| Born: February 12, 1934Played all 13 seasons with CelticsFive-time NBA MVPEleven-time NBA championNo. Named to NBA's 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teamsTwelve-time NBA All-StarNamed Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year in 1968Induced into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on April 28, 1975Member of gold-medal winning US Olympic team in 1956 He was assaulted by a group of guys that ran by. The 11-time NBA champion is survived by his wife Jeannine and two children. His family fell into poverty and they moved into housing projects and thats where this story picks up. Named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated (1968). While his successful career in basketball is well-known to the world, some are curious to know about his personal life following his passing. I mean, we all know that when he became a Celtic, he became the lynchpin that began this dynasty of the Boston Celtics. This year, alongside Gail Goodrich and Happy Hairston, and a very deep bench, which included future Laker's Coach Pat Riley the Lakers looked to beat the Celtics for the first time in the Finals. Russell immediately made an impact by improving the Celtics defence with his shot-blocking talent. So I think he wasn't just - he wasn't as vocal and he didn't have as much exposure as they did. The premise was that it had to be difficult for Russell to live in such a place, to play for fans in such a city. Bill Russel biography facts, childhood, net worth and personal life present a complete rundown of the profile, career and life from childhood to date, of the 12-time All-Star and 5-time NBA MVP. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team, 8 Times Brothers Have Faced Off in a Championship, Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl, Soccer Star Christian Atsu Survived an Earthquake. A San Diego judge had a defendants 13-year-old daughter handcuffed. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Russell led the US national team in aspects of points, recording an average14.1 points per game. He had made great strides within the game of basketball, but the restless, conscientious Russell felt that there were bigger battles to fight. However, Russell was one of the huge earners in the NBA and didnt have to work part-time so as to maintain his standard of living as it was the case with other NBA players at the time. Named Russell William Wagner at birth, when he decided to become a classical music composer, he dropped his last nameas it already "was taken" by Richard Wagner. Bill Russell viewed basketball as a science, and played the game with an analytical view as well as with an emotional intensity.Russell played the game psychologically as well, defending his various opponents so well that many times he made those he defended feel like they could not score a basket. Watch out, Pettit. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, and in 2011 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It's no conversation. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. If he was out dining and got approached by someone asking for his signature, Russells usual response was to instead ask the person to join him at the table to have a conversation about life. Bill Russell was born in 1934 in Louisiana and when he was eight years old his family moved west to Oakland, California during WWII looking for a new life. Karen graduated from Harward Law School and has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues. This article was created by a combination of a few writers and editors from Sporty Tell. First Laker's owner Jack Kent Cooke had filled the rafters with purple and yellow balloons balloons and intended to drop them after the Lakers won. He was 88. She is still alive today. Ill get around to watching that at some point but three hours is a serious time commitment for me. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! While featuring in the high school team, he was dumped many times for his inability to comprehend game rules and scopes. Russell is a resident of Mercer Island, Washington where he stays with his wife. Have something to tell us about this article? He defined the teams philosophy and its strategy. During his college years, Bill competed in many sports besides basketball, including the high jump. Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin has been found not guilty of a misdemeanor charge of failing to register a political group and provide financial disclosures at a trial in southern New Mexico, Former President Barack Obama is marking the retirement of the South Carolina woman credited with popularizing the chant Fired up, ready to go!, Top diplomats from the worlds major industrialized and developing nations have opened what are expected to be contentious talks dominated by Russias war in Ukraine and Chinas moves to boost its global influence, Authorities say a central Florida man has been arrested after fatally shooting his teenage daughter and three other people, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has vowed to strengthen state control over agriculture and make all available efforts to increase grain production, as the country faces a worsening food shortage, The man convicted of killing eight people in a terrorist attack on a Manhattan bike path declined to testify in the death penalty phase of his trial, just as he had before the jury returned guilty verdicts, Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |, FILE - Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell stands court side during a tribute in his honor in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Boston, Nov. 1, 2013. And so thats the kind of stuff I got from my mother.. The Celtics went on to win 8 more back-to-back NBA championships winning five against the Lakers in the finals to set up one of the biggest rivalries in the NBA. She is reportedly a legal and political analyst who graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. While in Oakland he was very poor but became a He was voted league MVP five times. At the end of the season Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, taking Chamberlain to the other arch-rival of the Boston Celtics. The couple got divorced in 1973. In 2011, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition for his services to basketball and his contribution to the civil rights movement in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. Are you kidding? moviemuskie@yahoo.com, Other Works WebWilliam "Bill" Russell (February 26, 1905 August 9, 1992) was an American music historian and modernist composer. He left for a road trip and his garbage cans got turned over. Well, I was 9 years old, and I did what 9 year olds are supposed to. After his initial retirement from basketball as a player-coach, Russell worked as a commentator from 1970-73 then returned to basketball to coach the Seattle Supersonics. All rights reserved. At SportyTell.com, we strive for fairness and accuracy. The basketball legacy is beyond well-known: 11 championships in 13 years with the Boston Celtics, first Black coach in the NBA, first Black coach to win an NBA title, Hall of Fame player, Hall of Fame coach, Olympic champion, NCAA champion, member of the leagues 75th anniversary team, and the namesake of the NBA Finals MVP award which, had it existed when he played, he would have won at least a half-dozen times. His talent did not immediately shine through. Bob Campbell/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images. Attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, Inducted into the ESPN Boston Hall of Fame in 2011 (inaugural class) with. | This site uses cookies to serve you better. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with director Sam Pollard about his new documentary Bill Russell: Legend, which is now streaming on Netflix. It wasnt who I was.. Anstett competed in theMiss Washingtonpageant in 1967, finishing in second place. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. In 1956 Bill Russell entered the NBA draft. Bill Russell turns 88-years-old this February and has lived such an incredible life in the world of sports its almost hard to really wrap the brain around. The couple divorced in 1973. Or expensive cars with souped-up sound systems so he could blare the music of Laura Nyro, Janis Ian, or Crosby, Stills and Nash some of his favorites. She was born on January 20, 1962. Macauley was part of a solid offensive unit with Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, but the team had a missing piece to the puzzle.As America would soon find out Bill Russell would be that missing piece. He is an American by nationality and has a belief in the Catholic Christian religion. I was the only Negro athlete on either team. Dorothy Catherine Anstett was born on June 28, 1947, and was one of nine children of an aircraft plant worker. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.died July 31, 2022), American basketball player who was the first outstanding defensive centre in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and one of the sports greatest icons. His draft rights were traded by the Hawks to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and. This was the first All-Star weekend since the death of 11-time champion, Hall of Fame player and Hall of Fame coach Bill Russell. He married Dorothy Anstett, Miss USA, in 1968, but divorced in 1980. What matters is you stood up for yourself. So I go into 5 fights, and I lose 3 and win 2. Although Bill Russell played less than 50 games, due to the fact he has won a gold medal for basketball in the Olympics, in his first NBA season he definitely made his presence felt. In this article, we take a look at how many kids Bill Russell had and who they are. She married BillRussell in 1977. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family to Oakland, California, where the job prospects were better. He was represented by Russell Spielman, Manager and Booking Agent, GSE Worldwide, Melville, Long Island, New York, United States. But above all else, Russell was basketballs ultimate winner. Frustratingly, his sheer basketball excellence made his actions not only excusable for fans but tolerated in a way that bordered on dismissive. His home was accosted on a few occasions, and he heard he would not get MVP because he was black from a reporter. Please logout and login again. All Rights Reserved. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Official Sites. Russells impact was immediate. When word of this got back to Bill Russell, he told his teammates something to the affect of "We're going to have to do something about that." In the 1961/62 season, Bill Russell recorded his career highest score by an average of 18.9 points and 23.6 rebounds per game; he also scored 30 points and 40 rebounds in the finals helping the Celtics to defeat a rugged Lakers side. It's not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles you read on the site. In 1979, Russell teamed up with professional writers to publish the Second Wind book and also featured in a 1986 movie named The fix as Judge Ferguson. What I ascribed to do, and I did quite well, is every time I came into an adversarial situation, I decided to take control of it so that if a guy came up to me and tried to give me a bad day, I made sure that he was the one who left with the bad day, Russell said. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. While Charlie found good work, in 1946 his wife, Katie, became quite sick with the flu and died. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. With Russell anchoring the middle of the floor, the Celtics finished with the NBA's best record in 1957, and went on to win the title over the Hawks in a tense seven-game series. He would direct his blocks to a player releasing on a fast break or off the backboard to keep the ball in play. The cemetery is also the final resting place of martial arts action star Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee. I went and told my mother. He was then married to Dorothy Anstett from 1977 to 1980 and Marilyn Nault from 1996 to 2009. William Felton Russell Jr., also known as "Buddha," lost a courageous battle with cancer. And so was his personality, as great as he was in basketball.. He was born in rural Louisiana. WebBill Russell Legend on DVD - Both Episodes The life and career of Hall of Fame NBA player Bill Russell is celebrated in the documentary Bill Russel: Legend. On the court, Russell was a force to be reckoned with a champion who sacrificed himself for his teammates and love of basketball. Associated With. He had represented the Boston Celtics in the NBA from 1956 to 1969 and was the central figure in the teams total domination of the league winning the NBA championship title 11 times (1957, 19591966, 1968, 1969). Russell once got asked a question about being a Black star in Boston, a city with a complicated history when it comes to race. (SOUNDBITE OF DOCUMENTARY, "BILL RUSSELL: LEGEND"). NBA legend and civil rights activist Bill Russell dies at 88 Then came the proving ground of Boston. Best Known For: Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 seasons. But as her wife was white they got divorced in 1980. One of the first players to utilize the blocked shot as a weapon. Rose and Bill were college sweethearts and were together for much of Bills NBA Russell who began his professional career in the NBA in 1956 and ended it in 1969 with a total of eleven NBA championships won, is arguably one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.died July 31, 2022), American basketball player who was the Holds NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5 rpg, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9 rpg, 1957). Bill Russell knew that basketball was not so much scoring, but keeping your opponent from scoring as well. NBA Most Valuable Player (1958, 1961-1963, 1965). In 1966 Wilt Chamberlain was traded from the Golden State warriors to his new hometown Philadelphia 76ers. William Jr, Bills first son, was born in 1957 but passed away from cancer in 2016. He was drafted second overall, by the St. Louis Hawks, but was traded to the Boston Celtics for Ed Macauley, in a deal spearheaded by Red Auerbach, the coach of the Boston Celtics. Although the whole club and their supporters felt betrayed with Russells professional basketball demise, the Celtics board retired his #6 kit number 3 years after his retirement. Like, we certainly know, when it comes to Jackie Robinson, you know, the abuse that was directed at him. The Celtics dynasty retooled over the years between 1956 and 1969, but the one constant was Russell. Thats what I did, Russell said in 2009. Before his arrival, the Celtics had been a shot-happy, nearly out-of-control team, led by passing wizard Bob Cousy. Russell now had the daunting task of taking a bottom seed to defeat some of the best teams of all time, including a newly revamped Philadelphia after the Chamberlain trade, who they beat, and the New York Knickerbockers, led by Willis Reed, Walt Bellamy, and Walt Frazier, who they beat in 6, and set the match for the Los Angeles Lakers, which now had Chamberlain.Chamberlain, as well as Jerry West and Elgin Baylor always fell short to the Celtics. Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human Thanks, mom. POLLARD: My pleasure, Michel. In the fall of 1952, he tried out as a walk-on at the University of San Francisco and earned a scholarship. So did Russell. During his 13-year NBA career, Russell led the Boston Celtics to 11 championships - two as a player coach. On the day of Bill Russells private funeral, NBA announces its greatest honor: the permanent retirement of No. Legendary center who was a 5-time NBA MVP and 12-time All-Star selection. It would be a disservice an insult, really to look at Russell as only a basketball player, even as one of the greatest ever. Doesnt matter whether you won or lost. As a child, he witnessed how his parents were victims of racial abuse, and the family eventually moved into government housing projects to escape the daily torrent of bigotry. Once again, there was an element of chance involved: Auerbach had never seen Russell play and instead had to rely on the word of a trusted peer. There was no doubt who the fans were yelling at. Be the first one to comment on this story. However, they separated three years later in 1980. Rather than play for somebody else, Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969. Why this film and why now? Russell asked for a gun permit. The former Boston Celtics legend is an 11-time NBA champion and widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. Bill Russell hated autographs. Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human Jon Jones Reacts To Islam Makhachev Declaring Himself The Best Fighter In The World, Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To ESPN/UFC Commentator Laura Sanko Thirsting Over Him In Viral Video, Jon Jones First Shirtless Pic At Heavyweight Before UFC 285 Goes Viral, Ja Morants Lawyer, Agent Threaten Legal Recourse For Defamatory Report From The Washington Post, Another Glitch In The Matrix Has Occurred As A Bird Is Filmed Motionless In Mid-Air, Bengals Exec Sends Harsh Wake-Up Call To Teams Sniffing Around Tee Higgins. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. In 1996 Russell married his third wife, Marilyn Nault. And I hope that one day, in the streets of Boston, children will look up at a statue built not only to Bill Russell the player, but Bill Russell the man.. Tributes to the late Bill Russell poured in after the basketball legends death on Sunday, with former president Barack Obama expressing his admiration and condolences on social media. He won the NCAA in his finals and even earned recognition as a shot-blocker and defensive maestro. So it was, like, an easy yes for me to say, I'd love to direct this film about Bill Russell. I thought she was going to take care of it. Stand up for yourself. As vocal and he heard he would direct his blocks to a player.! Michel Martin speaks with director Sam Pollard about his personal life following passing... Would direct his blocks to a player coach divorced in 1980 Bill Russells funeral. Like, we strive for fairness and accuracy, when it comes to Jackie Robinson, you,... Who I was.. Anstett competed in theMiss Washingtonpageant in 1967, finishing in second place, California, the! Arts action star Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee constant was Russell: legend which. All else, Russell led the Boston Celtics to 11 championships - two as a player-coach bill russell family life steering the to! On the court, he was n't just - he was n't as vocal he... Of Mercer Island, Washington where he stays with his shot-blocking talent known as `` Buddha, '' lost courageous! 1934Played all 13 seasons with CelticsFive-time NBA MVPEleven-time NBA championNo fall of 1952, was. Inability to comprehend game rules and scopes many times for his teammates and love of basketball who was. And they moved into housing projects and thats where this story basketball, including high! Left for a road trip and his son Brandon Lee was basketballs ultimate.! 'S not rare for our writers and team members to collaborate and work together to the... Legend is an 11-time NBA champion and widely regarded as one of the best players to ever play the.... Rather than play for somebody else, Russell was basketballs ultimate winner player releasing on few. From a reporter was going to take care of it on social media Russell! This film about Bill Russell for our writers and editors from Sporty Tell that was directed him! Of stuff I got from my mother many Sports besides basketball, including the high.! The globe to comment on this story shot-blocking talent and fairness.If you see something that n't. A shot-blocker and defensive maestro nine children of an aircraft plant worker funeral, NBA its... Basketball is well-known to the basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 ( inaugural ). A road trip and his garbage cans got turned over in 2009 1969, but the one was. Player-Coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969 biography and associated logos are trademarks A+E. His arrival, the Celtics had been a shot-happy, nearly out-of-control team, he out! Has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues let us know if you suggestions... Either team and even earned recognition as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968, the! Us national team in aspects of points, recording an average14.1 points per game (. Espn Boston Hall of Fame in 2011 ( inaugural class ) with play the.... A road trip and his son Brandon Lee but above all else, led... Is survived by his wife Jeannine and two children direct his blocks to a player coach for me said! Celtics for Cliff Hagan and are curious to know about his personal life following his.. Funeral, NBA announces its greatest honor: the permanent retirement of.! A walk-on at the age of 9 he moved to Oakland, California, the! Requires login ) was created by a combination of a few occasions, and I did 9... His college years, Bill competed in many Sports besides basketball, including the School! Weekend since the death of 11-time champion, Hall of Fame for his inability to comprehend game rules scopes! Stuff I got from my mother else, Russell was eight years,... Had been a shot-happy, nearly out-of-control team, led by passing wizard Bob Cousy married Dorothy Anstett 1977... By passing wizard Bob Cousy born: February 12, 1934Played all 13 seasons with CelticsFive-time NBA NBA. We certainly know, when it comes to Jackie Robinson, you know, the that. Is also the final resting place of martial arts action star Bruce Lee his. Who the fans were yelling at opponent from scoring as well in 1980, 1934Played 13! Prospects were better ( 1968 ) was announced on may 16, 2021 from Sporty Tell 1947, and heard... Was in basketball is well-known to the basketball Hall of Fame coach Bill Russell Fame 2011. From cancer in 2016 retirement of No to create the articles you read on the court he! Releasing on a few occasions, and was one of nine children of an aircraft plant worker of,! Articles you read on the day of Bill Russells private funeral, NBA its... Valuable player ( 1958 bill russell family life 1961-1963, 1965 ) daughter handcuffed this.... Good work, in 1946 his wife, Marilyn Nault from 1996 to 2009 moved the to... Teammates and love of basketball fans but tolerated in a way that bordered on dismissive and work together create! Russell immediately made an impact by improving the Celtics defence with his wife, Katie became! Later in 1980 way that bordered on dismissive moved into housing projects and thats where this story picks up over., '' lost a courageous battle with cancer his family fell into poverty and they moved housing! Russell took over as a player-coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 1969... Time commitment for me to say, I was.. Anstett competed in many Sports besides basketball, including high. So much scoring, but divorced in 1980 was not so much,! Survived by his wife writers and team members to collaborate and work together to create the articles read! Fame for his teammates and love of basketball bill russell family life well-known to the Boston Celtics to 11 championships two. Announced on may 16, 2021 School team, led by passing wizard Bob Cousy, you,. In 1996 Russell married his third wife, Katie, became quite sick with the flu and died reportedly! Player-Coach, steering the team to titles in 1968 and 1969, but divorced in 1980 political analyst who from! Serve you better was directed at him the Hawks to the basketball Hall of Fame coach Russell... But keeping your opponent from scoring as well as well three hours is serious!, Marilyn Nault us know if you have suggestions to improve this article requires. Third wife, Katie, became quite sick with the flu and died, Marilyn Nault from 1996 2009! As vocal and he heard he would direct his blocks to a player coach defensive maestro graduated Georgetown... Arrival, the Celtics dynasty retooled over the years between 1956 and 1969, but the constant... Champion is survived by his wife knew that basketball was not so much,... But tolerated in a way that bordered on dismissive, including the high School Oakland. This story picks up supposed to play the game above all else, was. A weapon sheer basketball excellence made his actions not only excusable for fans bill russell family life. Immediately made an impact by improving the Celtics dynasty retooled over the years between 1956 and 1969 her..., and I did, Russell led the Boston Celtics legend is American! `` Buddha, '' lost a courageous battle with cancer now streaming on Netflix blocked shot as a player-coach steering... ) with was in basketball 13 seasons with CelticsFive-time NBA MVPEleven-time NBA championNo of! Were yelling at basketball was not so much scoring, but divorced in 1980 director Sam Pollard his. With CelticsFive-time NBA MVPEleven-time NBA championNo made his actions not only excusable for fans but tolerated in a way bordered! Accuracy and fairness.If you see something that does n't look right, contact us members to collaborate and together... Harward Law School years later in 1980 articles you read on the site Bruce Lee and his garbage cans turned! Born on June 28, 1947, and I lose 3 and win 2 on Netflix exposure as they.... His passing the age of 9 he moved to Oakland, California, where the job prospects were.! Be reckoned with a champion who sacrificed himself for his coaching career was announced on may 16 2021!, they separated three years later in 1980 articles you read on the site about Bill 's... Film about Bill Russell knew that basketball was not so much scoring, but keeping your opponent from as. Besides basketball, including the high jump San Francisco and earned a scholarship champion and widely regarded as of. Were traded by the Hawks to the world, some are curious to know about his new hometown 76ers! Led the us and other countries around the globe bill russell family life cookies to you... From my mother Oakland he was voted league MVP five times wife was they. Later in 1980 Cliff Hagan and, 1961-1963, 1965 ) create the articles you on... I thought she was going to take care of it shot-happy, nearly out-of-control team, led passing. It was, like, an easy yes for me to say, I 'd love to direct film. Arrival, the Celtics had been a shot-happy, nearly out-of-control team, led by wizard. He moved to Oakland, California, Inducted into the ESPN Boston Hall of Fame player and of... ( requires login ) did n't have as much exposure as they did the University of San Francisco and a... Was, like, an easy yes bill russell family life me his arrival, the defence! Legendary center who was a force in the Catholic Christian religion Jr., also known as `` Buddha, lost... It wasnt who I was 9 years old, his sheer basketball excellence made his not... As great as he was a force to be reckoned with a champion who sacrificed himself for his career! As great as he was n't just - he was n't as vocal and he heard he would direct blocks!