It wasnt long before the defensively adept Russell proved to be dominating presence, with a scorers touch and uncanny ability to rebound. William Felton Russell was born Feb. 12, 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana. During his college years, Bill competed in many sports besides basketball, including the high jump. The term Dynasty might have never applied to Basketball had it not been for Bill Russell. When Auerbach retired after the Celtics won the 196566 NBA title, Russell succeeded him as coach. He shares all three of his children with his first wife and college sweetheart, Rose Swisher, whom he divorced in 1973. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with director Sam Pollard about his new documentary Bill Russell: Legend, which is now streaming on Netflix. WHO IS KAREEM ABDUL JABBARS EX WIFE? On the day of Bill Russells private funeral, NBA announces its greatest honor: the permanent retirement of No. And he became a major star at USF, went on to win the Olympic gold medal in Australia and then got drafted by the Celtics in '57. In 2005, Russell recorded bankruptcy after investing an estimated amount of $250,000 to finance a rubber plantation project in Liberia. Selected by the St. Louis (now Atlanta) Hawks as a territorial draft choice in 1954. It would be a disservice an insult, really to look at Russell as only a basketball player, even as one of the greatest ever. The oldest son of Bill Russell, William Felton Russell Jr, who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, unfortunately passed away in 2016. NBA Sacramento Kings, player/head coach (1987-1988). 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. In 1964 they became the first team in the NBA to start an all-Black lineup. The Celtics won a title in his rookie year, and he became the leagues first African American superstar, though not its first Black player (who was Earl Lloyd in 1956). A the time of his death, he was The Celtics who were supposedly way past their prime were led by Bill Russell to their eleventh championship, they were only the third team to repeat a championship, the first were the Minneapolis Lakers, and the second were the Boston Celtics. But the Celtics kept winning, and he remained the engine that made them go. Russell died Sunday at the age of 88, with his wife, Jeannine, at his side, his family said in a statement posted on social media. People broke into his house and destroyed his trophies, among many other outrageous deeds. Its impossible to tell the story of the NBA without also telling the story of Bill Russell. WebFamily Life. In 1966 Wilt Chamberlain was traded from the Golden State warriors to his new hometown Philadelphia 76ers. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. SAM POLLARD: If it weren't for Bill Russell winning all them championships, would anybody be talking about the Boston Celtics? If you have concerns about something that doesnt look right in this Bill Russell Biography Facts, Childhood, Net Worth, Life, please dont hesitate to contact us. All rights reserved. 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 The teams coach, Red Auerbach, coveted Russell as the missing piece to what he believed could be a championship roster. 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. Later that year she won Miss USA1968 while studying at Washington. This intensity not only paid off in the Olympics, and in college, but it would have an immediate impact in the NBA. moved his family over to Oakland, California, where MARTIN: Exactly. Anstett competed in theMiss Washingtonpageant in 1967, finishing in second place. Throughout his career, Bill Russell won 11 NBA championship rings. Bill Russell, the greatest defensive player of all time, has a special place in the NBAs Hall of Fame. This unlikely superstar came into the NBA as a center for the Boston Celtics and played for the team for his entire 13 years of career. Russell could very easily have never taken up basketball, much less gone on to become one of the sports immortals. But without Bill Russell there is no doubt the Boston Celtics would not be the rock-solid professional sports team they have become in their legendary run of championships. Hall of Fame basketball center Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to consecutive NCAA titles before starting his pro career with the Boston Celtics in 1956. While featuring in the high school team, he was dumped many times for his inability to comprehend game rules and scopes. She is still very active and frequently appears on MSNBC and CNN, among many other media platforms. While in Oakland he was very poor but became a Bill was only nine years old at the time. And so thats the kind of stuff I got from my mother.. Member, gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team (1956). 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. It seems weird that there hasn't been this kind of full feature-length treatment until now, given the impact that he had. He marched in Mississippi after the slaying of civil rights leader Medgar Evers. It was a breakthrough that would change not only his life but, in the long term, basketball itself. Are you kidding? The Greatest Food Debates Of All Time, Answered Pineapple On Pizza? Bill Russell, a towering figure in the NBA and in American sports history, died at 88 on Sunday, his family announced. But as her wife was white they got divorced in 1980. Who was Bill Russells wife? Until Michael Jordan he was almost unanimously acclaimed as the greatest player of all time, and some still think he is. POLLARD: Well, I was approached by Ross Greenberg, who used to be the president of HBO Sports, about two years ago to get involved with the film as a director. Do you know what I mean? His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. Bill Russell died at the age of 88 on July 31, 2022, in Mercer Island, Washington, United States. 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. Bills third wife was Marilyn Nault, whom he married in 1996. Write to him at treynolds(at)ap.org, More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports. You'll get covered with chocolate. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. He had then joined the University of San Francisco in 1953 and graduated from there in 1956. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. MARTIN: Which, again, it just seems interesting that we don't necessarily put him in the same breath as those other kind of prominent athlete activists, you know, like Muhammad Ali. He was also inaugurated to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Basketball hall of fame in 1975. Granted, it was in part because no one could deal with the moody Russell except Russell himself, but it still made him the first African American coach in NBA history, as well as the first to win a title when Boston took the 196768 championship. Like, how did he deal with all of that? I knew about the rivalry between him and Wilt Chamberlain. Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human Frustratingly, his sheer basketball excellence made his actions not only excusable for fans but tolerated in a way that bordered on dismissive. Jeannine is a former professional golfer and was often seen on Bills social media: In other news, Best Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury memes after undefeated Brit beats YouTuber. I mean, we all know that when he became a Celtic, he became the lynchpin that began this dynasty of the Boston Celtics. Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory. In 1969 most of the fabled Celtics had long been gone or had recently retired. In the History of professional sports there has never been an athlete who has more accolades or championships, in other words Bill Russell was not only a champion, but he was perhaps the definition of a champion. Bill was named an NBA All-Star 12 times (19581969), the NBA MVP 5 times (1958, 19611963, 1965), and the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1963. He helped start the National Basketball Players Association. However, Russell fought a long and tough battle off the court as well. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975 as a player and 2021 as a coach. The Celtics legend had four wives during his life, and is now the focus of a Netflix documentary called Bill Russell: Legend. After taking the first two at home the Lakers returned to the Boston Garden to lose the next two. Russell used this mindset while on the court and in Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, and in 2011 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Stand up for yourself. Get top headlines from the Union-Tribune in your inbox weekday mornings, including top news, local, sports, business, entertainment and opinion. Russell led the US national team in aspects of points, recording an average14.1 points per game. But they didn't love him. He posted a picture with her on January 25, 2021, as the couple renewed their wedding vows. Russell immediately made an impact by improving the Celtics defence with his shot-blocking talent. 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. In this article, we take a look at how many kids Bill Russell had and who they are. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Have a good day. Bill had attended the McClymonds High School, a public school in Oakland, California. The relationship was broken apart in controversy because of Anstetts color. A cause of death wasnt given, nor did a family statement say where he died. The cemetery is also the final resting place of martial arts action star Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee. Five times he was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player, and his 21,620 rebounds are second only to Chamberlains career mark. {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Russell would lead these teams over some other among the greatest of all time, including Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Hal Greer, and his most famous rival Wilt Chamberlain.While Russell was rewriting Boston sports history he faced immense racism from the most devout Celtics fan. In his second season with the Celtics, Russell bought a house in Reading. And finally today, we know it's all about football today, it being Super Bowl Sunday and all, but we're going to talk basketball for a minute to hear about one of the icons of that sport - Bill Russell. He was never embraced by Boston fans in the way his white teammates were. Inducted into the Sport in Society Hall of Fame, 2000. | 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 passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. 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. He later received a scholarship from the University of San Francisco. Off the court, he was a force in the fight for human President Barack Obama at about 6-foot-2, a taller-than-average individual had to stretch a bit when draping the Presidential Medal of Freedom around Russells neck in 2011, even after Russell crouched down to accommodate the moment. NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996). During his 13-year NBA career, Russell led the Boston Celtics to 11 championships - two as a player coach. 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. The victory got Russell his 10th NBA Championship title in 12 career years and the Sports Illustrateds Sportsman of the Year Award. Their marriage lasted until her death in 2009. WebBill Russell was an American former basketball coach and former professional basketball player who was universally acknowledged as one of the greatest American Two years later, the couple welcomed a second son, Russell was only eight years old when the family moved to Oakland and one of the first things his mother ensured he had was a library card. Bill Russells first wife was Rose Swisher, whom he married on December 9, 1956. I mean, he had a major chip on his shoulder. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. 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. Coon. We don't remember a lot of the abuse that he had to put up with earlier in his career. He endured insults and vandalism, but he kept on focusing on making the teammates who he loved better players, and made possible the success of so many who would follow, Obama said that day. Russell once got asked a question about being a Black star in Boston, a city with a complicated history when it comes to race. Declared Greatest Player in the History of the NBA by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America (1980). He was a five-time NBA MVP, an 11-time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics (twice as a coach), and hes a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a coach and a player. He stood side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s, the height of the civil rights movement. He most likely would have led the league in blocked shots many times, but the NBA had not yet started keeping track of the statistic. Bill Russell had three kids, Karen, William Jr., and Jacob. MARTIN: Do you kind of get the feeling that, in a way, his story was hiding in plain sight? He was then married to Dorothy Anstett from 1977 to 1980 and Marilyn Nault His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday, July 31, 2022. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our cookie and, Bill Russell Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Richa Ghosh Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Achraf Hakimi Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Kylie McDevitt Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Dosie (PURPLE KISS) Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Ireh (PURPLE KISS) Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, Angela Rye Height, Weight, Age, Facts, Biography, Adam McArthur (YouTuber) Height, Weight, Age, Body Statistics, He was one of the greatest rebounders in basketball history and had led the, At the fag end of his playing career with the, As of September 2020, he was tied with hockey legend Henri Richard for the record ofmost championship titles won (11) by an athlete in any major North American team sports league (including, As of September 2020, he was 1 of just 7 players in history to have completed the treble of winning an. Off the court as well nine years old at the time King Jr. in Olympics. 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