At one point, Karen asked her father if it was difficult to send her to school in Boston, where she attended Harvard Law School. Russell averaged . [107], Days later, 30,000 Celtics fans cheered their returning heroes. [47], The Harlem Globetrotters invited Russell to join their exhibition basketball squad. Many people thought that Russell was more important even though he had only played half the season. Getty Images/Getty Images. Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr., and Karen Russell nare his children. She then chose to stay well away from the spotlight while still co-parenting their children, but alas, it all ended on September 11, 2014, as she passed away at the age of 78 owing to some natural health problems. In 2014, after the unveiling of his statue at City Hall in Boston, Russell spoke a bit about his parents and what his life was like growing up. [150] He also had 51 in one game, 49 in two others, and twelve straight seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds. Russell used his popularity to fight for civil rights and help others who were in a similar situation. [56] Auerbach assigned him to shut down the Hawks' main scorer and Russell impressed the Boston crowd with his man-to-man defense and shot-blocking. [4][8] While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. His marriage with Rose produced 3 children of which one, Karen Russell is a renowned television pundit and lawyer. [223] He thanked Chamberlain for taking him to the limit and "making [him] a better player", and the crowd for "allowing [him] to be a part of their lives. [18][169] However, the NBA players who currently wore the number 6 jersey (i.e. 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. [122] Russell also wrote books, usually written as a joint project with a professional writer, including 1979's Second Wind,[123] and played Judge Roger Ferguson in the Miami Vice episode "The Fix" (aired March 7, 1986). Rose and Bill started dating in their college days. According to Opoyi, Swisher died at the age of 78 on September 11, 2014. [126] Russell's Rules was published in 2001, and he convinced Miami Heat superstar center Shaquille O'Neal to bury the hatchet with fellow NBA superstar and former Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant and end the ShaqKobe feud in January 2006. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. In his 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Boston Celtics, Bill Russell, who has died aged 88, won . [70] Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. 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. Bill Russell Receives the 2017 NBA Lifetime Achievement Award | NBA on TNT. In the year 1977, Bill got the divorce from his wife and married, Miss USA named, Dorothy Anstett. 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. [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. [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. [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. "[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. As indicated, Bill Russell's children are Jacob Russell, Karen Russell, and William Russell Jr. After much debate, Auerbach agreed to give up Hagan and the Hawks made the trade. [100] During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]. [Auerbach would] get the information from us and then make a decision based on that information and his thoughts. [30] Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. July 31, 2022 1:50 PM PT. [105] He was 15 pounds overweight, skipped mandatory NBA coach meetings, and was generally lacking energy; after a New York Knicks game, he complained of intense pain and was diagnosed with acute exhaustion. [49] Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 9795 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. Although nearly 16 years younger than Bill Russell, Kansas native Marilyn Nault tied the knot with the basketball legend on . [80] As the game was tied, Russell had the daunting task of defending against Baylor with little frontline help: Loscutoff, Heinsohn, and Satch Sanders, the three best Celtics forwards, had fouled out. At one point, the article reads, The girl [Dorothy] listed as one of lifes ambitions the chance to teach high school for mentally retarded children. [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. He still holds the NBA record for rebounds in one half with 32 (vs. Philadelphia, November 16, 1957). Bill Russells daughter, Karen, was born on January 20, 1962. 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. Russell. [209] He was livid with Russell and saw him as a backstabber. Children. [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. He starred in college playing center at the University of San Francisco, leading the team to . ", "Glory at the Basket, William Felton Russell", "The Ring Leader: Bill Russell helped the Celtics rule their sport like no team ever has", "Celtics Name Russell Coach, Making Him First Negro to Lead Major Team", "A Farewell Fiercest Rival: Bill Russell Recalls Wilt As His Friend For Eternity", "Bill Russell: Working with Red Auerbach", "More than 40 years later, Celtics great Bill Russell finally accepts his Hall of Fame ring", "Third Annual 'We Are Boston' Event Honors Outstanding Contributions to Boston's Diversity", "Bill Russell: 'Tell those NFL players, I'm with them', UPI College Basketball Player of the Year Award, Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year, NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1955 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1956 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Russell&oldid=1142551823, African-American male track and field athletes, African-American sports executives and administrators, All-American college men's basketball players, American sports executives and administrators, Basketball players at the 1956 Summer Olympics, Basketball players from Oakland, California, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association broadcasters, National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball, San Francisco Dons men's basketball players, San Francisco Dons men's track and field athletes, Track and field athletes from Oakland, California, United States men's national basketball team players, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 01:53. 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. In a 2018 Halloween post, Bill wrote that he and Jeannine "go together like Bacon & Eggs". Together, Russell and Swisher had three children: daughter Karen, and sons William 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. July 31, 2022 10:57 AM. Bill Russell Wife, Girlfriend. Bill Russell was a father to two sons named Williams Jr. and Jacob. Bill and Jeannine did not have any kids together. 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.. The Celtics won Game 4 in an upset, but the Hawks prevailed in Games 5 and 6, with Pettit scoring 50 points in the deciding Game 6. Their 4834 record was the team's worst since the 195556 NBA season and they entered the 1969 NBA playoffs as the fourth-seeded team in the East. [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". Advertisement. [30], Combining the stature and shot-blocking skills of a center with the foot speed of a guard, Russell became the centerpiece of a USF team that soon became a force in college basketball. Moreover, the Next Gen: #BLM founder helps clients manage, execute, as well as maintain inclusive initiatives as a freelance consultant while also helping democratic women vote full ballots as an activist. Today, Karen is 57 years old. Bill had two sons William Felton Jr and Jacob who kept their private lives out of the public spotlight. [216] He was quoted as saying: "From my very first year I thought of myself as playing for the Celtics, not for Boston. In Game 2, Philadelphia evened the series with a 115106 win and then went on to win Games 3 and 4. 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. He was born on November 2, 1957 and worked for Cox Trucking for several years. Career-wise in rebounds, Russell ranks second to Chamberlain in regular season total (21,620) and average per game (22.5), and he led the NBA in average rebounds per game four times. Russell was accused of selling out the future of the franchise for a month of his salary. . Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. Asked by Russell what was wrong, his grandfather replied how proud he was of him, being coach of an organization in which blacks and whites coexisted in harmony. To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey, who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. Russell's 51 rebounds in a single game is the second-highest performance ever, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain's all-time record of 55. [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. [148][149], In his first NBA full season (195758), Russell became the first player in NBA history to average more than 20 rebounds per game for an entire season, a feat he accomplished ten times in his thirteen seasons. Woolpert emphasized defense and deliberate half-court play, which favored Russell's exceptional defensive skills. [110] Russell notified Auerbach that he was resigning to join a career in television and movies "in order to find new sources of income for the future". 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 achieved a lot during his life. I averaged over 20 points and over 20 rebounds, and I was the only guy in college blocking shots. "[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. [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. "[166] During the NBA All-Star Weekend on February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals MVP award would be named after Russell. [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. 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. [34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. These are Karen Kenyatta Russell, William Russell Jr., and Jacob Russell. As Chamberlain was often defended by Celtics backup center Wayne Embry, the press speculated that Russell was worn down. "[49] The next day, The Boston Globe read: "Russell's Reflexes Befuddles Visitors. [199][200] Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me. Take away all the on-court accomplishments, and Russell still lived a life. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all-time. Flowers at the feet of Bill Russell's statue at Boston City Hall Plaza, Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, in Boston. [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. [109], For most of his career, Russell and his perennial opponent Wilt Chamberlain were close friends. 6 for most regular season MVPNBA Finals MVP awards, despite the latter being assigned only since 1969. A living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in the history of American sports, died Sunday. [34] In one incident, hotels in Oklahoma City refused to admit Russell and his black teammates while they were in town for the 1954 All-College Tournament. [168] In October 2021, Russell was honored as one of theleague's 75 greatest players of all-time. [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. As part of the 1961 Celtics boycott, he and the other black teammates refused to play in the exhibition game and flew home, drawing a great deal of controversy and publicity. She graduated as an English Major from the University of Washington. His parents, Charles and Katie Russell, decided they would not raise their children in this environment. They had three children: daughter Karen Russell and sons William Jr. and Jacob. Aside from that, the late Russell remained a big part of the . . 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972,[113] Russell had worn the same number 6 at the USF and for the 1956 U.S. Olympic team. [96], Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired before the 196667 NBA season. The children from Bill's marriage to Rose include Karen Russell, William Russel Jr., and Jacob Russell. 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). When the reporter asked how, Russell responded: "Because the most important factor is respect. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. When the Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper and they came into Washington, D.C., to sign his contract, Walter Brown the owner of the team walked up to him and said: 'Mr. NBA great Bill Russell died on Sunday with his wife, Jeannine, by his side. Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. [184][185] He was a resident of Mercer Island, Washington, for over four decades. NBA Legend Bill Russell receives the 2017 NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. 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. 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 . The psychology is to make the offensive team deviate from their normal habits. In its announcement, the WCC stated: "The 'Russell Rule' requires each member institution to include a member of a traditionally underrepresented community in the pool of final candidates for every athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach position in the athletic department. [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. William Felton Russell Jr., also known as "Buddha," lost a courageous battle with cancer. [60] He alienated Celtics fans by saying: "You owe the public the same it owes you, nothing! "[5][121] On November 3, 1979, Russell hosted Saturday Night Live, in which he appeared in several sports-related sketches. Arthur was a man of great courage. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers), are grandfatheredthey may keep the number until they voluntarily change it or retirebut the number will not be issued again to a new player. Bill Russell, one of the most important and accomplished athletes in history, died on Sunday at the age of 88 with his wife Jeannine by his side, his family announced. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. She works as an attorney, corporate trainer, and political strategist, according to the Huffington Post. When I sent you to Harvard, I expected you to be able to do the same. He has three children, Jacob Russell, William Russell Jr., and Karen Russell . 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. Television Pundit and Lawyer Karen Russell is the only daughter of Bill Russell. 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. The truth is Bill followed in his familys footsteps in terms of his choice to lead a quiet life, but he reportedly never shied away from admitting their identity or sharing the same generous nature. [209], Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. 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. Alex Wong/Getty Images. [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). [141], Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history. 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 . William Russell Jr. Bill Russell Jr was the first child of the 11-time NBA champ. A post shared by Bill Russell (@realbillrussell). 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. [129] Russell also received honorary degrees from Harvard University on June 7, 2007,[130] and from Dartmouth College on June 14, 2009. [153] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. "[198] In 2009, Russell wrote his paternal grandfather's motto, passed down to his father and then to him: "A man has to draw a line inside himself that he won't allow any man to cross." I was the MVP at the Final Four. He replied: "Yes." Pin. 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. [111], In 1971, Russell joined NBA on ABC to do commentary on the Game of the Week. She and Bill tied the knot on December 9, 1956, and reportedly met in college. [4] Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds,[35] saying: "I never permitted myself to be a victim. Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium. [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. Still, there was constantly a flow of people from Louisiana that my father would let stay with us. I wanted you to have the best possible education and to be able to make the best contacts. The crowd gave Russell a prolonged standing ovation, which brought tears to his eyes. He had led the U.S. national team to a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics. DON'T FORGET TO; SUBSCRIBE+LIKE+COMMENTBill Russell is an American retired professional basketball player, author, NBA legend, and a philanthropist. [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.
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