Bill Russell was a legendary center for the Boston Celtics known for his defense who won five NBA MVP awards.
- Died: Sunday, July 31, 2022. (Who else died on July 31?)
- Details of death: Died peacefully with his wife Jeannine at his side at the age of 88, according to a Twitter post from his official page.
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Bill Russell was one of the greatest players in NBA history who was known for his outstanding defense. He starred in college playing center at the University of San Francisco, leading the team to NCAA championship wins in 1955 and 1956. He led the United States to a gold medal win in basketball at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Russell was selected by the St. Louis Hawks in the 1956 draft, and they traded him to the Boston Celtics for center Ed Macauley. Celtics coach and general manager Red Auerbach had a good offense with Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, and he wanted Russell’s defense and rebounding skills.
He was a key member of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships with Russell, Sharman, Cousy, K.C. Jones, John Havlicek, and others. When Auerbach retired as coach, he named Russell as the player-coach of the Celtics, becoming the first black head coach of an NBA team. He retired after winning his 11th NBA title in 1969. He had an on-court rivalry with legendary Los Angeles Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain. While Chamberlain was a better offensive player, Russell won more championships with the Celtics winning 7 out of 8 playoff series against the Lakers. Later, he coached at Seattle and Sacramento and was a television commentator for NBA games.
Off the court, Bill Russell was an inspiring civil rights activist who participated in the March on Washington and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.
Notable Quote
“I was an innovator.” “I started blocking shots although I had never seen shots blocked before that. The first time I did that in a game, my coach called timeout and said, ‘No good defensive player ever leaves his feet.'” – He told the New York Times in 2011
Tributes to Bill Russell
Full Obituary: ESPN
