A life well lived. Came a long way from humble beginnings in rural NE Louisiana and not just in basketball. Have a good journey Big man
The man stood tall in multiple arenas, and had to put up with a bunch of crap along the way. An impressive man and impressive life. I mean, think about how high he flew. Takes University of San Francisco to two straight nation titles - the first and only titles. Captains and leads the US to the a gold medal in the Olympics. Joins the Boston Celtics, who had never won an NBA title and immediately starts leading them to a ridiculous strings of titles - 11 in 13 years. But along the way, he has to deal with people breaking into his home, breaking his trophies, leaving racial graffiti and crapping on his bed. He's refused service in a hotel restaurant where the team is staying ...
Never saw him play, my first exposure to hoops was the showtime Lakers, and basketball was my top sport of choice competitively through HS. I was a studier of the game and think he may have been the 3rd or 4th greatest player of all time. Hard to compare eras as the athletes today are just different... But he would have been a monster even in todays game.
I love Russell and he was an amazing dude and incredible ball player. But I kind of hate when people bring up his 11 titles. When he won them there were 8 teams in the NBA.
I watched a recent interview with former NBA player John Salley and he said Bill Russell was constantly racially heckled by Boston fans and denied service at some restaurants in the city. Crazy to think that someone can cheer for you when you're on the court, then be evil to you once you step off it.
Also read he won two state HS titles in Louisiana. So 15 titles in 21 years, and not sure he could play varsity as a frosh in either HS or college. Possibly 15 of 19. Unbelievable. Never been anyone like him, really, when it comes to winning. All he did was win titles.
I hear you, but the NBA had 3 rounds of playoffs in the 50’s and early 60’s, 4 rounds today. Not all that much different despite the addition of 22 teams.
"Look, all I know is, the guy won two NCAA championships, 50-some college games in a row, the [’56] Olympics, then he came to Boston and won 11 championships in 13 years, and they named a (freaking) tunnel after Ted Williams." -Tommy Heinsohn
Jordan won 6 in 8 years. If he had won 5 in a row (with 27 and 29 teams using the numbers from his first 5 titles), the statistical chances of that happening would have been greater than when Russell's 8 in a row (even with only 8/9 teams). Go GATORS! ,WESGATORS
Winning 5 in a row in the 90s would've been quite a feat, but I don't see anyone being able to pull that off, even Jordan and I think he's the GOAT.
I was watching the game where Russell and Rick Berry were doing commentary. They showed a photo of Russell which berry referred to as a “watermelon grin.” Russell was not happy
