He had made great strides within the game of basketball, but the restless, In 13 seasons, Russell won 11 NBA championships (1957, 1959–66, and 1968–69). Bill Russell is widely considered the greatest winner in team sports, winning 11 championships in 13 seasons. NBA Teams Targeted for 'Second Bubble' Should Definitely All Not Do ThatBrian Snitker Drops Bomb and Announces Freddie Freeman and Three Others Battling COVID-19MLB Reports Surprisingly Low Positive COVID-19 Test Percentage and Now the Hard Part Begins Now Russell brought a new level of defensive artistry, intimidating opponents with blocked shots and proving that it didn't take a scorer to dominate a game.Energized by their championship, the Celtics won 14 straight games to start the 1957-58 season, and they kept rolling. "The NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers was almost anticlimactic, as the Celtics claimed the championship in five games. For good measure, he might have had 12, had an ankle injury not sidelined him early in the 1958 NBA finals. [Auerbach would] get the information from us and then make a decision based on that information and his thoughts. William “Bill” Russell Lane Jr. passed away serenely Wednesday, August 12, 2020 in Kitty Hawk, NC in a fitting testament of a life epitomizing gentle strength. The great Celtics leader promptly retired, having guided the team to 11 championships in 13 years. Bill Russell, byname of William Felton Russell, (born February 12, 1934, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.), American basketball player who was the first outstanding defensive centre in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and one of the sport’s greatest icons. 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972,After retiring as a player, Russell had stints as head coach of the In addition, Russell ran into financial trouble. He sank a foul shot, blocked a shot by Walker, grabbed a rebound off a Greer miss, and fed the ball to Jones, who made the final basket in a 100-96 triumph. In 1970, he was named to the NBA 25th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Read Bill Russell’s Boston Globe Magazine op-ed on racism in America Celtics legend Bill Russell has always been vocal about racism in America, and now is no different. "Chamberlain was great, but the Celtics were better. The rest of the Celtics defenders began to funnel their men toward Russell and become more daring with their perimeter defense, knowing that he was looming behind.All of this played mind games with opposing shooters near the basket and had a disrupting effect as they began to sense Russell's imposing presence. He was born in rural Russell was lightly recruited by colleges, but Hal DeJulio, a former player at the nearby Russell’s impact was immediate. Bill Russell was the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics' dynasty of the 1960s, an uncanny shotblocker who revolutionized NBA defensive concepts. Robinson was great friends with NBA legend Bill Russell, who took time to comment on the devastating news yesterday.Heartbreaking news in the passing of my Dear Friend & Robinson and Russell went to McClymonds High School together in Oakland, Calif., and were teammates on the basketball team. Depending on whom you ask, high school Kawhi Leonard was either a middling prospect or a phenom destined for greatness. Many of the Celtics' points now came when Russell plucked a defensive rebound and fired an outlet pass to Cousy, who would start Boston's vaunted and deadly fast break.The dynasty was beginning to establish itself under Auerbach, and "Boston Celtics" and "NBA champions" became practically synonymous as the decade progressed. The Celtics finally prevailed, 125-123, for their first NBA championship.In only part of a season Russell had added a new element to the Celtics and to professional basketball.