-time NBA MVP. Russell led the US national team in aspects of points, recording an average14.1 points per game. Russell capped his amateur career by leading the U.S. mens basketball team to the gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. "Here is a Black man from Oakland, surrounded by Black people most of his life," Pollard said. Russell was grief-stricken by the death of his mother, whod been his biggest advocate and pushed him to work hard in school. He was not ready for the coaching job, and did an all around bad job, sadly enough. And I'm just going to play a short clip about that. They were together from 1956 to 1973. Bill was a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player, having won 11 championships during the course of his thirteen-year career. She was born on January 20, 1962. I mean, he had a major chip on his shoulder. He marched in Mississippi after the slaying of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. 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. The Celtics who were supposedly way past their prime were led by Bill Russell to their eleventh championship, they were only the third team to repeat a championship, the first were the Minneapolis Lakers, and the second were the Boston Celtics. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. However, Russell fought a long and tough battle off the court as well. His home was accosted on a few occasions, and he heard he would not get MVP because he was black from a reporter. The Celtics then lost to Los Angeles in the Forum in Game 5, and the Celtics returned to the Boston Garden in game 6 and won that contest. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. The statement draws attention to his achievements and contributions outside the field over the years. Before he won 11 NBA championships and five MVP awards before he won two national championships in He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. Bill Russell would lead the Boston Celtics to 9 straight NBA titles, many times over vaunted rivals the Philadelphia Warriors, and later the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. 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. It wasnt long before the defensively adept Russell proved to be dominating presence, with a scorers touch and uncanny ability to rebound. 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. He was drafted second overall, by the St. Louis Hawks, but was traded to the Boston Celtics for Ed Macauley, in a deal spearheaded by Red Auerbach, the coach of the Boston Celtics. He was 88 years old. Auerbachs lineup came out of necessity; he was notoriously indifferent to social causes and the opposing backlash. Official Sites. But I think this documentary will reset the clock on that and understand Bill from the other perspective, besides being a phenomenal basketball legend. The NBA great Bill Russell has died at age 88. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. 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 statement draws attention to his achievements and contributions outside the field over the years. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. As a child, he witnessed how his parents were victims of racial abuse, and the family eventually moved into government housing projects to escape the daily torrent of bigotry. 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. {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. Russell once got asked a question about being a Black star in Boston, a city with a complicated history when it comes to race. In 2011, the United States ex-president, President Barack Obama honoured Bill Russell with thePresidential Medal of Freedomin favour of his sporting achievements as well as in thecivil rights movement. Russell knew that he had won, but he wanted to win over Chamberlain, and did not. 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. But by his senior year, his game had picked up enough to earn him a starting spot. The Celtics legend had four wives during his life, and is now the focus of a Netflix documentary called Bill Russell: Legend. His on-court achievements did not give him a platform; instead, they granted him a strange kind of amnestythe very greatness that should have forced others to listen somehow overshadowed any trouble he might have wanted to stir up. A look at Bill Russells family life Bill was born to Katie and Charles Russell. Bill Russells daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. And so, to do this took thought, planning and discretion and intelligence. 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. NBA Sacramento Kings, player/head coach (1987-1988). Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human He led the Boston Celtics to an astounding 11 Championships from 1957 to But as her wife was white they got divorced in 1980. I mean, he just did what he had to do, and he wasn't as vocal as Ali, as we all know. He is an American by nationality and has a belief in the Catholic Christian religion. All rights reserved. The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? 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. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. Also coached the NBA's Seattle Supersonics and Sacramento Kings. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. Frustratingly, his sheer basketball excellence made his actions not only excusable for fans but tolerated in a way that bordered on dismissive. Case in point: The apparent invasion of raccoons into Reading, Massachusetts, around 1958. Russell could very easily have never taken up basketball, much less gone on to become one of the sports immortals. Macauley was part of a solid offensive unit with Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, but the team had a missing piece to the puzzle.As America would soon find out Bill Russell would be that missing piece. Before, most players would just reject the blocked shot into the stands. You know, what - is there something in particular you're hoping people will draw from this film? But they didn't love him. In school, he was a natural track star and led his high school basketball team to consecutive state titles. 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. He won more championships than any other NBA player and made the Boston Celtics one of the most successful franchises in the league's history. Considered one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history, William Felton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. He last led the Sacramento Kings as president of basketball operations in the late 1980s. During his days playing in the NBA, brands were not accustomed to signing sponsorship and endorsement deals with players. That was the way I conducted my life.. WebBill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. 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. 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. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics Regarded as one of the best ever players in the history of National Basketball Association (NBA), William Felton Bill Russell is a retired professional basketball player who was the centerpiece of the Bostons Celtics dynasty for a period of 13 years. He was very famous for his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense which led his team to many victories in major tournaments. Bill Russell is survived by three children: Jacob, William Russell Jr, and Karen. Who was Bill Russells wife? And he became a major star at USF, went on to win the Olympic gold medal in Australia and then got drafted by the Celtics in '57. In 2013, Boston erected a significant statue of their legend, Bill Russell right outside the Boston City Hall Plaza. Why do you think that is? .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team, 8 Times Brothers Have Faced Off in a Championship, Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl, Soccer Star Christian Atsu Survived an Earthquake. UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: No. He was born and brought up in a super-rich-class Catholic Christian family from West Monroe, Louisiana, United States. William Jr, Bills first son, was born in 1957 but passed away from cancer in 2016. In 13 seasons, Russell won 11 NBA championships (1957, 195966, and 196869). NBA legend and civil rights activist Bill Russell dies at 88 Then came the proving ground of Boston. There was no doubt who the fans were yelling at. Have something to tell us about this article? And he lived in Reading, Mass. He has been a very consistent player who has been struggling a If he was out dining and got approached by someone asking for his signature, Russells usual response was to instead ask the person to join him at the table to have a conversation about life. 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. WebWilliam "Bill" Russell (February 26, 1905 August 9, 1992) was an American music historian and modernist composer. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics But the thing that Bill Russell was always focused on as a player was being a member of the Celtic family. He missed out on the NBAs Rookie of the Year award, ostensibly because teammate Tom Heinsohn had played the entire season whereas Russell had missed time as a result of his participation in the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games (where he helped the U.S. mens basketball team win a gold medal). Rose Swisher and Bill Russell had three children, daughter Karen Russell and sons William Jr and Jacob. 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. But above all else, Russell was basketballs ultimate winner. 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. Anstett competed in theMiss Washingtonpageant in 1967, finishing in second place. 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