Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Cooper, the Boston Celtics will never embarrass you.' [18], Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. Russell held Chamberlain to a pair of field goals in the first three quarters of Game 3. [5] Russell was elected to one NBA All-Defensive First Team. In May 30, it was announced that the former Celtics player would be receiving the Arthur Ashe Award at the ESPYs. WIlliam Russell Jr. is the . He took issue with a few things Brand said, and . 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. They were together from 1956 to 1973. Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and . [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. [47], The Harlem Globetrotters invited Russell to join their exhibition basketball squad. [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. [115] He attended his 2021 induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. [160] In 2009, Slam named him the third best player of all-time behind Jordan and Chamberlain. 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. I wanted you to have the best possible education and to be able to make the best contacts. He is one of just two NBA players (the other being prominent rival Wilt Chamberlain) to have grabbed more than 50 rebounds in a game. [60], The Celtics finished the 195657 regular season with a 4428 record, the team's second-best record since beginning play in the 194647 BAA season, which guaranteed Russell his first NBA playoffs appearance,[61] where the Celtics met with the Syracuse Nationals, a team led by Dolph Schayes, through the Eastern Division Finals. Bill Russell Wife, Girlfriend. [186] His older brother was the noted playwright Charlie L. His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. Bill Russell got married to his girlfriend, Rose Swisher in the year 1956. Russell's daughter, Karen, is a legal and political analyst, as well as a blogger. [223] In 1995, the Celtics left the Boston Garden and entered the FleetCenter, now known as the TD Garden; as the main festive act, the Celtics wanted to re-retire Russell's jersey in front of a sellout audience. The NBA legend was married Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, from 1956 to 1973. To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey, who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. Who is Bill Russell's First Wife? However, the NBA player did have children from his previous marriage. 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. [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. My father is Bill Russell . [109] The same fate awaited his Boston restaurant Slade's, after which he had to default on a $90,000 government loan to purchase the outlet. "[65], In the 195859 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game. On February 8, 2023, she shared an Instagram post to her page, @karenkenyattarussell, in which she discussed the Netflix documentary about her father called Bill Russell: Legend. [58], At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. 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). 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. Bill Russell's first wife was his childhood love. "[207] To teammates and friends, Russell was open and amicable; he was extremely distrusting and cold towards anyone else. Russell was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955. BOSTON Celtics legend, Bill Russell, had three children with his first wife, Rose. The 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in the league Bill Russell passed away at the age of 88 on Sunday. Tonight, Bull Russell will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2019 ESPYs. The former University of San Francisco and Boston Celtics center was professional basketball's . Rules on Defense, Coach of Warriors Says", "The 'Coleman Play' introduced and defined Bill Russell's never-say-die leadership to Boston", "12 times NBA awards were pretty ridiculous", "Syracuse Nationals at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 5, 1960", "Boston Celtics at Philadelphia Warriors Box Score, November 24, 1960", "1960 NBA Finals Game 2: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, March 29, 1960", "1960 NBA Finals Game 7: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 9, 1960", "Celtics Give Sharman Championship Sendoff", "Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 16, 1962", "Boston Celtics Players to have recorded a triple-double", "1962 NBA Finals Game 7: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 18, 1962", "Cincinnati Royals vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 31, 1963", "Kennedy Greets Celtics, but Bill Russell Sleeps", "New York Knicks at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 10, 1963", "1963 NBA Finals Game 3: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 17, 1963", "On this day: Pandemic pause anniversary; Russell's 49 boards; Potapenko trade", "Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics Box Score, March 11, 1965", "1968 Sportsman of the Year: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics coach-player", "Bill Russell Reported Favoring Movie Career", "Celtics legend Bill Russell receives second induction into Basketball Hall of Fame, as coach this time", "Successful, short-lived coaching days get Bill Russell into Hall again", "Bill Russell, NBA great and former Sonics coach, dies at 88", "Bill Russell Leaves Lasting Impact on Kings", "Watch Saturday Night Live Episode: November 3 Bill Russell", "Culture Now Is a Great Time to Read Bill Russell's Memoir", "Best Betting Scenes: Bill Russell Goes Rogue on 'Miami Vice', "Russell Redux: A Private Man Bursts Back Into the Public Eye", "Shaq heeds Russell's call for peace; Lakers hold on for win", "Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame to induct founding class", "Sports legend Bill Russell receives an honorary degree at the 2007 Suffolk University commencement", "Honorary degrees awarded at Commencement's Morning Exercises", "Dartmouth grads hear 'nose dive' warning", "Naismith and FIBA Hall of Fame: Full list of inductees enshrined at Springfield and Madrid", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement Sports", "The Finals MVP to Receive Bill Russell MVP Award", "All-Star Top 10, from Shaq's moves to boos for Spurs", "Kobe shows maturity of last seven years in leading Lakers to title", "Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients (Photos)", "Inside the Iconic Obama Basketball Games at the White House", "25 players that won a NCAA and NBA championship", "Jordan, Jabbar, Russell and Magic won NCAA and NBA titles, but it's become a rare feat", "Quick quiz: Only four players have been", "How Bill Russell's coaching career opened doors for NBA's Black head coaches", "Bill Russell: How historic success as the league's first Black coach paved the way for others", "NBA Legend Bill Russell Became First Black Coach In Pro Sports 46 Years Ago Today", "Biggest moments for NBA's 15 Greatest Coaches", "Top 10 NBA Players With The Most Finals And Regular Season MVPs Combined", "Ranking Every NBA All-Defensive First Team in History from Worst to First", "NBA 75: Bill Russell, 1960s Athlete of the Decade (TSN Archives)", "ESPN's 'SportsCentury' Goes Back-Back-Back", "Top N. American athletes of the century", "Daily Dime: Special Edition The game's greatest giants ever", "Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. [125], Russell made few public appearances in the early 1990s, living as a near-recluse on Mercer Island, Washington, near Seattle. MENTOR co-founder, board member, and close friend of Bill Russell, Geoffrey Boisi, made the following statement: He is survived by his younger brother Jacob, his baby sister Karen, the love of his life Sherrill Hansen, his son Sean Tyler Russell, and two pet dogs/fur babies, Pugsley as well as Lilly. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. Both of them had three children together. [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. 85.235.64.191 William Felton Russell Jr., Bill Russell's oldest son who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, died in 2016. According to Taylor, he often perceived insults even if others did not. These are Karen Kenyatta Russell, William Russell Jr., and Jacob Russell. [65] The teams split the first two games, but Russell went down with a foot injury in Game 3 and only returned for Game 6. If I looked at it objectively, detached myself, it would be a deficiency. Rusell states, It was one bedroom, so my brother and I both had rollaway beds. [19] While there, they fell into poverty and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of public housing projects. NBA Legend Bill Russell is interviewed by television personality John King prior to Bill Russell's acceptance of the Presidential Medal of Freedom award in Washington, DC. Well, that let me know that if I were to accept these as the final judges of my career I would die a bitter old man." Although nearly 16 years younger than Bill Russell, Kansas native Marilyn Nault tied the knot with the basketball legend on . RELATED ARTICLES. With the added defensive presence of Russell, the Celtics had laid the foundation for a dynasty, as the team utilized a strong defensive approach to the game, forcing opposing teams to commit many turnovers, which led to many easy points on fast breaks. 6 months ago. [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. [121], Russell became a vegetarian, took up golf, and worked as a color commentator for CBS and TBS throughout the 1970s into the mid-1980s, but he was uncomfortable as a broadcaster. Gottlieb stated: "Our Paul Arizin went underneath for a simple backboard lay-up, and as the ball traveled down towards the basket, Russell batted it away. Oliver Hudson. [112] His No. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family out of Louisiana and settled in Oakland, California. After practice, and even during practice breaks, shed encourage me. Tune in July 10, this is a special honor! He included the picture below. Meet Bill Russell's Children. [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". 1934-American basketball player. The 61-year-old is a legal and political analyst who graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. He had led the U.S. national team to a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics. A post shared by Bill Russell (@realbillrussell) on Oct 7, 2018 at 10:07pm PDT. [38] Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition. [5] Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled. [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. 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. The first [NBA organization] to hire a black [head] coach was the Boston Celtics, and they've had at least five [black head-coaches] over the years. [1] On March 11, 1965, in a 112100 win over the Detroit Pistons, Russell grabbed 49 rebounds, which tied for the third-most in a single game in NBA history,[92] along with 27 points and 6 assists. Bill Russell Social Media 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. [66] Lakers head coach John Kundla praised Russell, stating: "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. She has had many amazing accomplishments in her life. [77] In the Eastern Division championships of the 1962 NBA playoffs, the Celtics met the Philadelphia Warriors led by Chamberlain, who averaged 50 points per game that season, and Russell did his best to slow him down. ", "Bill Russell, K.C. [143][156] Russell is universally seen as one of the best NBA players ever,[5] and he was declared "Greatest Player in the History of the NBA" by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980. Bill Russell was a father to two sons named Williams Jr. and Jacob. [1] While his rival had a record-breaking season of 50.4 points per game, including Chamberlain's 100-point game,[67] the Celtics became the first team to win 60 games in a season and Russell was voted as the league's MVP. Dorothy Anstett
Born: Kirkland, Washington, United States
Date of birth: 1947-06-28
Spouse: Bill Russell
https://t.co/T9E7sVcZUO pic.twitter.com/se6ka2URg3. I was the MVP at the Final Four. Kids/Children Name: Karen Russell, William Jr Russel, Jacob Russel: Profession: Basketball player: Net Worth: $10 million: . Aside from that, the late Russell remained a big part of the . [177], On August 2, 2020, the West Coast Conference (WCC), which has been home to Russell's alma mater of USF since the league's formation in 1952,[178][a] became the first NCAA Division I conference to adopt a conference-wide diversity hiring commitment, announcing the Russell Rule, named after Russell and based on the National Football League's Rooney Rule. 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?' [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. The psychology in defense is not blocking a shot or stealing a pass or getting the ball away. [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. Updated. Lakers coach Bill van Breda Kolff kept him on the bench until the end of the game, saying later that he wanted to stay with the lineup responsible for the comeback. Bill Russell Lifestyle 2021 Wife, Children, Family, Career, Net worth, Car & House-Bill Russell Regarded as one of the best ever players in the history of . Bill Russell, whose No. He's the guy who whipped us psychologically. Nothing went on outside the borders of the court. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. [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". -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Please watch: "FULL KYRIE IRVING and GORDON HAYWARD CELTICS Press Conference" youtube.com/watch?v=f7FoDj4-Nzw -~-~~-~~~-~~-~-, Karen Rusell penned an article for the New York Times. He was born on November 2, 1957 and worked for Cox Trucking for several years. [127] On November 17, the two-time NCAA champion Russell was recognized for his impact on college basketball as a member of the founding class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. From his early childhood years, Williams Jr. was fascinated by trucks, and that is why he pursued his passion of being a driver. They were college darlings. [99] Russell became the first black head coach in NBA history,[5] and he commented to journalists: "I wasn't offered the job because I am a Negro, I was offered it because Red figured I could do it. [49], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies. [168] In October 2021, Russell was honored as one of theleague's 75 greatest players of all-time. She is still very active and frequently appears on MSNBC and CNN, among many other media platforms. NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bill Russell died Sunday at the age of 88. In the piece, she explains how she experienced such privilege in her life at times, but how she was also met with periods of intense racism and sexism. [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. [5] He was also known as a fine passer and pick-and-roll setter, featured a decent left-handed hook shot, and finished strong on alley oops. [17] Shortly after his death in 2022, the NBA retired Russell's #6 jersey league-wide, making him the only player in NBA history to receive the honor. [158][159] In 2007, he was voted the third best center of all-time by ESPN behind Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain. In 1977, Bill Russell married his 2nd wife, Dorothy Anstett, who had won the Miss USA beauty pageant in 1968. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. . [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. So we never, or at least I never, ever considered him as having ulterior motives for whatever he did. [49] He ranks No. Coming to the particulars of Karens profession, she frequently appears on networks such as MSNBC and CNN as a legal-political analyst, plus she often provides commentary on basketball-related matters on ESPN. The truth is she had to pursue different opportunities to make money for herself since she wanted to attend university, which ultimately led her to the glamorous world of pageantry. 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. She's also provided commentary on the high-profile cases of NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Jayson Williams. As the teams split the first six games, the tension was so high that in Game 3 Celtics coach Auerbach punched his colleague Ben Kerner and received a $300 fine. In Game 4, the Celtics were trailing by one point with seven seconds left and the Lakers had the ball until Baylor stepped out of bounds. [34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. [30] Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. "[30] The NCAA rewrote rules in response to Russell's dominant play; the lane was widened for his junior year. This is a game of habits, and the player with the most consistent habits is the best. Thats because it features not just first-hand accounts of some of the most renowned basketball experts but also archival footage to really explore every aspect of the titular athletes actual being. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. If that isn't goaltending, I want somebody to tell me what it is. [Auerbach would] get the information from us and then make a decision based on that information and his thoughts. [56], Russell was an elite help defender who allowed the Celtics to play the "Hey, Bill" defense: whenever a Celtic requested additional defensive help, he would shout "Hey, Bill!" Two sculptures of children were added two years later, in the spring of 2015, to recognize Bill Russell's devotion to working with children. My wife and Russell's laugh. [107] West then hit one basket after the other and cut the lead to one, and Chamberlain asked to return to the game. [181] In 1996, Russell married his third wife, Marilyn Nault;[182] their marriage lasted until her death in January 2009. 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.. In 1956, Russell married his college sweetheart, Rose Swisher. [5] Russell was known as one of the most clutch players in the NBA. #ESPYsABC #ArthurAsheAward @NBA @espn @celtics @BleacherReport @SLAMonline @BostonGlobe @ESPYS pic.twitter.com/AybfEZOzAb, TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) May 30, 2019, SWEET . Thus Russell initialized as the first black head coach in NBA history. He said: "The Celtics were the first [NBA basketball] team to draft a black player, period: a guy named Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. [150] He also had 51 in one game, 49 in two others, and twelve straight seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds. [153] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. he discovered it was littered with references to him as ''an arrogant Negro who won't sign autographs for white children." 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. 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. Chamberlain often invited Russell over for Thanksgiving dinner; at Russell's place, conversation mostly concerned Russell's electric trains. The 61-year-old is a legal and political analyst who graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School.. She is a media person, lawyer, and Black-rights activist who has also contributed to publications like The New York Times Magazine. [136] He was named as a 2010 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. You are a Negro. When he attempted to leave and find a different station, the attendant stuck a shotgun in his face and threatened to kill him if he did not stay and wait his turn. "[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. Russell's No. Just found out I will be receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Twenty million England fans go wild across the country as Lionesses WIN nerve-shredding Euro final against Germany. [25] Sports journalist John Taylor described it as a watershed event in Russell's life because he realized that basketball was his chance to escape poverty and racism, and he swore to make the best of it. A post shared by Bill Russell (@realbillrussell). [129] Russell also received honorary degrees from Harvard University on June 7, 2007,[130] and from Dartmouth College on June 14, 2009. The duo shares three children together. [49][89], In the 196364 NBA season, the Celtics posted a league-best 5822 record in the regular season. In 1966, Bill Russell agreed to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics. [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. The game featured Shane Battier, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Maya Moore, Alonzo Mourning, Joakim Noah, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, and Obama's friends from high school. Rose and Bill started dating in their college days. [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. 6 from the University of San Francisco as well as in the 1956 USA Olympic Team. [188] Russell was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, having been initiated into its Gamma Alpha chapter while a student at University of San Francisco. 1973. He later recalled: "To play good defense it was told back then that you had to stay flatfooted at all times to react quickly. Schayes, who had become the 76ers coach, said: "The Celtics can thank the Good Lord for Bill Russell. Pin. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship. What do we know about Russells personal life? Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr., and Karen Russell nare his children. Still, there was constantly a flow of people from Louisiana that my father would let stay with us. [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. Born on June 28, 1947, in Kirkland, Washington, as one of nine children to an aircraft plant worker, Dorothy Catherine Anstett reportedly led a hustling and bustling life from an early age. Bill Russell and Marilyn Nault Russel did not have children together. equal . Dorothy, according to a 1968 Associated Press article, was one of nine children of an aircraft plant worker. Russell later called it the best team of his era and the best defense of all time. 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