bill russell family life bill russell family life

[32] Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. He was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. The Celtic coach Red Auerbach retired before the 1966-67 season. [68] On November 7, 1959, Russell's Celtics hosted Chamberlain's Warriors and pundits called the matchup between the best offensive and defensive centers "The Big Collision" and "Battle of the Titans". [129] On May 20, 2007, Russell was awarded an honorary doctorate by Suffolk University, where he served as its commencement speaker. 1934: Bill Russell is born in Louisiana Charles and Katie Russell welcome William Felton Russell on Feb. 12 in Monroe, a town in north Louisiana. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bill Russell. [87] The Celtics reached the 1963 NBA Finals,[88] where they again defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, this time in six games. Russell articulated these views with a measure of self-criticism, saying: "I consider this a deficiency in myselfmaybe. 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. During Russell's college career, the conference was known as the California Basketball Association. He reasoned that if Saperstein was too smart to speak with him, then he was too smart to play for Saperstein. He ended his playing career at the age of 35. He told her to go home and remove the dress, which he described as "white woman's clothing". The teams coach, Red Auerbach, coveted Russell as the missing piece to what he believed could be a championship roster. [211] After that, the two were often seen together at various events and interviewed as friends. [57] 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. Russell, who was sensitive to any racial prejudice, was enraged by the fact that owner Abe Saperstein would only discuss the matter with Woolpert. Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft. [5], For his achievements, Russell was named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated in 1968. 6 jersey would be retired throughout the National Basketball Association, the first time a jersey had been retired league-wide in NBA history, and joining Jackie Robinson and Wayne Gretzky in the honor among the four major American sports leagues. Suddenly, his grandfather broke down crying. And what we would do is[Auerbach] trusted all his playersso like when he'd make a coaching decision, he could talk: he talked to [Bob] Cousey [who is white], he talked to me [black], he talked to [Bill] Sharman [white], he talked to Sam [Jones] [black]all of us: 'What do you think?' 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. Astrological Sign: Aquarius, Death Year: 2022, Death date: July 31, 2022, Article Title: Bill Russell Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/bill-russell, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: August 11, 2022, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. Bill Russell was born on 12 February 1934. [105] After losing for the fifth straight time against Russell and the Celtics, Hall-of-Fame Lakers guard Jerry West stated: "If I had a choice of any basketball player in the league, my No. During his three-year varsity career, in which he led the team to consecutive NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956, he averaged 20.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game. He was selected by the Boston Celtics during the 1956 NBA Draft because of his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess. I like most blacks because I am black." Bill Russell, an NBA Hall of Famer, was being treated for what appear to be cardiac problems in a hospital in Washington state with him passing away due to the illness and age related ailments. He had invested $250,000 in a rubber plantation in Liberia, where he had wanted to spend his retirement, but it went bankrupt. "[215], In 1966, Russell was promoted to head coach of the Celtics. Bill Russell was born on January 10, 1935, and died at age 61 years old on March 9, 1996. [110] In response, Russell described Boston as a "flea market of racism". William Felton Russell was born on February 12th in 1934. They had three children and divorced in 1973. [5] Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled. WebBill Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1934, to Katie and Charlie Louis Russell. Bill Russell, one of the greatest basketball players of all time who led the charge on and off the court, has died, his family announced Sunday. [5] Russell was known as one of the most clutch players in the NBA. [51] 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. National tragedy struck on April 4, day of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. With eight of the ten starting players on Sixers and Celtics being black, both teams were in deep shock and there were calls to cancel the series. [1] The Celtics won the 1966 NBA Finals and their eighth consecutive title. [217] He was quoted as saying: "From my very first year I thought of myself as playing for the Celtics, not for Boston. I could always be myself with them and they were always there for me. [The sound of Russell throwing up] is a welcome sound, too, because it means he's keyed up for the game, and around the locker room we grin and say, 'Man, we're going to be all right tonight. He was one of five, along with James Naismith, Oscar Robertson, Dean Smith, and John Wooden, selected to represent the inaugural class. [206] At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach's impact as a coach confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. Russell's We won the National Championship. His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. On May 6, 1999, the Celtics re-retired Russell's jersey in a ceremony attended by his on-court rival and friend Chamberlain, along with Celtics legend Larry Bird and Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He thrived at the USF under Coach Phil Woolpert who helped him develop his unique technique of defense. He last led the Sacramento Kings as president of basketball operations in the late 1980s. [111] Although White became a standout Celtics player, Boston lacked an All-Star center, went 3448 in the 196970 NBA season, and failed to make it to the 1970 NBA playoffs, marking the first time since 1950 that they did not make the playoffs. Russell, who once said he owed the public nothing,[110] was not there; he ended his career and cut all ties to the Celtics. Bill Russell was a once-in-a-generation activist athlete who made all around him better. Constantly provoked by New York Knicks center Ray Felix during a game, he complained to coach Auerbach, who told him to take matters into his own hands. children: Jacob Russell, Karen Russell, William Russell Jr. Grouping of People: Black Baseball Players, U.S. State: Louisiana, African-American From Louisiana, awards: 1955 - NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player 1955-1956 - 2 NCAA champion 1963 - NBA All-Star Game MVP, 19571959 - 5 NBA rebounding champion 19641965 - 5 NBA rebounding champion 1958 - 5 NBA Most Valuable Player 1965 - 5 NBA Most Valuable Player 19611963 - 5 NBA Most Valuable Player 1957 - 11 NBA champion 19591966 - 11 NBA champion 19681969 - 11 NBA champion. [110] Russell was also notorious for his refusal to give autographs or acknowledge the Celtics fans, and was called "the most selfish, surly and uncooperative athlete" by one pundit. This basketball great was declared as the "Greatest Player in the History of the NBA" by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/william-felton-bill-russell-859.php. "[214] Describing the Celtics organization, as distinguished from Boston sports fans in the 1950s and 1960s, as very progressive racially, Russell recalled in 2010 a list of the organization's accomplishments on racial progress both in terms of objective milestones and his own subjective experience as a member of the organization. 6 jersey across the entire league. [50] On offense, Russell's output was limited and his NBA career personal averages show him to be an average scorer (15.1 points career average), a poor free-throw shooter (56.1%), and average overall shooter from the field (44%, not exceptional for a center). [159][160] In 2007, he was voted the third best center of all-time by ESPN behind Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain. To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey, who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. [5] This took place during his last season (1969) and was the first season the NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected. He is depicted in-game, surrounded by 11 plinths representing the 11 championships he helped the Celtics win. These statues were modeled by a local boy from Somerville and multiple girls from the surrounding area. August 1, 2022 NBA reacts to death of iconic Bill Russell [20] Since Russell's previous experiences with white authority figures were often negative, warm words from Powles reassured him. Cooper, the Boston Celtics will never embarrass you.' So we never, or at least I never, ever considered him as having ulterior motives for whatever he did. Nothing went on outside the borders of the court. [54] His former USF and future Celtics teammate K. C. Jones joined him on the Olympic squad and contributed 10.9 points per game,[55] including a RussellJones combined 29 points in the finals. [28], Russell was ignored by college recruiters and received not one offer until recruiter Hal DeJulio from the University of San Francisco (USF) watched him play in a high school game. Russell used a copy as extra motivation and told his team to play a running game because in that case it was not the better but the more determined team that was going to win. In Game 6, Russell recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 24 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Celtics won 119105. His third marriage was to Marilyn Nault which lasted till her death in 2009. A the time of his death, he was [17] 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 the honor. The Celtics made good use of the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers had exhausted the St. Louis Hawks in a long seven-game Western Conference Finals,[76] and Boston won the 1961 NBA Finals in five games. In 2014, after the unveiling of his statue at City Hall in Boston, Russell spoke a bit about his parents and what his life was like When Russell was eight years old, his family moved to Oakland, California. [135][136], On February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award would be renamed the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his honor as an 11-time NBA champion. [51], 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. NBA legend Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in the league, passed away Sunday, July 31, according to [158] Russell ranked No. [162] In 2020, he was ranked No. American basketball player and coach (19342022), 19561958: Rookie champion and early years, 19581966: Eight straight NBA championships, 19661969: Player-coach champion and final years, Racist abuse, controversy, and relationship with Boston fans. William Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. Over his 13 seasons in the league, the team played in 12 NBA finals, winning 11 of them. [19], During World War II, the Second Great Migration began, as large numbers of Black people were moving to the West to look for work there. Celtics owner Walter A. [4][8] While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop. Bill Russell's selection to the Basketball Hall of Fame for his coaching career was announced on May 16, 2021. [57] In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. His coach, George Powles, encouraged the youngster to develop his skills and become a good player. Following the 1969 season, Russell retired from the game. Bill Russell grins at announcement that he had been named coach of the Boston Celtics basketball team, April 18, 1966. At the age of 9 he moved to Oakland. Two years later, the couple welcomed a second son, Russell was the first player to win an Olympic Gold Medal, an NBA Championship, and a collegiate championship. [5][50], In the 196061 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game,[1] leading his team to a regular season mark of 5722. [149][150], In his first NBA full season (195758), Russell became the first player in NBA history to average more than 20 rebounds per game for an entire season, a feat he accomplished ten times in his thirteen seasons. He kept up his excellent performance during the 1964-65 season too when he helped the Celtics win a league-record of 62 games. [156] In 1970, The Sporting News named Russell the "Athlete of the Decade". 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 was one of the most successful players ever to have graced American basketball. 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,[164] and No. 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. [38] Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition. He's the guy who whipped us psychologically. Before his rookie year, he was made the captain of the U.S. national basketball team that competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics. [115] He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. He was just the second player to have ever made 51 rebounds in a single game and the first NBA player to average more than 20 rebounds per game for an entire season. [89] In Game 3, Russell had 21 points, 38 rebounds, and 6 assists. [50][64] In the second overtime, both teams were in serious foul trouble: Heinsohn had fouled out, and the Hawks were so depleted that they had only seven players left. The first [NBA organization] to hire a black [head] coach was the Boston Celtics, and they've had at least five [black head-coaches] over the years. Russel died on July 31, 2022. The already hostile atmosphere between Russell and Boston hit its apex when vandals broke into his house in Reading, Massachusetts, covered the walls with racist graffiti, damaged his trophies, and defecated in the beds. Auerbach replied that Gottlieb's statements were "absolutely ridiculous" and said any controversy was "a question of sour grapes". [153] In 2009, Russell's erstwhile Knicks opponent Bill Bradley wrote in The New York Times Book Review that Russell "was the smartest player ever to play the game [of basketball]". Boston then beat the Los Angeles Lakers 42 in the 1968 NBA Finals, giving Russell his tenth title in twelve years. Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, Russell steered the club to 11 titles. Russell's stint with the Kings was considerably shorter, his last assignment ending when the Kings went 1741 to begin the 198788 NBA season. [60] Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable. [50] Bill Simmons has estimated that Russell had between 8 and 15 blocks per game in the playoffs. [5] In addition, Russell holds the NBA Finals single-game record for most rebounds (40, March 29, 1960, vs. St. Louis, and April 18, 1962, vs. Los Angeles), most rebounds in a quarter (19, April 18, 1962, vs. Los Angeles), and most consecutive games with 20 or more rebounds (15 from April 9, 1960 April 16, 1963). This was in contrast to other Celtics who had to work during the offseason to maintain their standard of living; Tom Heinsohn sold insurance, Gene Guarilia was a professional guitar player, Cousy ran a basketball camp, and Red Auerbach invested in plastics and a Chinese restaurant. [5][97], In the 196566 NBA season, Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. [19] Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. Brown, who gave him a high $24,000 rookie contract, just $1,000 shy of the top-earning veteran Bob Cousy.[122]. [53] The U.S. dominated the tournament, winning by an average of 53.5 points per game. He was the central focus of the Celtics dynasty, who won 11 NBA championships so over course of his 13 I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies. He later said: "The most successful television is done in eight-second thoughts, and the things I know about basketball, motivation, and people go deeper than that. Bills understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life. [5] The Russell draft-day trade was later called one of the most important trades in the history of North American sports. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. ", "Glory at the Basket, William Felton Russell", "The Ring Leader: Bill Russell helped the Celtics rule their sport like no team ever has", "Celtics Name Russell Coach, Making Him First Negro to Lead Major Team", "A Farewell Fiercest Rival: Bill Russell Recalls Wilt As His Friend For Eternity", "Bill Russell: Working with Red Auerbach", "More than 40 years later, Celtics great Bill Russell finally accepts his Hall of Fame ring", "Third Annual 'We Are Boston' Event Honors Outstanding Contributions to Boston's Diversity", "Bill Russell: 'Tell those NFL players, I'm with them', UPI College Basketball Player of the Year Award, Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year, NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1955 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, 1956 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Russell&oldid=1152374708, African-American male track and field athletes, African-American sports executives and administrators, All-American college men's basketball players, American sports executives and administrators, Basketball players at the 1956 Summer Olympics, Basketball players from Oakland, California, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association broadcasters, National Basketball Association championship-winning head coaches, National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award winners, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball, San Francisco Dons men's basketball players, San Francisco Dons men's track and field athletes, Track and field athletes from Oakland, California, United States men's national basketball team players, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 21:24. My wife and Russell's laugh. "[50], The Celtics swept the Nationals in three games to earn the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance in the 1957 NBA Finals,[63] where they met the St. Louis Hawks, led by Pettit and former Celtic Ed Macauley. [113] His No. Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me. [50], Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball IQ, and will to win. Bill Russell married his college sweetheart Rose Swisher in 1956. Eleven-time NBA champion and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell died 'peacefully' at the age of 88, his family confirmed Sunday. The crowd gave Russell a prolonged standing ovation, which brought tears to his eyes. Russell limited Chamberlain to only two shot attempts in the second half. In a statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that Russell was "the greatest champion in all of team sports". Bill Russell, one of the most important and accomplished athletes in history, died on Sunday at the age of 88 with his wife Jeannine by his side, his family announced. [101] During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]. [50], The Celtics lost Cousy to retirement after the 196263 NBA season, and they drafted John Havlicek and were powered by Russell, who averaged 16.8 points and 23.6 rebounds per game, won his fourth regular-season MVP award, and earned the NBA All-Star Game MVP honors at the 1963 NBA All-Star Game following his 19-point, 24-rebound performance for the Eastern Conference's All-Star team. A look at Bill Russells family life Bill was born to Katie and Charles Russell. That same year, in the NBA draft, the Boston Celtics orchestrated a deal with the St. Louis Hawks and traded for the draft rights to the young center. The following season the Celtics became the first team to win 60 games in a season and he was again voted as the NBAs Most Valuable Player. The fans could do or think whatever they wanted. [18][170] However, the NBA players who currently wore the number 6 jersey are grandfatheredthey may keep the number until they voluntarily change it or retirebut the number will not be issued again to a new player. The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. [165], Of Russell, former NBA player and head coach Don Nelson said: "There are two types of superstars. The couple grew emotionally distant and divorced. 18 on ESPN's "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century" list in 1999. The block preserved Boston's slim 103102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. He later commented that he would have participated in the high jump if he had been snubbed by the basketball team. 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. [71] Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. [191], Russell died at his Mercer Island, Washington, home on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88. [144][157] Russell is universally seen as one of the best NBA players ever,[5] and he was declared "Greatest Player in the History of the NBA" by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980. Rules on Defense, Coach of Warriors Says", "The 'Coleman Play' introduced and defined Bill Russell's never-say-die leadership to Boston", "12 times NBA awards were pretty ridiculous", "Syracuse Nationals at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 5, 1960", "Boston Celtics at Philadelphia Warriors Box Score, November 24, 1960", "1960 NBA Finals Game 2: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, March 29, 1960", "1960 NBA Finals Game 7: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 9, 1960", "Celtics Give Sharman Championship Sendoff", "Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 16, 1962", "Boston Celtics Players to have recorded a triple-double", "1962 NBA Finals Game 7: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 18, 1962", "Cincinnati Royals vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 31, 1963", "Kennedy Greets Celtics, but Bill Russell Sleeps", "New York Knicks at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 10, 1963", "1963 NBA Finals Game 3: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 17, 1963", "On this day: Pandemic pause anniversary; Russell's 49 boards; Potapenko trade", "Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics Box Score, March 11, 1965", "1968 Sportsman of the Year: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics coach-player", "Bill Russell Reported Favoring Movie Career", "Celtics legend Bill Russell receives second induction into Basketball Hall of Fame, as coach this time", "Successful, short-lived coaching days get Bill Russell into Hall again", "Bill Russell, NBA great and former Sonics coach, dies at 88", "Bill Russell Leaves Lasting Impact on Kings", "Watch Saturday Night Live Episode: November 3 Bill Russell", "Culture Now Is a Great Time to Read Bill Russell's Memoir", "Best Betting Scenes: Bill Russell Goes Rogue on 'Miami Vice', "Russell Redux: A Private Man Bursts Back Into the Public Eye", "Shaq heeds Russell's call for peace; Lakers hold on for win", "Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame to induct founding class", "Sports legend Bill Russell receives an honorary degree at the 2007 Suffolk University commencement", "Honorary degrees awarded at Commencement's Morning Exercises", "Dartmouth grads hear 'nose dive' warning", "Naismith and FIBA Hall of Fame: Full list of inductees enshrined at Springfield and Madrid", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement Sports", "The Finals MVP to Receive Bill Russell MVP Award", "All-Star Top 10, from Shaq's moves to boos for Spurs", "Kobe shows maturity of last seven years in leading Lakers to title", "Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients (Photos)", "Inside the Iconic Obama Basketball Games at the White House", "25 players that won a NCAA and NBA championship", "Jordan, Jabbar, Russell and Magic won NCAA and NBA titles, but it's become a rare feat", "Quick quiz: Only four players have been", "How Bill Russell's coaching career opened doors for NBA's Black head coaches", "Bill Russell: How historic success as the league's first Black coach paved the way for others", "NBA Legend Bill Russell Became First Black Coach In Pro Sports 46 Years Ago Today", "Biggest moments for NBA's 15 Greatest Coaches", "Top 10 NBA Players With The Most Finals And Regular Season MVPs Combined", "Ranking Every NBA All-Defensive First Team in History from Worst to First", "NBA 75: Bill Russell, 1960s Athlete of the Decade (TSN Archives)", "ESPN's 'SportsCentury' Goes Back-Back-Back", "Top N. American athletes of the century", "Daily Dime: Special Edition The game's greatest giants ever", "Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. In overtime, Frank Ramsey, the fourth forward, fouled out trying to guard Baylor, so Russell was robbed of his usual four-men wing rotation; he and little-used fifth forward Gene Guarilia successfully pressured Baylor into missed shots. He was named the NBA Most Valuable Player for that season. 1 in NBA history for defensive win shares at 133.6, with Tim Duncan in second at 106.3. [200][201] Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. He was offered a scholarship from the University of San Francisco (USF). Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. I'm certainly going to ask Maurice Podoloff." [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. The Celtics were already a high-scoring team but the addition of Russell added to their strengths. [108], Days later, 30,000 Celtics fans cheered their returning heroes. NBA Legend Bill Russell Biography, Age, Height, Family, Wife His time as a non-player coach was lackluster; he led the struggling SuperSonics into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but Russell's defensive, team-oriented Celtics mindset did not mesh well with the team, and he left in 1977 with a 162166 record.