There are sports idols that mark eras. Those who saw Alfredo Di Stéfano, Kobe Bryant, Usain Bolt, Michael Jordan or Michael Phelps remember their exploits to this day. In the future there will be talk of the legacy left by Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in football, or LeBron James and Stephan Curry -among others- in the world of basketball. However, none of these players from the NBA has been recognized as Bill Russell, the former Boston Celtics center. The number 6 of his shirt will never be used again.
After his retirement, in 1972 the Celtics removed the number 6 number. The importance that Russell exerted on both the Celtics and the NBA led several teams, and the league itself, out of respect and honor for the player, to not to use the bib number 6 againexcept for those players who wear that number before August 2022.
Russell’s story begins on February 12, 1934 in the state of Louisiana (United States). The continuing problems they suffered from the racism in your city natal, Monroe, forced the Russell family to move to Oakland, California. Before fulfilling the 33 years old his mother dies due to kidney failure. From there, Bill Russell had his father as his idol.
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At McClymonds High School, Bill Russell excelled as a basketball player in the last two years of high schoolwhere he won a pair of state championships with the team.
Russell was looking to access a sports scholarship to be able to enter a university. However, the University of San Francisco was the only institution that offered such assistance. Russell began playing in the San Francisco Donswhere it became object of insults and racist incidents.
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His skill on the basketball court made him, in the words of UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden, “the best defender” that has ever been seen. His relentless defense put the Dons on a streak of 55 straight wins during 1955 and 1956 in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
In 1956 Russell entered the NBA Draft. Red Auerbach, coach of the Boston Celtics, had closely followed Russell’s career. However, the number two team to choose, the San Luis Hawks -now known as the Atlanta Hawks-, chose Russell. Auerbach, who knew that the Atlanta team wanted to get the services of Ed Macauley -a six-time All-Star from the Boston team- entered into negotiations with the Hawks to carry out the Macauley trade as long as the young Russell was in the middle. In the end, the Celtics got Russell.
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In his first year as a professional, Russell was selected, and chosen captainfor the US national team to compete in the Melbourne Olympic Games 1956. Russell captained the US team to the final that they beat the Soviet team with a lopsided result (89-55 in favor of the United States).
The young promise did not join the Boston team until December 1956. His statistics after 48 games put him at the top of the NBA records (averaging 14.7 points and 19.6 rebounds).
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Russell’s arrival at the Celtics implied a defensive improvement which, years ago, lacked. However, the strength in attack that the Boston team enjoyed and the improvement in defense led to a time of dominance for the Boston team. In the 13 years that Russell was on the team, they won 11 rings, winning the title eight consecutive years (1958-1966).
The 1968-69 season was the last that Russell would wear the number 6 of the Boston Celtics. The season that the Celtics players ran was not very good, entering the playoffs as the fourth best team in the East. The final would be played against the Los Angeles Lakers, who started as favorites. However, Lakers star Wilt Chamberlain was injured in the middle of the game. The Celtics would manage to win a new title, the eleventh for Russell at 35 years old.
On July 31, 2022, Russell passed away in his sleep with his wife. His legacy is one of the greatest in NBA history, winning 11 finals and being voted MVP 5 times. In addition, in recognition of his career, the award given to the best player in the Finals bears his name.
2023-08-24 00:22:38
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