Posted on 07/31/2022 10:50:33 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Three seasons as player-coach of the Celtics, 1966-1969, winning two championships in those three seasons.
If Chamberlain could actually shoot Free Throws, might have been a different story. But if you knew you could get away with fouling him, it made him less effective than he should have been.
Now only Bob Cousy, age 93, is left from the great Boston Celtic basketball dynasty of the 1950-60s.
He was not a nice man. Wouldn’t sign autographs as a player. He was very good as a commentator, but was always quite full of himself. RIP.
“He never had the same success as a coach that he enjoyed in his playing career, however.”
Depends on what you mean by success. He cut the league “games back” amount by far better than half of the previous year in all four of his seasons there when he was hired due to the lack of success of the Sonics. He was a player coach for Boston 66 though 69 and won two championships before he retired the first time. His work in Sacramento was trying to put a bow on a pig.
He was about as successful as expected and then some. Teams, except the wasted effort in Sacramento, were improved by him and while he was in Boston, very successful.
wy69
He was also a coach.
See his career history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Russell
As player:
1956–1969 Boston Celtics
As coach:
1966–1969 Boston Celtics
1973–1977 Seattle SuperSonics
1987–1988 Sacramento Kings
My sports knowledge is very limited, that’s all I meant. If I’ve heard of you, and you didn’t play for a NY Team, you are pretty famous!
In 1992 Red Auerbach named his all-time dream team, and of course Bill Russell topped the list https://celticswire.usatoday.com/lists/nba-boston-celtics-red-auerbach-playoff-dirty-dozen/
A True legend-
Quite a section on the Wiki post about how racism affected him.
The FBI maintained a file on Russell and described him in their file as “an arrogant Negro who won’t sign autographs for white children”.
Another jab-death ...
Bill Russell led the University of San Francisco to national titles in 1955 and 1956, including a 55-game winning streak.
Strangely, after he left USF (he didn’t graduate) he virtually severed all ties with the college that was the only school to offer him a scholarship. Didn’t even answer calls from USF athletic directors over the years. He never offered an explanation.
One of my basketball idols. RIP Bill Russell, you were a champion.
Russell talks about the control here:
https://www.sportscasting.com/bill-russell-let-wilt-chamberlain-score-pad-stats/
note that wilt still out stat’d russell in head to head...
Frank Robinson was his team mate in high school.
Re: 32 - LOL. There’s always one on these threads!
“Another jab-death ...”
Well did make it to age 88 - so maybe a pure blood.
“Bill was not a big scorer, but a great Def player and rebounder.”
You only saw him in the NBA I guess. In his college career he was averaging around if not over 20 ppg. When Auerbach watched Russell play, he didn’t see a scorer for his machine. He saw a rebounder and how to get the Boston weapon running, the fast break.
Many don’t know that what turned into the basket interference rule in the nba and later other leagues and international basketball was created because of Russell. If there was no time on the clock, and Boston had the ball in forecourt, to include out of bounds, a pick would be set and Russell would curl to the rim tipping the ball through when it was tossed over it. Almost zero time was used and the rim would keep defenders from getting to Russell’s tip.
But his main job was rebounding and clearing to the outside to head down court. He could score, but Red found it more successful for the team to use Russell in this way. And 11 nba championships in 13 years is clearly successful.
wy69
I just now read somewhere that Bill Russell returned to USF in 1957 with the intent of finishing his degree but USF refused to pay the tuition for his remaining 16 units.
I can understand being angry about that. But he was also absent at the teams 50th anniversary reunion and at USF’s 150th birthday celebration. Apparently he disliked accolades of any kind.
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