munchmemory Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 Greatest defensive player I ever saw. He was 88. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchmemory Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share Posted July 31, 2022 Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion as a player and coach with the Boston Celtics and one of the most important figures in NBA history, has died at the age of 88, his family announced Sunday. Russell passed away peacefully with his wife Jeannine by his side. Born in Louisiana in 1934, Russell was not initially considered a top basketball prospect. His first scholarship offer came from the University of San Francisco, a school hardly known for its basketball prowess but one that Russell was able to carry to consecutive national championships in 1955 and 1956. In addition to basketball, Russell was a track star at San Francisco, notably competing in the high jump. He won an Olympic gold medal in basketball as Team USA's captain in 1956 before turning professional. Despite his collegiate excellence, Russell was not the first pick in the 1956 NBA Draft. That honor went to Duquesne wing Si Green. That left Russell available at No. 2, where the St. Louis Hawks were drafting. However, circumstances worked in Russell's favor. Boston Celtics star Ed Macauley's son was being treated for spinal meningitis in St. Louis, so he asked the team to send him there as a favor. They did so, and Boston landed the No. 2 pick in exchange for Macauley and fellow Hall-of-Famer Cliff Hagan. The deal didn't exactly blow up in St. Louis' face. Though they lost the 1957 Finals to Boston, the Hawks came back to win it all in a 1958 rematch with the Celtics. But that would be the last championship they'd ever win. Russell won 10 more, including the next eight in a row. The trade was just as important to Russell as it was to the Celtics. "If I would've gotten drafted by St. Louis, I wouldn't have been in the NBA," Russell said in an interview with NBATV. "St. Louis was overwhelmingly racist." Sadly, Russell faced racism throughout his early life in the South and his entire career in Boston, and he became one of the most socially conscious athletes in American history. He attended Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech in person and was one of several black athletes and leaders to attend the 1967 Cleveland Summit in support of Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Russell became the first Black head coach in American sports history when he replaced Red Auerbach in Boston. He retained his role as the team's starting center while coaching the team on his way to its last two championships. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/redrafting-the-2021-nba-draft-rockets-pick-evan-mobley-at-no-2-jalen-green-slips-to-magic-at-no-5/ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post munchmemory Posted July 31, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 31, 2022 5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunnie Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 88 not badSent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Maynard13 Posted July 31, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 31, 2022 11 Rings. Wow just WOW ? Sit your azz down Brady. 5 1 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post munchmemory Posted July 31, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted July 31, 2022 1 minute ago, Maynard13 said: 11 Rings. Wow just WOW ? The battles between Russell and Wilt were incredible to watch. I was a kid and Knicks fan who hated the Celtics. But always loved Russell's presence on the court. He intimidated everyone. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maynard13 Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 1 minute ago, munchmemory said: The battles between Russell and Wilt were incredible to watch. I was a kid and Knicks fan who hated the Celtics. But always loved Russell's presence on the court. He intimidated everyone. I haven’t watched the Knicks since Ewing blew that finger roll that cost them a chance at winning a title. Ewing has to be the most disappointing NY sports athlete EVER. 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchmemory Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share Posted July 31, 2022 2 minutes ago, Maynard13 said: I haven’t watched the Knicks since Ewing blew that finger roll that cost them a chance at winning a title. Ewing has to be the most disappointing NY sports athlete EVER. Don't get me started, M13. At least we had a big man like Charles Smith finishing key dunks/shots. lol 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section314 Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 Greatest winner ever in sports history. RIP. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerfish Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 Henri Richard the pocket rocket also won 11 Stanley cup championships. Russell from an era in BBall where you had to have more than one single skillset. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Trotter Posted July 31, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 31, 2022 59 minutes ago, munchmemory said: Don't get me started, M13. At least we had a big man like Charles Smith finishing key dunks/shots. lol I was having a nice stress free day and the you throw in Charles smith. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 So crazy, was talking about him 2 days ago. Just a different kind of special athlete. Rest in peace. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchmemory Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share Posted July 31, 2022 1 minute ago, Trotter said: I was having a nice stress free day and the you throw in Charles smith. Sorry, man. After reading @Maynard13's post, Smith jumped to mind. I'm still not over that game/series. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchmemory Posted July 31, 2022 Author Share Posted July 31, 2022 "Secretary of Defense" is right. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
section314 Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 33 minutes ago, Beerfish said: Henri Richard the pocket rocket also won 11 Stanley cup championships. Russell from an era in BBall where you had to have more than one single skillset. Thanks for reminding me. And I call myself a hockey fan.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjasi Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 1 hour ago, Maynard13 said: 11 Rings. Wow just WOW ? Sit your azz down Brady. Apples and cybernetic organisms, IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JustInFudge Posted July 31, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 31, 2022 Wasnt around to see him play but his legacy carried on through the years. There will always be that person who says, Jordan? LeBron? Russell is the GOAT. Cant imagine what he had to go through playing in that city during that era. RIP to a beautiful man. 88 is a great run. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjasi Posted July 31, 2022 Share Posted July 31, 2022 RIP, legend 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Adoni Beast Posted July 31, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 31, 2022 Mount Rushmore of NBA and American team sports. Definition of a true champion in every sense of the word and was as important to bridging the gap between white and black Americans through sports as Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson, and Jim Brown. Legend. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 5 hours ago, JiFapono said: Wasnt around to see him play but his legacy carried on through the years. There will always be that person who says, Jordan? LeBron? Russell is the GOAT. Cant imagine what he had to go through playing in that city during that era. RIP to a beautiful man. 88 is a great run. 100% this, bubba. Check pms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronx Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 5 hours ago, munchmemory said: "Secretary of Defense" is right. Watching these highlights, as dominant as he was, the competition was less talented 7 hours ago, Maynard13 said: 11 Rings. Wow just WOW ? Sit your azz down Brady. Awesome! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jet Nut Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 2 NCAA Championships 1 Gold Medal !1 NBA Championships Top 5 greatest player ever Greatest winner ever, any major sport and a class act RIP sir. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fantasy Island Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 Hated the Celtics, but respected this legend. RIP to a great man on and off the court. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodGreen Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 Legend, plain and simple. Both as an athlete and as a man! Just a great human being. Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangerous Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 i urge any basketball fan to take a good look at bill russell and then michael jordan and see which one is the greatest of all time (so far). imo russell was much better. he had more offense than people talk about and played against stiffer competition. jordan maybe should be considered the best at his position. the nba lost one of it's truly great players and people. russell played with honor and dignity. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustInFudge Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 14 hours ago, JiFapono said: Wasnt around to see him play but his legacy carried on through the years. There will always be that person who says, Jordan? LeBron? Russell is the GOAT. Cant imagine what he had to go through playing in that city during that era. RIP to a beautiful man. 88 is a great run. 1 hour ago, rangerous said: i urge any basketball fan to take a good look at bill russell and then michael jordan and see which one is the greatest of all time (so far). imo russell was much better. he had more offense than people talk about and played against stiffer competition. jordan maybe should be considered the best at his position. the nba lost one of it's truly great players and people. russell played with honor and dignity. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Cowbell Posted August 1, 2022 Share Posted August 1, 2022 18 hours ago, Maynard13 said: I haven’t watched the Knicks since Ewing blew that finger roll that cost them a chance at winning a title. Ewing has to be the most disappointing NY sports athlete EVER. Ewing was the last Knick to bring respect to NY basketball. There was this guy in Chicago that was the reason we never won it all. I heard he pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munchmemory Posted August 1, 2022 Author Share Posted August 1, 2022 Rather than posting all the great tributes to Bill Russell, click the article below which includes many of them. https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bill-russell-dies-at-88-kareem-abdul-jabbar-michael-jordan-more-react-to-death-of-boston-celtics-icon/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.