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. [112] His No. [59] Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable. If you were too sheltered, Im afraid youd be too naive. NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bill Russell died Sunday at the age of 88. [109] The same fate awaited his Boston restaurant Slade's, after which he had to default on a $90,000 government loan to purchase the outlet. 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. Karen is the founder of Next Gen: #Blacklivesmatter and is a . [216] He was quoted as saying: "From my very first year I thought of myself as playing for the Celtics, not for Boston. 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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. According to Opoyi, Swisher died at the age of 78 on September 11, 2014. [21], Under head coach Gerald Tucker, Russell helped the U.S. national basketball team win the gold medal in Melbourne, defeating the Soviet Union national basketball team 8955 in the final game with an 80 undefeated run. As if this isnt enough, her written pieces have been featured in the New York Times, the Seattle Times, and the Huffington Post, amongst many other publications, and she has a TEDx talk on Mentoring. They were all born to him during his marriage to his first wife, Rose Swisher. The 61-year-old is a legal and political analyst who graduated from Georgetown University and Harvard Law School. . They were together from 1956 to 1973. Karen is Bill's most well known child, and the only daughter from his union with Rose. He was in the . [157], On August 11, 2022, it was announced that Russell's No. 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. Shed do the same thing after games at home. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 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). At 85 years old, he is still active going to watch basketball games with his wife Jeannine Russell, as he shows in his Instagram account. In 1987, Karen Rusell penned an article for the New York Times titled, Growing Up With Privilege and Prejudice.. [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. [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. Both of them had three children together. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Russell was married three times. [5], In the 196465 NBA season, the Celtics won a league-record 62 games and Russell averaged 14.1 points and 24.1 rebounds per game, winning his second consecutive rebounding title and his fifth MVP award. [107] Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. "[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. [132][133] In 2008, Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement. Bill Russell is survived by three children: Jacob, William Russell Jr, and Karen. [65] The teams split the first two games, but Russell went down with a foot injury in Game 3 and only returned for Game 6. He had a difficult childhood and grew up in poverty. 85.235.64.191 6 jersey to be retired throughout NBA", "NBA players who currently wear No. 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. They were together from 1956 to 1973. There were times I wondered, but not Rose, Bill penned for Boston Traveler in 1956. He starred in college playing center at the University of San Francisco, leading the team to . As indicated, Bill Russell's children are Jacob Russell, Karen Russell, and William Russell Jr. "We had a few white kids come to that camp . Aside from that, the late Russell remained a big part of the . [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. [5][96], In the 196566 NBA season, Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. [117] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. [80][81] Russell finished with a clutch performance, scoring 30 points, along with 4 assists,[82] and tying his own NBA Finals record with 40 rebounds in a 110107 overtime win. ( Source : twitter ) The NBA icon and Olympian Bill Russell has passed away as of July 31, bringing down a part of basketball with him. [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. [30] Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. 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. At one point, Karen asked her father if it was difficult to send her to school in Boston, where she attended Harvard Law School. [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. One of the greatest players in NBA history, Bill Russell, is currently in his 4th marriage. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship. ", "Basketball Players who Caused Rule Changes by Ron Kurtus", "The Bill Russell Story: More Than A Champion", "NCAA Basketball Tourney History: Two by Four", "Stanford Trackmen Finish Fourth in Fresno Relays; Leamon King Equals Century World Record; Landy Runs Mile in 3.59.1; Russell Nears Mark", "Bill Russell attempting to clear 69 1/4. [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. [4][8] While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. [5] Auerbach's thoughts were unorthodox, as in that period centers and forwards were defined by their offensive output, and their ability to play defense was secondary. [32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. 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. [98] His second choice was Cousy, who declined the invitation, stating that he did not want to coach his former teammates. 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. [141], Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history. '"[203], In a retrospective interview, Russell described the state of mind he felt he needed to enter in order to be able to play basketball: "I had to almost be in a rage. Auerbach knew that the Rochester Royals, who owned the first draft pick, already had a strong rebounder in Maurice Stokes, were looking for an outside shooting guard, and were unwilling to pay Russell the $25,000 signing bonus he requested. "[5] After the Division Finals, the Celtics had an easier time in the NBA Finals,[95] winning 41 against the Los Angeles Lakers. [174][175][176] During the spring of 2015, two statues of children were added, honoring Russell's commitment to working with children. 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). Bill Russell, who has died at the age of 88, was more than just a basketball superstar and world-class athlete. Russell Brand and Sen. Bernie Sanders are mad as hell, and they don't want you to take it anymore. [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. 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." Johnny Havlicek stole the ball! Russell regarded Auerbach as "the greatest of all coaches". 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. Russell has always worn a jersey with No. [183] Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death. 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. From Michael Jordan's unparalleled scoring . [56] Russell never had to work part-time. 1 choice has to be Bill Russell. [5] Russell was elected to one NBA All-Defensive First Team. BOSTON (AP) Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston . [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. 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. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. The youngest son of the NBA legend hasn't led a very public life, which is why there isn't much information about him. Fri 5 Aug 2022 10.44 EDT. [19] Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. [111], In 1971, Russell joined NBA on ABC to do commentary on the Game of the Week. I really missed her pep talks then. I knew only that Rose accepted and cared about me, apart from the basketball, which was a great breakthrough for me. he added in his 1979 memoir Second Wind.. [100] During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]. Its thus unclear how she and Bill even came across one another after his divorce from Rose was finalized, yet the then-Washington residents did build a connection before getting married in 1977. Children. 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. NBA great Bill Russell, who anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years, died . The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. [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. [21][42] That year, Russell won high jump titles at the Central California Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meet, the Pacific AAU meet, and the West Coast Relays (WCR). Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. Bill Russell's daughter, Karen, was born in 1962. He was born William Felton Russell Jr. on November 2, 1957. [5] Russell's team again beat Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers 41 in the Eastern Division Finals, proceeding to win the NBA Finals in a tight showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers, with Russell scoring 25 points and grabbing 32 rebounds, plus giving out an assist,[97] in a 9593 win in Game 7. [193] When Wilt Chamberlain became the first NBA player to earn $100,000 in salary in 1965 (equivalent to $859,873 in 2021), Russell went to Auerbach and demanded a $100,001 salary, which he promptly received. His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. [16] In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time for his coaching career. However, the NBA player did have children from his previous marriage. She never stopped talking to me. 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. [58], At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. Bill Russell's family announced his demise through a statement on Sunday, July 31. [71][72] In the 1960 NBA Finals, the Celtics outlasted the Hawks 43 in the series and won their third championship in four years. UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". [17] Shortly after his death in 2022, the NBA retired Russell's #6 jersey league-wide, making him the only player in NBA history to receive the honor. Arthur was a man of great courage. In his 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Boston Celtics, Bill Russell, who has died aged 88, won . She has had many amazing accomplishments in her life. However, she was a step-mom to Russell's three children from his first marriage. Although the middle child of Bill Sr. and Rose Swisher (born on July 6, 1959), Jacob is arguably the simplest member of the prominent Russell family in almost every sense of the term. [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. ", "Bill Russell, K.C. Bill Russell was a father to two sons named Williams Jr. and Jacob. [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. I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies. [78] At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. They had three children: daughter Karen Russell and sons William Jr. and Jacob. Powered by. You are less. [56] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. 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. Constantly provoked by New York Knicks center Ray Felix during a game, he complained to coach Auerbach, who told him to take matters into his own hands. [173] The statue was unveiled on November 1, 2013, with Russell in attendance. Russell wore his Presidential Medal of Freedom and the image was captioned: "Proud to take a knee, and to stand tall against social injustice." . We won the National Championship. Bill Russell achieved a lot during his life. 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. Date of Death. 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. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. People broke into his house and destroyed his trophies, among many other outrageous deeds. In the year 1977, Bill got the divorce from his wife and married, Miss USA named, Dorothy Anstett. [59] With the Celtics leading 125123 with one second left, the Hawks had the ball at their own baseline. Rose Swisherwas Bill's first wife. In Game 6, Russell recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 24 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Celtics won 119105. [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. After much debate, Auerbach agreed to give up Hagan and the Hawks made the trade. Pin. My wife and Russell's laugh. [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. Bill . In the last play, Sam Jones used a triple screen by Bailey Howell, Larry Siegfried, and Havlicek to hit a buzzer beater that equalized the series. in Philosophy and Government from Georgetown with a Law Degree from Harvard. At first, the couple was very happy. Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in the history of American sports, died Sunday. [57] Gottlieb protested the next day, saying that Russell played a one-man zone and goaltended numerous times, to only be called once. Oliver Hudson. I was able to separate the Celtics institution from the city and the fans. Dorothy Anstett Born: Kirkland, Washington, United States Date of birth: 1947-06-28 Spouse: Bill Russell https://t.co/T9E7sVcZUO pic.twitter.com/se6ka2URg3. That did not happen My junior year in college, I had what I thought was the one of the best college seasons ever. If theres one thing Netflixs Bill Russell: Legend makes perfectly evident, its that the titular NBA champion, coach, and civil rights activist led a life that can only be described as deeply impactful. [5] He was also known as a fine passer and pick-and-roll setter, featured a decent left-handed hook shot, and finished strong on alley oops. 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. [107] It was so surprising that Auerbach was blindsided and made the mistake of drafting guard Jo Jo White instead of a center. He tied the knot with three different gals. American basketball player and coach (19342022), 19561958: Rookie champion and early years, 19581966: Eight straight NBA championships, 19661969: Player-coach champion and final years, Racist abuse, controversy, and relationship with Boston fans. Many people thought that Russell was more important even though he had only played half the season. [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. [5][49], In the 196061 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game,[1] leading his team to a regular season mark of 5722. He Had Three Children with His First Wife. Bill Russell and his two sons( Source : gq) The eldest of them all, Jacob Russell was born in 1959, making him only nine years younger than his stepmother, who is currently married and lives in Washington. NBA Legend Bill Russell receives the 2017 NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. The psychology in defense is not blocking a shot or stealing a pass or getting the ball away. [66] Lakers head coach John Kundla praised Russell, stating: "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. [55] Russell's first Celtics game came on December 22, 1956, against the St. Louis Hawks, led by star forward Bob Pettit, who would go on to hold several all-time scoring records. [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] He was so tense before every game that he regularly vomited in the locker room; early in his career, it happened so frequently that his fellow Celtics were more worried when it did not happen than when it did. 6 from the University of San Francisco as well as in the 1956 USA Olympic Team.