[49] Boston's chances of getting Russell seemed slim because they had finished second in the previous season and the worst teams had the highest draft picks, and the Celtics had slipped too low in the draft order to pick Russell. Bill Russell Personal life, Spouse & Trivia. The ex-wife of Bill Russell. He said: "The Celtics were the first [NBA basketball] team to draft a black player, period: a guy named Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. Awards . His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. As a documentary series delving deep into the life of the winningest NBA champion, anchor of Boston Celtics dynasty, and unwavering activist, Netflixs Bill Russell: Legend is simply incredible. Date married. GROWING UP WITH PRIVILEGE AND PREJUDICE - The New York Times On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. NBA Legend Bill Russell Lists His Washington Home after - Peoplemag NBA legend Bill Russell dies at 88 | NBA.com So Hirsch went to Seattle to have lunch with Russell and his daughter, attorney Karen Russell. He also served a three-season (19661969) stint as player-coach for the Celtics, becoming the first black coach in the NBA and the first to win a championship. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. [21], Under head coach Gerald Tucker, Russell helped the U.S. national basketball team win the gold medal in Melbourne, defeating the Soviet Union national basketball team 8955 in the final game with an 80 undefeated run. I was the MVP at the Final Four. [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. [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. Alex Wong/Getty Images. In 1977, Bill Russell married his 2nd wife, Dorothy Anstett, who had won the Miss USA beauty pageant in 1968. [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. Russell regarded Auerbach as "the greatest of all coaches". One of his highest jumps occurred at the WCR, where he achieved a mark of .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}6feet 9+14inches (2.06m);[43] at the meet, Russell tied Charlie Dumas, who would later in the year win gold in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia for the United States and become the first person to high-jump 7 feet (2.13m). 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. [41] While blocked shots were not a recorded basketball statistic during Russell's career, he averaged 8.1 blocks in 135 games, as Boston writers often attempted to tally his blocks. Bill Russell was one of the greatest players in NBA history who was known for his outstanding defense. After much debate, Auerbach agreed to give up Hagan and the Hawks made the trade. 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 (1956-1973) to a lady called Rose. [49], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. 6 months ago. "[99][215] As a result of repeated racial bigotry, Russell refused to respond to fan acclaim or friendship from his neighbors, thinking it was insincere and hypocritical. The centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty who earned 11 NBA titles during . Legends profile: Bill Russell | NBA.com [61] Russell scored 21 points and grabbed an NBA Finals-record 40 rebounds, plus an assist, in a Game 2 loss,[73] and he added 22 points and 35 rebounds, along with 4 assists,[74] in the deciding Game 7, a 122103 victory for Boston. 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. ", "Bill Russell, K.C. His time as a non-player coach was lackluster; he led the struggling SuperSonics into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but Russell's defensive, team-oriented Celtics mindset did not mesh well with the team, and he left in 1977 with a 162166 record. [120] In addition, Russell ran into financial trouble. Bill and Jeannine did not have any kids together. In a 2018 Halloween post, Bill wrote that he and Jeannine "go together like Bacon & Eggs". "[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. [15], Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, was one of the founding inductees into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007. [5] This took place during his last season (1969) and was the first season the NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected. BOSTON (AP) Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston . Updated. [183] Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death. [107] West then hit one basket after the other and cut the lead to one, and Chamberlain asked to return to the game. Bill Russell age, height, weight, net worth 2023, wife, kids, gay Russell used his popularity to fight for civil rights and help others who were in a similar situation. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2ac29f4a77691b He was one of five, along with James Naismith, Oscar Robertson, Dean Smith, and John Wooden, selected to represent the inaugural class. [109] Journalists were often treated to the "Russell Glower", described as an "icily contemptuous stare accompanied by a long silence". However, since the Russells always preferred to keep their personal experiences well away from the limelight, we only know Bill was often affectionately, unironically referred to as Buddha.. He actually enrolled at the School of Art Institute in Chicago for a Bachelor's in Design-Visual Communications upon graduating from California's Galileo . [65] Many observers thought that Boston could have won had Russell not been injured, but Auerbach commented: "You can always look for excuses We just got beat. 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? How many kids did Bill Russell have? Exploring the lives of the late 11 [101], In the 196768 NBA season, the 34-year-old Russell averaged 12.5 points per game and 18.6 rebounds per game,[1] the latter of which was good enough for the third-highest average in the league. [19] While there, they fell into poverty and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of public housing projects. Marylin Nault - Everything You Wanted To Know About Bill Russell's [80][81] Russell finished with a clutch performance, scoring 30 points, along with 4 assists,[82] and tying his own NBA Finals record with 40 rebounds in a 110107 overtime win. Oliver Hudson. [141], Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history. 101", "The NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, ranked: Where 76 basketball legends check in on our list", "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens", "President Obama Names Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients", "Bill Russell to receive NBA's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award", "Bill Russell's No. [66] Lakers head coach John Kundla praised Russell, stating: "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. Bill Russell Biography - Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements They were happily wed until 1973. He lost his mother when he was just 12 years old. "[165] In 2000, his longtime teammate Tom Heinsohn described both Russell's stature and his uneasy relationship with Boston more earthily, saying: "Look, all I know is the guy came to Boston and won 11 championships in 13 years, and they named a bleeping tunnel after Ted Williams. [167] On June 15, 2017, Russell was announced as the inaugural recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. On May 6, 1999, the Celtics re-retired Russell's jersey in a ceremony attended by his on-court rival and friend Chamberlain, along with Celtics legend Larry Bird and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 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. [56] Russell never had to work part-time. Russell's daughter, Karen, is a legal . 6 for most regular season MVPNBA Finals MVP awards, despite the latter being assigned only since 1969. Karen is the founder of Next Gen: #Blacklivesmatter and is a . We won 28 out of 29 games. 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. "[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. Advertisement. "[109] This supported the opinion of many white fans that Russell, who was by then the highest-paid Celtic, was egotistical, paranoid, and hypocritical. [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. [197], In 1966, The New York Times wrote that "Russell's main characteristics are pride, intelligence, an active and appreciative sense of humor, a preoccupation with dignity, a capacity for consideration once his friendship or sympathy has been aroused, and an unwillingness to compromise whatever truths he has accepted. . Bill Russell Children: Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr., Karen Russell [5] Russell is the all-time playoff leader in total (4,104) and average (24.9) rebounds per game, he grabbed 40 rebounds in three separate playoff games (twice in the NBA Finals), and he never failed to average at least 20 rebounds per game in any of his thirteen playoff campaigns. [153] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. [85] On February 10, 1963, Russell recorded his first regular season triple-double after putting up 17 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 129123 win over the New York Knicks. NBA legend and civil rights activist Bill Russell dies at 88 - CNN [59] In the highly-competitive Game 7, Russell tried his best to slow down Pettit, as Heinsohn scored 37 points and kept the Celtics alive;[59] Russell contributed by completing the famous "Coleman Play", as he ran down Hawks forward Jack Coleman, who had received an outlet pass at midcourt, and blocked his shot despite the fact that Russell had been standing at his own baseline when the ball was thrown to Coleman. [38] Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition. Karen graduated from Harward Law School and has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues. He was convinced that the U.S. was a corrupt nation and that he was wasting his time playing something as superficial as basketball. Auerbach had informed his players to not endorse candidates or causes, as it would alienate fans; Cousy campaigned for Ted Kennedy in 1962. The champion marched with Martin Luther King for civil rights. Bill Russell: Death, Career, Retirement & Controversy - Players Bio [21] In delivering a eulogy for Chamberlain, Russell stated that he did not consider them to be rivals, but rather to have a competition, and that the pair would "be friends through eternity". [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. In addition to Macauley, who was the Celtics' premier player at the time, he wanted Cliff Hagan, who had been serving in the military for three years and had not yet played for the Celtics. [209], Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. Does Bill Russell Have Any Children? Details on NBA Legend However, not much is known about her personal life. In the last play, Sam Jones used a triple screen by Bailey Howell, Larry Siegfried, and Havlicek to hit a buzzer beater that equalized the series. Bill Russell achieved a lot during his life. [181] In 1996, Russell married his third wife, Marilyn Nault;[182] their marriage lasted until her death in January 2009. In this article, we have covered all details about him. 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. He starred in college playing center at the University of San Francisco, leading the team to . The oldest son of Bill Russell, William Felton Russell Jr, who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, unfortunately passed away in 2016. [49] He ranks No. He stood side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1960s, the height of the civil rights movement. Chamberlain often invited Russell over for Thanksgiving dinner; at Russell's place, conversation mostly concerned Russell's electric trains. I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies. Over 50 percent of responses said 'There's too many black players. Russell had three children from his first marriage William . Boston Celtics Legend Bill Russell Receives the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2019 ESPYs Other spaces in the house include a media room and a recreation room. [5] The Russell draft-day trade was later called one of the most important trades in the history of North American sports. Goudsouzian stated that a segment of the file called Russell "an arrogant Negro who won't sign autographs for white children." His brother, Charlie, was a respected playwright. [137] Russell attended Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals to present Bryant the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. Photos: Bill Russell (1934-2022) through the years He was born on November 2, 1957, and spent several years working for Cox Trucking. [18][169] However, the NBA players who currently wore the number 6 jersey (i.e. The Untold Truth Of Bill Russell - Grunge Powered by WordPress.com VIP. [102] In the Eastern Division Finals of the 1968 NBA playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers had the better record than Boston and were the favorites. In overtime, Frank Ramsey, the fourth forward, fouled out trying to guard Baylor, so Russell was robbed of his usual four-men wing rotation; he and little-used fifth forward Gene Guarilia successfully pressured Baylor into missed shots. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. Jones treated like 'Rock' stars at Alcatraz", "Bill Russell, Who Transformed Pro Basketball, Dies at 88", "Bill Russell Receives Arthur Ashe Courage Award At ESPYS", "Watch Bill Russell be inducted into Hall of Fame as a coach", "Bill Russell's No. 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. #ESPYsABC #ArthurAsheAward @NBA @espn @celtics @BleacherReport @SLAMonline @BostonGlobe @ESPYS pic.twitter.com/AybfEZOzAb, TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) May 30, 2019, SWEET . He was in the . These statues were modeled by a local boy from Somerville and multiple girls from the surrounding area. Bill Russell's daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. [190] He was issued a citation and released, and the Transportation Security Administration indicated it would levy a civil penalty, which would be between $3,000 and $7,500. In a game called as "unreal" and "devoid of emotion", the Sixers lost 127118 on April 5. They were together from 1956 to 1973. [19], His father was said to be a "stern, hard man" who initially worked in a paper factory as a janitor, which was a typical "Negro Job"low-paid and not intellectually challenging, as sports journalist John Taylor commented. William Jr was born on November 2, 1957,. [186] His older brother was the noted playwright Charlie L. "[65], In the 195859 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game. The statement draws attention to his . (Video: Reuters) In his prime, the goateed . [143] By winning the 1956 NCAA championship with USF and the 1957 NBA title with the Celtics,[144] Russell became the first of only four players in basketball history to win an NCAA championship and an NBA championship back-to-back, the others being Henry Bibby, Magic Johnson, and Billy Thompson. [56] This skill allowed the other Celtics to play their men aggressively; if they were beaten, they knew that Russell was guarding the basket. I owe so much to him it's impossible to express. 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. The relationship between the two was tenuous at best. [50], Before his NBA rookie year, Russell was the captain of the 1956 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team that competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics, which was held in November and December in Melbourne, Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere. Bill Russell Fast Facts | CNN When I sent you to Harvard, I expected you to be able to do the same. in the hope that they will grow up as we could not . [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". "[22], During his early years, Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. In an interview with ESPN, Russell said he wanted the NFL players to know they were not alone.[225]. 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,[163] and No. Bill Russell is survived by three children he shares with his first wife and college sweetheart, Rose Swisher. [90][91] It was their sixth consecutive and seventh title in Russell's eight years with the team, a streak unreached in any U.S. professional sports league. It was reportedly back on January 8, 2018, that Jeannine and Bill got married in a private ceremony surrounded by loved ones, just for the union to last until his demise on July 23, 2022. [5][41] His stint as coach of the Celtics was also of historical significance,[146][147] as he became the first black head coach in the NBA,[14] when he succeeded Red Auerbach. [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. She graduated as an English Major from the University of Washington. Bill Russell's Daughter Account of Racism He Faced Resurfaces - MSN 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. [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. [104] He is one of four players (along with Cousy, George Mikan, and Bob Pettit) to have made all four NBA anniversary teams: the NBA 25th Anniversary Team (1970), the NBA 35th Anniversary Team (1980), the NBA 50th Anniversary Team (1996),[5] and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021). [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. The Hall of Famer was 88. Who is Bill Russell's wife? | The US Sun [118] Russell also served as general manager of the SuperSonics during his coaching tenure,[119] and held the same position with the Kings during the 198889 season. Bill Russell (1934-2022), Boston Celtics legend - Legacy.com Thus Russell initialized as the first black head coach in NBA history. 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. Bill Russell Children: Meet Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr And Karen [1] The 195657 Boston Celtics season saw the debut of a starting lineup made up of five future Hall-of-Famers: center Russell, forwards Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey, and guards Bill Sharman and Bob Cousy. Basketball star Bill Russell: Determination on the court - and off In fact, she is even a qualified attorney as she earned her Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from Harvard Law School after obtaining a Bachelors in Philosophy as well as Government from Georgetown University. Bill Russell only had children with his first wife Rose; they are Karen, Jacob, and William Russell Jr. Karen Russell. [98] His second choice was Cousy, who declined the invitation, stating that he did not want to coach his former teammates. [107], Days later, 30,000 Celtics fans cheered their returning heroes. According to Opoyi, Swisher died at the age of 78 on September 11, 2014. [111], In 1971, Russell joined NBA on ABC to do commentary on the Game of the Week. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all-time. In the year 1977, Bill got the divorce from his wife and married, Miss USA named, Dorothy Anstett. Who is Sarina Wiegman's husband Marten Glotzbach and do couple have children? When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain's nephew said that Russell was the second person he was told to call. [67][108] The Celtics held on for a 108106 victory and Russell claimed his eleventh championship in thirteen years. 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. After all, every step he took was to ensure social change for the betterment of not just his family, his community, the game of basketball, and the entire sporting industry but also people in general. Russell agreed to the project so long as it promoted and raised money for mentorship programs. Russell described himself as an avid reader of Dell Magazines' 1950s sports publications, which he used to scout opponents' moves for the purpose of defending against them. In 2009, the NBA renamed the NBA Finals MVP Award in his honor. Bill Russell: Legend tells the remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon." Sadly, Bill passed away on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. She works as an attorney, corporate trainer, and political strategist, according to the Huffington Post. The Lakers featured new recruit Chamberlain next to perennial stars Baylor and West, and were the favorites. 18 on ESPN's "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century" list in 1999. . 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. [57] Gottlieb protested the next day, saying that Russell played a one-man zone and goaltended numerous times, to only be called once. Karen is very active on social media and often accompanied her father . Jacob H. Russell was born on July 6, 1959. but We will update you or notify you when we get any more information about his family. [20] Russell was closer to his mother Katie than to his father,[20] and he received a major emotional blow when she suddenly died when he was 12 years old. So after the season was over, they had a Northern California banquet, and they picked another center as Player of the Year in Northern California. Read More: Bill Russells Wives: Where Are They Now? Meet Bill Russell's Children. Bill Russell Ex-Wife, Wife, Kids, Stats | biog.com Bill Russell Is a Legend on the Court and at Home Let's - msn.com 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. [5] Russell was known as one of the most clutch players in the NBA. And what we would do is[Auerbach] trusted all his playersso like when he'd make a coaching decision, he could talk: he talked to [Bob] Cousey [who is white], he talked to me [black], he talked to [Bill] Sharman [white], he talked to Sam [Jones] [black]all of us: 'What do you think?'