Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony. The couple was thus more than excited to start this new chapter, especially since theyd already decided to plant roots in Mascahustats owing to the athletes Boston Celtics drafting the summer prior. Bill Russell's daughter Karen Russell a legal and political analyst was born Karen Kenyatta Russell on January 20, 1962, graduated from Harvard Law School and Georgetown University; she has contributed to the Huffington . [154] He was selected three times to the All-NBA First Teams (1959, 1963, 1965) and eight Second Teams (1958, 196062, 1964, 196668), and was a 12-time NBA All-Star (19581969). Bill Russell, who has died at the age of 88, was more than just a basketball superstar and world-class athlete. We won the National Championship. [143] By winning the 1956 NCAA championship with USF and the 1957 NBA title with the Celtics,[144] Russell became the first of only four players in basketball history to win an NCAA championship and an NBA championship back-to-back, the others being Henry Bibby, Magic Johnson, and Billy Thompson. [49], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. William Felton Russell Jr., Bill Russell's oldest son who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, died in 2016. Bill Russell Social Media The crowd gave Russell a prolonged standing ovation, which brought tears to his eyes. While attending college at the . [132][133] In 2008, Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement. [56] Russell's defense was called into question by Eddie Gottlieb, coach of the Philadelphia Warriors, after the WarriorsCeltics game on January 1, 1957, in which he recorded 17 points and 25 rebounds, plus an assist. The couple actually kept their relationship well away from the public eye, so we only know they renewed their vows in 2020 before continuing to establish a comfortable life in Seattle, thanks to their social media platforms. These are Karen Kenyatta Russell, William Russell Jr., and Jacob Russell. Russell averaged . 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. [56] Auerbach assigned him to shut down the Hawks' main scorer and Russell impressed the Boston crowd with his man-to-man defense and shot-blocking. [77] In the Eastern Division championships of the 1962 NBA playoffs, the Celtics met the Philadelphia Warriors led by Chamberlain, who averaged 50 points per game that season, and Russell did his best to slow him down. In 1977, four years after his divorce from Rose Swisher, Russell married Dorothy Anstett, who was Miss USA 1968. '"[218] In retirement, Russell described the Boston press as corrupt and racist; in response, Boston sports journalist Larry Claflin claimed that Russell himself was the real racist. [34] Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. She has had many amazing accomplishments in her life. NBA great Bill Russell died on Sunday with his wife, Jeannine, by his side. His first wife was his University of San Francisco college . Russell, who once said he owed the public nothing,[109] was not there; he ended his career and cut all ties to the Celtics. Dorothy was reportedly a University of Washington English major at the time of her Miss USA win, and she genuinely intended on evolving into a teacher once everything was settled for good. Bill Russell, whose No. Bill Russell's first wife was his childhood love. Since graduating, Karen has devoted her life to racial equality, much like her father. Bill Russell only had children with his first wife Rose; they are Karen, Jacob, and William Russell Jr. Karen Russell. As a freshman at McClymonds High School in Oakland,[23][24] Russell was almost cut again;[25] as he saw Russell's raw athletic potential, coach George Powles encouraged him to work on his fundamentals. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. [19] When he later became a standout college player at USF, Russell recalled how he and his few fellow black teammates were jeered by white students. [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. Please logout and login again. They were all born to him during his marriage to his first wife, Rose Swisher. His 1956 rookie contract was worth $24,000 (equivalent to $239,207 in 2021), only fractionally smaller than the $25,000 of top earner and teammate Bob Cousy. [194][195] For his promotion to coach, the Celtics paid Russell an annual salary of $25,000 which was in addition to his salary as a player. You are less. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career. Auerbach replied that Gottlieb's statements were "absolutely ridiculous" and said any controversy was "a question of sour grapes". [1] Before the January 31, 1963, 18-point, 22-rebound performance in a 128125 win against the Cincinnati Royals at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland,[83] the Celtics were to tour the White House and Russell had a "Do not disturb" sign on his phone. Suddenly, his grandfather broke down crying. Russell has always worn a jersey with No. . 6 from the University of San Francisco as well as in the 1956 USA Olympic Team. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. With the added defensive presence of Russell, the Celtics had laid the foundation for a dynasty, as the team utilized a strong defensive approach to the game, forcing opposing teams to commit many turnovers, which led to many easy points on fast breaks. Frank Robinson, a future member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, was one of Russell's high school basketball teammates. [50], Before his NBA rookie year, Russell was the captain of the 1956 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team that competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics, which was held in November and December in Melbourne, Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere. [102] In the Eastern Division Finals of the 1968 NBA playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers had the better record than Boston and were the favorites. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. Although nearly 16 years younger than Bill Russell, Kansas native Marilyn Nault tied the knot with the basketball legend on February 17, 2000, upon meeting him sometime prior by pure chance. They were together from 1956 to 1973. She then chose to stay well away from the spotlight while still co-parenting their children, but alas, it all ended on September 11, 2014, as she passed away at the age of 78 owing to some natural health problems. The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. [6][7][8][9] Standing at 6ft 10in (2.08m) tall, with a 7ft 4in (2.24m) arm span,[10][11] his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense were major reasons for the Celtics' dominance during his career. [32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. '"[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. The owner of the Hawks called Auerbach later and demanded more in the trade. [15], Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, was one of the founding inductees into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007. [209], Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. [78] At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. "[109][207] When his white Celtics teammate Frank Ramsey asked whether he hated him, Russell stated that he had been misquoted but few believed it. He later recalled: "To play good defense it was told back then that you had to stay flatfooted at all times to react quickly. Russell's No. Many people thought that Russell was more important even though he had only played half the season. [106], Russell and the Celtics achieved upsets over the 76ers and the Knicks to earn a meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1969 NBA Finals. [153] He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast-break points. Updated. [34] In one incident, hotels in Oklahoma City refused to admit Russell and his black teammates while they were in town for the 1954 All-College Tournament. Thus, playing in this team has also added up to the overall . At one point, Karen asked her father if it was difficult to send her to school in Boston, where she attended Harvard Law School. The only time she couldnt was when we were on the road. [1] The 195657 Boston Celtics season saw the debut of a starting lineup made up of five future Hall-of-Famers: center Russell, forwards Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey, and guards Bill Sharman and Bob Cousy. [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. 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. [5], For his achievements, Russell was named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated in 1968. Bill Russell poses with his Championship rings in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1996. [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. According to Sportskeeda, he resides in Washington State with his wife, Sara Marckx Russell. Bill Russell (L) greets Jimmy Butler at the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. [38] Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition. Russell articulated these views with a measure of self-criticism, saying: "I consider this a deficiency in myselfmaybe. After much debate, Auerbach agreed to give up Hagan and the Hawks made the trade. In his 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Boston Celtics, Bill Russell, who has died aged 88, won . Performance & security by Cloudflare. Well, that let me know that if I were to accept these as the final judges of my career I would die a bitter old man." Born on June 28, 1947, in Kirkland, Washington, as one of nine children to an aircraft plant worker, Dorothy Catherine Anstett reportedly led a hustling and bustling life from an early age. [199][200] Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me. She had actually relocated to Seattle, Washington (his base home) following her high school graduation and was working as a jewelry salesperson when they began building a life together.
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