2. The Hall of Famer was 88. [5], On February 5, 1960, Russell had 23 points, 51 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 124100 win over the Syracuse Nationals. [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 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. "[109][207] When his white Celtics teammate Frank Ramsey asked whether he hated him, Russell stated that he had been misquoted but few believed it. A local kid from Somerville and several girls from the nearby area . He was in the . He married Rose Swisher on 9th December 1956, after dating her for several years. He stood side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1960s, the height of the civil rights movement. 4 in a similar list by The Athletic. [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. And in basketball I respect a man for his ability, period. [64], The Celtics won 49 games and made the first berth in the 1958 NBA playoffs, where they met in the 1958 NBA Finals with their familiar rivals, the St. Louis Hawks. 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. [19] 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. Bill Russell was the father of four children from three different women. @NBA: The great Bill Russell joins the fellas, live on . At one point, Karen asked her father if it was difficult to send her to school in Boston, where she attended Harvard Law School. 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. Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me. In protest, the whole team decided to camp out in a closed college dorm, which was later called an important bonding experience for the group. [19] While there, they fell into poverty and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of public housing projects. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Bill Russell and Rose with their son, William Felton Jr, in 1958, Former Boston Celtics basketball star Bill Russell alongside his daughter, Karen Kenyatta Russell, England win Women's Euro 2022 LIVE REACTION: Party at Trafalgar Square as thousands celebrate, Queen sends praise, Proud captain Williamson vows to lap up England's Euros triumph and calls on fans to go to WSL games, We should be cheering on female footie stars in the same way we support the men, Women's football will never be the same again thanks to Lionesses' extraordinary victory, Adam Peaty stunned at Commonwealth Games as Brit hero loses 100m race for first time EVER and misses medal, England's Lionesses roar with pride as they celebrate their history-making Euro 2022 triumph. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. [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. They had three children: daughter Karen Russell and sons William Jr. and Jacob. [49] Bill Simmons has estimated that Russell had between 8 and 15 blocks per game in the playoffs. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. In the first two games, Russell ordered his players not to double-team West, who used the freedom to score 53 and 41 points in the Game 1 and 2 Laker wins. [124] In 1985, former Celtic teammate Don Chaney, who was head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, asked Russell to tutor Benoit Benjamin, the third overall draft pick from Creighton University, who left after his junior season; according to Chaney, Russell did not get paid for it. [49][63] In the second overtime, both teams were in serious foul trouble: Heinsohn had fouled out, and the Hawks were so depleted that they had only seven players left. ( Source : twitter ) The NBA icon and Olympian Bill Russell has passed away as of July 31, bringing down a part of basketball with him. 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. . Advertisement. The Lakers featured new recruit Chamberlain next to perennial stars Baylor and West, and were the favorites. Bill Russell and Marilyn Nault Russel did not have children together. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. A post shared by Bill Russell (@realbillrussell). [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!" Tune in July 10, this is a special honor! 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. Three women by the names of Rose Swisher, Dorothy Anstett, and Marilyn Nault were married off by the 11-time NBA champion. Twenty million England fans go wild across the country as Lionesses WIN nerve-shredding Euro final against Germany. 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. At first, the couple was very happy. [67] On November 7, 1959, Russell's Celtics hosted Chamberlain's Warriors and pundits called the matchup between the best offensive and defensive centers "The Big Collision" and "Battle of the Titans". "[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. [13], Russell's life was marked by an uphill battle against racism and controversial actions and statements in response to racism. Russell had three children from his first marriage William . NBA great Bill Russell died on Sunday with his wife, Jeannine, by his side. [86] The Celtics reached the 1963 NBA Finals,[87] where they again defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, this time in six games. And so the Celticsall we looked for was: 'Can he play?' "[98], Boston's championship streak ended at eight in his first full season as head coach when Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers won a record-breaking 68 regular-season games and were the favorites heading into the 1967 NBA playoffs, where they beat the Celtics 41 in the Eastern Division Finals. [49], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. [49] He ranks No. They were happily wed until 1973. Suddenly, his grandfather broke down crying. [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. The block preserved Boston's slim 103102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. . [170], In 2013, Boston honored Russell by erecting a statue of him on City Hall Plaza. The only time she couldnt was when we were on the road. The relationship between the two was tenuous at best. Around that time, according to John Taylors book, The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball, they grew emotionally distant and divorced. She ended up speaking with him for nine hours. Russell was married three times. [202] Later in Russell's career, John Havlicek said of his teammate and coach that he threw up less often than early in his career, only doing so "when it's an important game or an important challenge for himsomeone like Chamberlain, or someone coming up that everyone's touting. In 1977, four years after his divorce from Rose Swisher, Russell married Dorothy Anstett, who was Miss USA 1968. He starred in college playing center at the University of San Francisco, leading the team to . "[101] The game still ended on a high note for Russell. "[49], The Celtics swept the Nationals in three games to earn the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance in the 1957 NBA Finals,[62] where they met the St. Louis Hawks, led by Pettit and former Celtic Ed Macauley. [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. "[214], In 1966, Russell was promoted to head coach of the Celtics. Karen Russell. Bill Russell, the legendary Celtics center who was the cornerstone of basketball's greatest dynasty and an exemplar of racial harmony and progress, died Sunday at age 88, his family announced on . [3] Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. [136] During halftime of the 2009 NBA All-Star Game, Celtics captains Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce presented Russell a surprise birthday cake for his 75th birthday. 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. [111], In 1971, Russell joined NBA on ABC to do commentary on the Game of the Week. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. [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. "[49], Duiring the 196869 NBA season, Russell was shocked by the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, disillusioned by the Vietnam War, and weary from his increasingly stale marriage to his wife Rose; the couple later divorced. Although the salary was touted in the press as a record for an NBA coach, it is unclear whether Russell's continued $100,001 salary as a player was included in the calculation. Bill Russell was one of the greatest players in NBA history who was known for his outstanding defense. "[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. [167] On June 15, 2017, Russell was announced as the inaugural recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. Please logout and login again. He Had Three Children with His First Wife. Still, there was constantly a flow of people from Louisiana that my father would let stay with us. 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. Russell, who once said he owed the public nothing,[109] was not there; he ended his career and cut all ties to the Celtics. 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. [19] Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. [49] He excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive rebounds. [19] In another incident, Russell's mother was walking outside in a fancy dress when a white policeman accosted her. Bill Russell got married to his girlfriend, Rose Swisher in the year 1956. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Bill Russell Social Media -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- 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. Says Bill Russell: "Basketball is a game that involves a great deal of psychology. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family out of Louisiana and settled in Oakland, California. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. [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. The Celtics rallied back, winning Game 5 122104 and Game 6 114106, powered by a spirited Havlicek and helped by a terrible Sixers shooting slump. To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey, who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. Take away all the on-court accomplishments, and Russell still lived a life. William Russell Jr. Bill Russell Jr was the first child of the 11-time NBA champ. [5], Despite his limitations on offense, as Russell averaged 15.1 points per game, his rebounding, defense, and leadership made him one of the dominant players of his era. However, she was a step-mom to Russell's three children from his first marriage. [60] He alienated Celtics fans by saying: "You owe the public the same it owes you, nothing! Bill Russell with his coach, Red Auerbach, in December 1964 after scoring his 10,000th career point in a game in Boston Garden. [56] Russell never had to work part-time. Your login session has expired. His personal relationships thus take up a small part of this original as well so now, if you simply wish to learn more about the four women of his life, weve got the essential details for you. [100] During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]. In 1987, Karen Rusell penned an article for the New York Times titled, Growing Up With Privilege and Prejudice.. Therefore, on January 25, 2016, the 58-year-old passed away peacefully in his sleep in the comfort of the Mountain West place hed learned to call home alongside some of his closest loved ones. It would be to our advantage if we paid him off for five years to get away from us in the rest of this series. Getty Images/Getty Images. But there's another type who makes the players around him look better than they are, and that's the type Russell was. [183] Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death. It hence comes as no surprise the Reading Memorial High School as well as Seattle Central Community College graduate was also known as Dollar Bill for invariably helping those down on their luck. [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. http://t.co/rFfk4qnCEb, KarenKenyattaRussell (@Karen_Russell) June 19, 2013. '"[218] In retirement, Russell described the Boston press as corrupt and racist; in response, Boston sports journalist Larry Claflin claimed that Russell himself was the real racist. [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. She has had many amazing accomplishments in her life. [28], Russell was ignored by college recruiters and received not one offer until recruiter Hal DeJulio from the University of San Francisco (USF) watched him play in a high school game. Tonight, Bill Russell will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2019 ESPYs, which honor the biggest and best stars in the world of sports. [48], In the draft, Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach set his sights on Russell, thinking his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess were the missing pieces the Celtics needed. His marriage with Rose produced 3 children of which one, Karen Russell is a renowned television pundit and lawyer. [136] He was named as a 2010 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It was back when both Rose and Bill were attending the University of San Francisco in the early to mid-1950s that they first came across one another, only to feel a real spark almost immediately. He was born William Felton Russell Jr. on November 2, 1957. [5][96], In the 196566 NBA season, Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. The statement draws attention to his . Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. [12] Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. Bill Russell wound up married to his second wife, Dorothy, in 1977. 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). 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. but We will update you or notify you when we get any more information about his family. [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. "[22], During his early years, Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. 6 from the University of San Francisco as well as in the 1956 USA Olympic Team. He said: "The Celtics were the first [NBA basketball] team to draft a black player, period: a guy named Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. MENTOR co-founder, board member, and close friend of Bill Russell, Geoffrey Boisi, made the following statement: 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. [212] He was often called Felton X, presumably in the tradition of the Nation of Islam's practice of replacing a European slave name with an X and purchased land in Liberia. [32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. You are less. The teams split the first six games. In his thirteen years, he averaged a relatively low 13.4 field goals attempted (normally, top scorers average 20 and more),[1] illustrating that he was never the focal point of the Celtics offense, who instead focused on his elite defense. William Felton Russell Jr., Bill Russell's oldest son who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, died in 2016. [107] It was so surprising that Auerbach was blindsided and made the mistake of drafting guard Jo Jo White instead of a center. Russell's stint with the Kings was considerably shorter, his last assignment ending when the Kings went 1741 to begin the 198788 NBA season. He had led the U.S. national team to a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics. 9 December 1956. When their family uprooted to Oakland, California, they lived in the projects. [49] After the game, Russell went over to the distraught West, who had scored 42 points and was named the only NBA Finals MVP in history from the losing team, clasped his hand and tried to soothe him. [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. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony. Bill Russell was a father to two sons named Williams Jr. and Jacob. Yet its important to note that the happily married Seattle, Washington resident has since been serving at King Countys Metro Transit, where he currently holds the post of Transit Operator. A morass to fight from. William Felton Russell Jr., also known as "Buddha," lost a courageous battle with cancer. Bill Russell's daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. As indicated, Bill Russell's children are Jacob Russell, Karen Russell, and William Russell Jr. [1] Before the January 31, 1963, 18-point, 22-rebound performance in a 128125 win against the Cincinnati Royals at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland,[83] the Celtics were to tour the White House and Russell had a "Do not disturb" sign on his phone. [49], The Celtics lost Cousy to retirement after the 196263 NBA season, and they drafted John Havlicek and were powered by Russell, who averaged 16.8 points and 23.6 rebounds per game, won his fourth regular-season MVP award, and earned the NBA All-Star Game MVP honors at the 1963 NBA All-Star Game following his 19-point, 24-rebound performance for the Eastern Conference's All-Star team. 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. . BOSTON (AP) Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston . Russell regarded Auerbach as "the greatest of all coaches". Bill Russell was born to Charles and Katie Russell on February 12, 2022, in West Monroe, Louisiana. 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. [160] In 2009, Slam named him the third best player of all-time behind Jordan and Chamberlain. With his first wife, Rose, to whom he was married for 17 years, he had three children: a daughter, Karen, and two sons, Buddha and Jacob. [116], After retiring as a player, Russell had stints as head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics (19731977) and Sacramento Kings (19871988). Read More: Bill Russells Wives: Where Are They Now? ADVERTISEMENT. Karen is very active on social media and often accompanied her father . (embedded photo)", "Rare Photos of Bill Russell (third photo in gallery", "Eight players who have won NCAA, NBA, and Olympic titles", "2003 draft eventually may be best in history", "Philadelphia Warriors vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 1, 1957", "Russell of Celtics Violates N.B.A. Last modified on Sun 4 Sep 2022 13.55 EDT. According to Opoyi, Swisher died at the age of 78 on September 11, 2014. [50], The St. Louis Hawks, who owned the second pick, drafted Russell but were vying for Celtics center Ed Macauley, a six-time NBA All-Star who had roots in St. Louis.