Age, Biography, and Wiki
Bill Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in West Monroe, Louisiana. He passed away on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. Russell's early life was marked by hardship and racial segregation, which later influenced his civil rights activism. He attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, and later played basketball at the University of San Francisco, where he won two NCAA championships.
| Occupation | Basketball Players |
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| Date of Birth | 12 February 1934 |
| Age | 91 Years |
| Birth Place | Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aquarius |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 31 July, 2022 |
| Died Place | Mercer Island, Washington, U.S. |
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m)
- Weight: 210 lbs (95 kg).
- Russell's imposing stature and athleticism were key factors in his success on the court.
After being chosen by the St. Louis Hawks with the second overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft, Russell was traded to the Boston Celtics for Celtics center Ed Macauley and small forward Cliff Hagan. With Russell as their starting center and defensive anchor, the Celtics went on to win their first NBA championship in 1957 and won an NBA record eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star, Russell's rebounding, defense, and leadership made him one of the dominant players of his era. Standing at 6 ft tall, with a 7 ft arm span, his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense were major reasons for the Celtics' dominance during his career. Russell also led the NBA in rebounds four times, had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds, and remains second all-time in both total rebounds and rebounds per game. Russell played in the wake of black pioneers Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Sweetwater Clifton, and he was the first black player to achieve superstar status in the NBA. During the final three seasons of his career (1966–1969), he served as player-coach of the Celtics, becoming the first black NBA coach to win a championship. Russell ended his playing career and left his position as Celtics coach after helping the Celtics win the 1969 NBA championship.
| Height | 6 feet 10 inches |
| Weight | 210 lbs |
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Dating & Relationship Status
Bill Russell was married twice. His first marriage was to Rose Swisher from 1956 to 1977, and his second marriage was to Marilyn Nault from 1977 to 1980. He had three children from his first marriage.
Like many Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in their daily lives. Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. When he attempted to leave and find a different station, the attendant stuck a shotgun in his face and threatened to kill him if he did not stay and wait his turn. In another incident, Russell's mother was walking outside in a fancy dress when a white policeman accosted her. He told her to go home and remove the dress, which he described as "white woman's clothing".
During World War II, the Second Great Migration began, with large numbers of Black people leaving the South to find jobs in the rest of the U.S. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family to Oakland, California. While there, they fell into poverty and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of public housing projects.
His father was said to be a "stern, hard man" who initially worked in a paper factory as a janitor, which was what sports journalist John Taylor called a typical "Negro Job"—low-paid and not intellectually challenging. When World War II broke out, the elder Russell became a truck driver. Russell was closer to his mother Katie than to his father, and he received a major emotional blow when she suddenly died when he was 12 years old. His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. Russell stated that his father became his childhood hero, later followed up by Minneapolis Lakers superstar George Mikan, whom he met when he was in high school. Of Russell the college basketball player, Mikan said: "Let's face it, he's the best ever. He's so good, he scares you."
At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. He was notorious for his public surliness. Because Russell ignored virtually any well-wisher who approached him home or away, as well as the vast majority of media, his autograph was among the most difficult to secure of any professional athlete of his time. Russell had a cordial relationship with many of his teammates, with the notable exception of Heinsohn, his old rival and fellow rookie. Russell ignored Heinsohn's request for an autograph on behalf of his cousin and openly said to Heinsohn that he deserved half of his $300 Rookie of the Year check. The relations
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Net Worth and Salary
During his playing career, Bill Russell was one of the first big earners in NBA basketball. His rookie contract in 1956 was worth $24,000, equivalent to approximately $277,572 in 2024. Notably, when Wilt Chamberlain became the first NBA player to earn $100,000 in 1965, Russell secured a contract for $100,001, making him the highest-paid player at the time. Adjusted for inflation, his peak salary would be around $973,151. Although his net worth at the time of his death was not publicly disclosed, his legacy and contributions to basketball, combined with his successful career, suggest a substantial net worth.
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. 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. Boston's chances of getting Russell seemed slim because they had finished second in the previous season and the worst teams had the highest draft picks, and the Celtics had slipped too low in the draft order to pick Russell. In addition, Auerbach had already used his NBA territorial pick to acquire talented forward Tom Heinsohn. 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. Celtics owner Walter A. Brown contacted Rochester owner Les Harrison and received an assurance that the Royals could not afford Russell, and they would draft Sihugo Green. Auerbach later said that Brown offered Harrison guaranteed performances of the Ice Capades if they did not draft Russell; it is difficult to verify or disprove this, but it is clear that the Royals underrated Russell.
Career, Business, and Investments
Bill Russell's career was marked by incredible success with the Boston Celtics, winning 11 NBA championships from 1957 to 1969. He was a five-time NBA MVP and was named to the NBA All-Star team 12 times. In addition to his playing career, Russell became the first African American coach in NBA history when he took over as player-coach for the Celtics in 1966. His coaching career included a stint with the Boston Celtics and later with the Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings.
William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that played for 12 NBA championships and won 11 during his 13-year career. Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
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. He was selected into the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971 and the NBA 35th Anniversary Team in 1980, was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 (being one of only four players to receive all three honors), and was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. In 2009, the NBA renamed the NBA Finals MVP Award in his honor. In 2011, Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the court and in the civil rights movement. In 2021, Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time in recognition of his coaching career. 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 that honor, as well as the third person in North American major professional sports to have their jersey number retired league-wide, behind Jackie Robinson and Wayne Gretzky.
During his early years Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. Although he was a good runner and jumper and had large hands, he did not understand the game and was cut from the team at Herbert Hoover Junior High School. As a freshman at McClymonds High School in Oakland, Russell was almost cut again; as he saw Russell's raw athletic potential, coach George Powles encouraged him to work on his fundamentals. After Russell was cut from the junior varsity basketball team as a junior in high school, Powles gave him a spot on the varsity team and bought him a yearlong community center membership. Since Russell's previous experiences with white authority figures were often negative, warm words from Powles reassured him. Frank Robinson, a future member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, was one of Russell's high school basketball teammates.
Russell started college at USF in 1952. He averaged 20 points per game on the Dons' freshman basketball team, and made his varsity debut on December 1, 1953. He became the starting center for coach Phil Woolpert, who emphasized defense and deliberate half-court play, which favored Russell's exceptional defensive skills. Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. In 1954, he became the first coach of a major college basketball program to start three African-American players: K. C. Jones, Hal Perry, and Russell. In his USF years, Russell took advantage of his relative lack of bulk to guard other players than the opposing center: using his quickness and speed, he would double-up on forwards and aggressively challenge their shots. Russell played on USF's varsity team from 1953 to 1956.
The games were often difficult for the USF squad, as Russell and his black teammates became targets of racist jeers, particularly on the road. 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. In protest, the whole team decided to fend for themselves in a closed college dorm, which was later called an important bonding experience for the group. Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds, saying: "I never permitted myself to be a victim." Racism shaped his lifelong paradigm as a team player, about which Russell said: "At that time it was never acceptable that a black player was the best. That did not happen ... My junior year in college, I had what I thought was the one of the best college seasons ever. We won 28 out of 29 games. We won the National Championship. I was the MVP at the Final Four. I was first team All American. I averaged over 20 points and over 20 rebounds, and I was the only guy in college blocking shots. So after the season was over, they had a Northern California banquet, and they picked another center as Player of the Year in Northern California. 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." He is said to have made a conscious decision to put the team first and foremost, and not worry about individual achievements.
On the court, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. He led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, including a string of 55 consecutive victories, and a 26-point, 27-rebound, 20-block performance in one game. He became known for his strong defense and shot-blocking skills, once denying 13 shots in a game. UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. During his college career, Russell was the NCAA tournament MOP in 1955, averaging 20.7 points per game and 20.3 rebounds per game.
Russell was an elite help defender who allowed the Celtics to play the "Hey, Bill" defense: whenever a Celtic requested additional defensive help, he would shout "Hey, Bill!" Russell was so quick that he could run over for a quick double team and make it back in time if the opponents tried to find the open man. He also became famous for his shot-blocking skills and pundits called his blocks "Wilsonburgers", referring to the Wilson NBA basketballs he "shoved back into the faces of opposing shooters". This skill allowed the other Celtics to play their men aggressively; if they were beaten, they knew that Russell was guarding the basket.
Social Network
Bill Russell was active on social media platforms, particularly Twitter, where he shared his thoughts on basketball and social issues. His legacy continues to be celebrated by fans and fellow athletes alike.
Combining the stature and shot-blocking skills of a center with the foot speed of a forward, Russell became the centerpiece of a USF team that soon became a force in college basketball. After USF kept Holy Cross Crusaders star Tom Heinsohn scoreless in an entire half, Sports Illustrated wrote: "If [Russell] ever learns to hit the basket, they're going to have to rewrite the rules." The NCAA in fact did; the lane was widened for his junior year. After he graduated, the NCAA rules committee instituted a second new rule to counter the play of big men like Russell; basket interference was now prohibited. Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. The NCAA had previously prohibited goaltending in response to George Mikan (1945) and later banned the dunk shot due to Lew Alcindor (1967), although the latter rule was later repealed.
Education
Russell attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, and later enrolled at the University of San Francisco, where he studied physical education and played basketball. During his time at USF, he won two NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956.
Russell played college basketball for the San Francisco Dons, leading them to consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. He was named NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player (MOP), and captained the gold medal-winning U.S. national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics. These victories along with his NBA championships made Russell one of only eight players in the history of basketball to achieve the Triple Crown.
Russell soon became noted for his unusual style of defense. He later recalled: "To play good defense ... it was told back then that you had to stay flatfooted at all times to react quickly. When I started to jump to make defensive plays and to block shots, I was initially corrected, but I stuck with it, and it paid off." In an autobiographical account, Russell said that while on a California High School All-Stars tour, he became obsessed with studying and memorizing other players' moves, e.g., footwork such as which foot they moved first on which play, as preparation for defending against them, which included practicing in front of a mirror at night. 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.
Russell was ignored by college recruiters and did not receive an offer until recruiter Hal DeJulio from the University of San Francisco (USF) watched him play in a high school game. DeJulio was unimpressed by Russell's meager scoring and "atrocious fundamentals", but he sensed that the young Russell had an extraordinary instinct for the game, especially in the clutch. Russell eagerly accepted the offer. Sports journalist John Taylor described the scholarship offer as a watershed event in Russell's life because Russell realized that basketball was his chance to escape poverty and racism, and he swore to make the best of it. Russell graduated from McClymonds in 1952.
Besides basketball, Russell represented USF in track and field events. He was a standout in the high jump and according to Track & Field News was ranked the seventh-best high-jumper in the world in 1956, his graduation year, despite not competing in Olympic high-jump competition. 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). One of his highest jumps occurred at the WCR, where he achieved a mark of 6 ft; 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 ft. this was all before the Fosbury Flop was introduced, with which all high jump world records after 1978 have been set. Russell later stateside that "In '56, I could have made the Olympics in high jump but turned it down to play basketball instead, we could only play one sport then". He also competed in the 440 yd race, which he could complete in 49.6 seconds.
