Bill Russell: The Greatest Team Player in NBA History

Russell was the first African American player to achieve super status in the NBA

Bill Russell was a NBA center playing for the Boston Celtics from 1956-1969. In his 13- year career, Russell won an unprecedented 11 NBA championships which made U.S. sports and U.S. gambling news. Although his shot blocking ability and man-to-man defense were the best among anyone during his time, Russell’s individual offensive numbers aren’t terribly impressive. This simply explains the key to Russell’s success lying in his ability to play team basketball.

• Russell led the NBA in rebounds 4 times having 1,000 or more rebounds a season
• Russell was the first African American head coach in NBA history
• Russell once scored 19 points and held Wilt Chamberlain to 22 points

Russell was a five-time MVP and 12-time All-Star recipient. In rebounds, he led the league four times, had 1,000 or more rebounds 12 consecutive times and ranks second of all time in total rebounds and rebounds per game. Russell along with rival Wilt Chamberlain had more than 50 rebounds in a game. Russell is among seven players ever to achieve the “Triple Crown” in which he won a NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship and an Olympic Gold Medal.

From Russell’s early years to his time in College

Bill Russell was born in West Monroe, Louisiana in 1934. Due to the extreme amount of racial prejudice occurring in the Jim Crow south, Russell’s father moved his family to Oakland, California. Due to his family’s impoverished state, Russell lived his childhood in public housing projects. The Eldest Russell worked many jobs, but when the mother died, he got a steel working job to be close to his family.

Inspired by Minneapolis Lakers star George Mikan, Russell decided to pursue basketball. Basketball proved difficult for Russell because he lacked an understanding of the game and was cut from his junior high team. His attitude almost resulted in being cut from the high school team, but the coach saw Russell’s athletic potential. Working on his fundamentals, Russell became a competent player and excelled in his last two years of school wining back to back state championships.

Almost every college recruiter ignored Russell except for Hal DeJulio of University of San Francisco who watched him in a high school game. Although Russell’s fundamentals were still not up to par, DeJulio was impressed by his instinct for the game. USF offered Russell and he accepted as he envisioned basketball is a way out of the housing projects and racism.

Under coach Phil Woolpert, Russell alongside K.C Jones and Hall Perry were the first three African American starters on any major college team. Russell found his niche on defense as he could successfully position himself in the paint and force opposing players to change up their shots while directly in their face. Russell proved effective enough to be the centerpiece of the USF team. If mobile betting existed, these would’ve been some nice games to bet on.

Russell’s pair of NCAA titles and his early years with the Boston Celtics

Russell was able to secure a NCAA championship for USF, but was part of a negative experience afterwards. Playing like an MVP, Russell averaged over 20 points and 20 rebounds. Unfortunately at the season ending banquet, another center was awarded as Player of the Year. Making a vow, Russell decided to put the team first and not focus on individual achievement. After winning a second NCAA championship and turning down the Harlem Globetrotters, Russell went for the 1956 NBA draft.

Since Russell was on the U.S. Olympic team, he couldn’t play with the Celtics for the 1956-1957 season until December. Once he came, Russell was dominant playing 48 games and averaging nearly 15 points a game and leading the league in rebounds at 19.6 a game. The five hall-of-famers on the Celtics team were able to get a 44-28 record and win the NBA Finals with ease. The next year, Russell moved his number up to 16.6 points a game and a league record average of 22.7 rebounds.

Russell received the MVP, but was named All-NBA Second Team due to his lack of individual performance. The Celtics would lose the Finals to St. Louis and would once again get the NBA title the next year. The 1959-1960 season saw the introduction of Wilt Chamberlain into the league. Averaging 37.6 points per game, the populace made him and Russell the great new rivalry in basketball. In all their confrontation that year, Chamberlain scored more, but the Celtics won the series and eventually the NBA title.

The next year Russell kept his same consistent numbers as his team went all the way to win another NBA Final. Russell saw his best scoring numbers in the 1961-1962 season at almost 19 points per game. That same year Russell’s rival Chamberlain had 50.4 points a game and the famous 100-point game. U.S. gambling laws aside, that would have been one fun game to bet on. Despite these record breaking numbers, Russell was voted MVP as his team was the first to win 60 games in a season.

Russell and Chamberlain square off again in the conference final

In the eastern conference finals, Russell and Chamberlain met and in the final game of the series Russell scored 19 points and held Chamberlain to 22 points as the Celtics advanced to the Final and then went to secure the NBA championship. The next year in the Finals, the Celtics almost lost to the LA Lakers with superstars Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. Russell in the final game had little help from his support who was benched and was able to pull off 30 points and 40 rebounds in overtime for the Celtic win.

Cousy retired while legendary John Havlicek took his place. Russell would win his fourth MVP as they once again won the Title. After winning eight consecutive championships, in 1966 Russell was asked by the retiring Red Auerbach to be a coach/player. Russell’s acceptance would make him the first African American head coach in NBA history. They would lose that year to Chamberlain and Philadelphia.

The next year, Russell’s numbers dropped a bit but they were still able to win the Championship and another one the next year as well. At the end of the 1968-1969 season a mentally exhausted and physically weary Chamberlain tried to put together to get another championship. Facing a Laker team in the finals who just recruited Chamberlain proved challenging for the Celtics as the series was tied up. With West and Chamberlain injured, the Celtics won by two points and achieved a record of 11 NBA championships.