Rose Swisher (1956-1973) - Bill began dating his college acquaintance Rose Swisher in 1956, his senior year in college. 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. 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. NBA Legend Bill Russell receives the 2017 NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. [49] On offense, Russell's output was limited and his NBA career personal averages show him to be an average scorer (15.1 points career average), a poor free-throw shooter (56.1%), and average overall shooter from the field (44%, not exceptional for a center). He was preceded in . Bill Russell has been married to three different ladies during his 88 years of lifetime named Marilyn Nault (m. 1996-2009), Dorothy Anstett (m. 1977-1980), and Rose Swisher (m. 1956-1973). [107] The teams split the next two games and it all came down to Game 7 in Los Angeles, where Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke angered and motivated the Celtics by putting "proceedings of Lakers victory ceremony" on the game leaflets. [56] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. [218] The FBI maintained a file on Russell and described him in their file as "an arrogant Negro who won't sign autographs for white children". Nothing went on outside the borders of the court. He didn't. 18 on ESPN's "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century" list in 1999. [109] Journalists were often treated to the "Russell Glower", described as an "icily contemptuous stare accompanied by a long silence". [136] Russell attended Game 5 of the 2009 NBA Finals to present Bryant the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. Bill Russell, the NBA great who began his career in Oakland, anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 yearsthe last two as the first Black head coach in any major U.S. sportand marched for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr., died Sunday. 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." To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey, who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. Russell, a civil rights activist who went from championship player to the first black. DeJulio was unimpressed by Russell's meager scoring and "atrocious fundamentals",[29] but he sensed that the young Russell had an extraordinary instinct for the game, especially in the clutch. Dorothy, who went by Didi, hailed from Kirkland, Washington, and went on to compete at the Miss Universe Pageant in July in Miami Beach of that same year. They were together from 1956 to 1973. [59] Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable. [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. Auerbach had informed his players to not endorse candidates or causes, as it would alienate fans; Cousy campaigned for Ted Kennedy in 1962. "[212] 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. [187] 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. 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). [86] The Celtics reached the 1963 NBA Finals,[87] where they again defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, this time in six games. By profession, Karen is an attorney and political expert. Russell said he was "proud of my grandfather's heroic dignity against forces more powerful than him he would not allow himself to be oppressed or intimidated by anyone." [189], Russell died at his Mercer Island, Washington, home on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years - the last two as the first Black head coach in any major US sport - and marched for. [8][38] His awards and achievements include eleven NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in thirteen seasons,[52] two of which were won as player-coach,[141] and he is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level. [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. Celtics owner Walter A. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. In 1975, he was inducted into the basketball hall of fame. [107] It was so surprising that Auerbach was blindsided and made the mistake of drafting guard Jo Jo White instead of a center. In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 29.4 rebounds. These statues were modeled by a local boy from Somerville and multiple girls from the surrounding area. [56] This skill allowed the other Celtics to play their men aggressively; if they were beaten, they knew that Russell was guarding the basket. [204] At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach's impact as a coach, regarding him as the greatest of all coaches, confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. Bill Russell's death led to a tremendous outpouring of condolences from the NBA world on Sunday. Bill Russell's Siblings His only sibling is Charlie L. Russell. [20] Russell stated that his father became his childhood hero, later followed up by Minneapolis Lakers superstar George Mikan, whom he met when he was in high school. [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. He Had Three Children with His First Wife Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William Jr. and. [4] In his USF years, Russell took advantage of his relative lack of bulk to develop a unique defensive style: instead of purely guarding the opposing center, he used his quickness and speed to play help defense against opposing forwards and aggressively challenge their shots. [170] Each plinth features a key word and related quote to illustrate Russell's multiple accomplishments. He was voted the NBA Most Valuable Player but only named to the All-NBA Second Team, something that would occur repeatedly throughout his career, as players voted for the MVP award, something that would last until the 197980 NBA season, while the media has always voted for the All-NBA teams. Russell articulated these views with a measure of self-criticism, saying: "I consider this a deficiency in myselfmaybe. [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. [189] 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. Russell limited Chamberlain to only two shot attempts in the second half. [120], 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. Karen appears frequently on CNN, MSNBC, and TruTV as a legal and political analyst. However, it is reported that he lives with his wife Sara Marckx Russell in Washington State. The statement did not give. [5] This took place during his last season (1969) and was the first season the NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected. ___ By Bay City News and NBC Bay Area staff Published July 31, 2022 Updated on August 1, 2022 at 1:20 am. Today, Karen is 57 years old. In his first playoff game, Russell finished with 16 points and 31 rebounds, along with 7 reported blocks, which were not yet an officially registered statistic. The owner of the Hawks called Auerbach later and demanded more in the trade. [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. [156] Russell ranked No. He led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, including a string of 55 consecutive victories, and an unofficial double triple-double with 26 points, 27 rebounds, 20 blocks, 3 steals, and an assist. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. Boston Celtics fans say Bill Russell was so much more than a basketball star. Born on November 2, 1957, in Melrose, Massachusetts, William Felton Russell Jr. worked for Cox Trucking for several years. Like almost all Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was very segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in their daily lives. [34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. Reserve forward Alex Hannum threw a long alley-oop pass to Pettit and Pettit's tip-in rolled indecisively on the rim for several seconds before rolling out again. [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. The Celtics made good use of the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers had exhausted the St. Louis Hawks in a long seven-game Western Conference Finals,[75] and Boston won the 1961 NBA Finals in five games. The champion marched with Martin Luther King for civil rights. [5] The Russell draft-day trade was later called one of the most important trades in the history of North American sports. [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. When I started to jump to make defensive plays and to block shots, I was initially corrected, but I stuck with it, and it paid off. It's all over! [208], Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. [49] Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 9795 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. He later said: "The most successful television is done in eight-second thoughts, and the things I know about basketball, motivation, and people go deeper than that. It notably did not mention the COVID-19 vaccine as his cause of death, so anyone who claims that they did (looking at Jason Pires of Vancouver Times!) Bill was born in Milltown, Tennessee on April 14, 1942. [The sound of Russell throwing up] is a welcome sound, too, because it means he's keyed up for the game, and around the locker room we grin and say, 'Man, we're going to be all right tonight. Bill Russell, the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won eight straight titles and 11 overall during his career, died Sunday. [79] Game 7 was tied one second before the end of regular time, when Lakers guard Rod Hundley faked a shot and passed out to Frank Selvy, who missed an open eight-foot last-second shot that would have won Los Angeles the title. [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. [114] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. [12] Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. I owe so much to him it's impossible to express. 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. Avery Brundage, head of the International Olympic Committee, argued that Russell had already signed a professional sport contract and was no longer an amateur sportsman, but Russell prevailed. Brown, who gave him a high $24,000 rookie contract, just $1,000 shy of the top-earning veteran Bob Cousy.[120]. Over 50 percent of responses said 'There's too many black players. On the top is her late father, Bill Russel, who died on July 21, 2022. At age 35, Russell contributed with 6 points, 21 rebounds, and 6 assists in his last NBA game. Russell died on Sunday at the age of 88 with his wife Jeannine by his side, his family said in a statement on Twitter. [144] He also won two state championships in high school. @NBATV before Game 6 of 2013 #NBAFinals. @NBA: The great Bill Russell joins the fellas, live on . [111], In 1971, Russell joined NBA on ABC to do commentary on the Game of the Week. 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. . If I looked at it objectively, detached myself, it would be a deficiency. [21] Of Russell the college basketball player, Mikan said: "Let's face it, he's the best ever. NBA legend Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in the league, passed away "peacefully" Sunday, according to a family statement from. [39][40] During his college career, Russell was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955, averaging 20.7 points per game and 20.3 rebounds per game. Your login session has expired. Bill Russell parents Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. [101] Russell acknowledged the first real loss of his career, as he had been injured when the Celtics lost the 1958 NBA Finals, by visiting Chamberlain in the locker room, shaking his hand, and saying: "Great. When he became player-coach in 1966, Russell bluntly said to his teammates that "he intended to cut all personal ties to other players" and seamlessly made the transition from their peer to their superior. No cause of death was immediately available; Russell, who. In addition to his career accomplishments, Russell was a prominent human rights activist in sports. [115] He attended his 2021 induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach. But there's another type who makes the players around him look better than they are, and that's the type Russell was. [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". "[99][214] 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. Bill Russell- a pioneer of NBA, legendary player, Hall of Famer, activist, and Boston Celtics icon who had bagged five MVPs awards and 11 Championships in his career, died on July 31, 2022, due to natural reasons at his home at the age of 88. [198][199] Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me. 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,[162] and No. BOSTON (AP) Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years the last two as the first Black head coach in any major U.S. sport and. When the Sixers' Hall-of-Fame guard Hal Greer inbounded, Havlicek stole the ball, causing Celtics commentator Johnny Most to scream: "Havlicek stole the ball! [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. Because Russell ignored virtually any well-wisher who approached him home or away, including the vast majority of media, his autograph was among the most difficult to secure of any professional athlete of his time. Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. The game was tied with two seconds left when Sam Jones sank a clutch shot that won the Celtics the series. Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium. 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. The block preserved Boston's slim 103102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. Jacob H. Russell was born on July 6, 1959 and lives in Renton, Washington with his 44-year-old wife Sara Marckx Russell. [59], At the start of the 195758 NBA season, the Celtics won fourteen straight games and continued to succeed. 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