View source for Bill Russell

{{Short description|American basketball player and coach (1934–2022)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name              = Bill Russell
| image             = Bill russell dribbling (cropped).jpg
| caption           = Russell with the [[Boston Celtics]], {{c.|1960}}
| alt               = Russell dribbling a basketball
| height_ft         = 6
| height_in         = 10
| weight_lb         = 215
| weight_footnote   = <ref name="brstats"/>
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1934|2|12}}
| birth_place       = [[Monroe, Louisiana]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{death date and age|2022|7|31|1934|2|12}}
| death_place       = [[Mercer Island, Washington]], U.S.
| high_school       = [[McClymonds High School|McClymonds]] ([[Oakland, California]])
| college           = [[San Francisco Dons men's basketball|San Francisco]] (1953–1956)
| draft_year        = 1956
| draft_round       = 1
| draft_pick        = 2
| draft_team        = [[Atlanta Hawks|St. Louis Hawks]]
| career_start      = 1956
| career_end        = 1969
| career_position   = [[Center (basketball)|Center]]
| career_number     = 6
| coach_start       = 1966
| coach_end         = 1988
| years1            = {{nbay|1956|start}}–{{nbay|1968|end}}
| team1             = [[Boston Celtics]]
| cyears1           = {{nbay|1966|start}}–{{nbay|1968|end}}
| cteam1            = Boston Celtics
| cyears2           = {{nbay|1973|start}}–{{nbay|1976|end}}
| cteam2            = [[Seattle SuperSonics]]
| cyears3           = {{nbay|1987|full=y}}
| cteam3            = [[Sacramento Kings]]
| highlights = '''As player:'''
* 11× [[List of NBA champions|NBA champion]] ({{nbafy|1957}}, {{nbafy|1959}}–{{nbafy|1966}}, {{nbafy|1968}}, {{nbafy|1969}}){{efn|Russell won 11 NBA championships as a player for the Boston Celtics. Those 11 championships include two that he won as the team's [[player-coach]] (1968, 1969).<ref name="FIBA">{{cite web|title=FIBA Hall of Fame: Bill Russell (USA)|publisher=FIBA|url=https://about.fiba.basketball/en/fiba-hall-of-fame/hall-of-famers/bill-russell|access-date=November 9, 2024}}</ref>}} 
* 5× [[NBA Most Valuable Player]] ({{nbay|1957|end}}, {{nbay|1960|end}}–{{nbay|1962|end}}, {{nbay|1964|end}})
* 12× [[List of NBA All-Stars|NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1958}}–{{nasg|1969}})
* [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player|NBA All-Star Game MVP]] ({{nasg|1963}})
* 3× [[All-NBA First Team]] ({{nbay|1958|end}}, {{nbay|1962|end}}, {{nbay|1964|end}})
* 8× [[All-NBA Second Team]] ({{nbay|1957|end}}, {{nbay|1959|end}}–{{nbay|1961|end}}, {{nbay|1963|end}}, {{nbay|1965|end}}–{{nbay|1967|end}})
* [[NBA All-Defensive First Team]] ({{nbay|1968|end}})
* 4× [[List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders|NBA rebounding champion]] ({{nbay|1957|end}}, {{nbay|1958|end}}, {{nbay|1963|end}}, {{nbay|1964|end}})
* [[NBA anniversary team]] ([[NBA 25th Anniversary Team|25th]], [[NBA 35th Anniversary Team|35th]], [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|50th]], [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team|75th]])
* No. 6 [[Boston Celtics retired numbers|retired by Boston Celtics]]
* No. 6 [[List of National Basketball Association retired numbers|retired by NBA leaguewide]]
* [[Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year|''SI'' Sportsman of the Year]] (1968)
* 2× [[List of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Champions|NCAA champion]] ([[1955 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1956]])
* [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player]] ([[1955 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1955]])
* [[UPI College Basketball Player of the Year|UPI College Player of the Year]] (1956)
* 2× [[Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year|Helms Player of the Year]] (1955, 1956)
* 2× Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1956]])
* [[West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|WCC Player of the Year]] (1956)
* 3× First-team All-[[West Coast Conference|WCC]] (1954–1956)
* No. 6 [[San Francisco Dons men's basketball retired numbers|retired by San Francisco Dons]]
* [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] ([[List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients#Awarded by Barack Obama|2011]])
'''As coach:'''
* 2× [[List of NBA champions|NBA champion]] ({{nbafy|1968}}, {{nbafy|1969}}){{efn|Russell won 11 NBA championships as a player for the Boston Celtics. Those 11 championships include two that he won as the team's player-coach.<ref name="titles">{{cite news|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10017227-bill-russell-dies-at-age-88-hall-of-famer-won-11-nba-titles-with-celtics|title=Bill Russell Dies at Age 88; Hall of Famer Won 11 NBA Titles with Celtics |work=Bleacher Report|last=Rapp|first=Timothy|date=July 31, 2022|access-date=May 10, 2024}}</ref>}}
| stats_league      = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 14,522 (15.1 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 21,620 (22.5 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 4,100 (4.3 apg)
| cstats_league1    = NBA
| cwin1             = 341
| closs1            = 290
| HOF_player = bill-russell
| FIBA_HOF_player   = Bill-Russell
| CBBASKHOF_year    = 2006
| medaltemplates    = {{MedalSport|[[Men's basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{bk|USA|1912}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Melbourne]]|[[1956 United States men's Olympic basketball team|Team competition]]}}
}}

'''William Felton Russell''' (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional [[basketball]] player who played [[Center (basketball)|center]] for the [[Boston Celtics]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics [[Dynasty (sports)|dynasty]] that played for 12 [[NBA championships]] and won 11 during his 13-year career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://africa.espn.com/espn/thelife/news/story?id=7217209|title=Double down on No. 11s|work=ESPN|date=November 11, 2011|access-date=April 6, 2022|archive-date=August 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806121829/https://africa.espn.com/espn/thelife/news/story?id=7217209|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Russell played [[college basketball]] for the [[San Francisco Dons men's basketball|San Francisco Dons]], leading them to consecutive [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA championships]] in [[1955 NCAA basketball tournament|1955]] and [[1956 NCAA basketball tournament|1956]].<ref name="usf"/> He was named [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player]] (MOP), and captained the gold medal-winning [[U.S. national basketball team]] at the [[Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> These victories along with his NBA championships made Russell one of only eight players in the history of basketball to achieve the [[Triple Crown (American basketball)|Triple Crown]].

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.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nerkar|first1=Santul|last2=Paine|first2=Neil|date=August 1, 2022|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/bill-russells-trailblazing-legacy-is-secure-even-if-stats-cant-measure-it/|title=Bill Russell's Trailblazing Legacy Is Secure (Even If Stats Can't Measure It)|website=FiveThirtyEight|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801180320/https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/bill-russells-trailblazing-legacy-is-secure-even-if-stats-cant-measure-it/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-GreatestCenters|title=The game's greatest giants ever|work=ESPN|date=March 6, 2007|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=April 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415181050/http://www.espn.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-GreatestCenters|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Gill 2010">{{cite web|last=Gill|first=Joe|date=June 13, 2010|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/405310-bill-russell-is-a-champion-by-defintion|title=Bill Russell Is A Champion By Defintion &#91;sic&#93;|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=April 6, 2022|archive-date=June 15, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615233611/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/405310-bill-russell-is-a-champion-by-defintion|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Reardon|first=Logan|date=June 8, 2021|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/where-does-bill-russell-rank-among-best-centers-nba-history|title=Where does Bill Russell rank among best centers in NBA history?|website=NBC Sports|access-date=July 10, 2021|archive-date=April 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405054451/https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/where-does-bill-russell-rank-among-best-centers-nba-history|url-status=live}}</ref> Standing at {{convert|6|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}} tall, with a {{convert|7|ft|4|in|m|adj=on}} [[arm span]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Daley|first=Arthur|date=February 24, 1957|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1957/02/24/90776469.html?zoom=14.86|title=Education of a Rookie|newspaper=The New York Times|page=53|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225014152/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1957/02/24/90776469.html?zoom=14.86|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/10/11/bill-russell-and-jones-treated-like-rock-stars-alcatraz/dYNqedPwyfFXNYHvGM84oN/story.html|date=October 11, 2014|first=Baxter|last=Holmes|work=The Boston Globe|title=Bill Russell, K.C. Jones treated like 'Rock' stars at Alcatraz|access-date=April 2, 2022|archive-date=June 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220616020411/https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/10/11/bill-russell-and-jones-treated-like-rock-stars-alcatraz/dYNqedPwyfFXNYHvGM84oN/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 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,<ref name=nbaplayoffeditionency>{{cite web|title=NBA Encyclopedia, Playoff Edition|url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html|publisher=NBA Media Ventures|access-date=April 16, 2017|archive-date=May 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506224620/http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and remains second all-time in both [[List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders|total rebounds]] and rebounds per game. Russell played in the wake of black pioneers [[Earl Lloyd]], [[Chuck Cooper (basketball)|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.<ref name="Goldstein 2022">{{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|date=July 31, 2022|title=Bill Russell, Who Transformed Pro Basketball, Dies at 88|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/31/sports/basketball/bill-russell-dead.html|access-date=August 1, 2022|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731180229/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/31/sports/basketball/bill-russell-dead.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell ended his playing career and left his position as Celtics coach after helping the Celtics win the 1969 NBA championship.

Russell served as head coach and general manager of the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] from 1973 to 1977. He also coached the [[Sacramento Kings]] from 1987 to 1988. Russell also worked as a [[color commentator]] and authored several books.

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<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> (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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-bill-russell|title=Legends profile: Bill Russell|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=September 13, 2021|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801053945/https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-bill-russell|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, [[Barack Obama]] awarded Russell the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] for his accomplishments on the court and in the [[civil rights movement]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/07/11/bill-russell-espys-arthur-ashe-courage-award-boston-celtics-civil-rights-kobe-bryant-nba/|title=Bill Russell Receives Arthur Ashe Courage Award At ESPYS|publisher=CBS Boston|date=July 11, 2019|access-date=April 2, 2022|archive-date=April 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402023014/https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/07/11/bill-russell-espys-arthur-ashe-courage-award-boston-celtics-civil-rights-kobe-bryant-nba/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time in recognition of his coaching career.<ref>{{cite web|last=Helin|first=Kurt|date=September 12, 2021|url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/09/12/watch-bill-russell-be-inducted-into-hall-of-fame-as-a-coach/|title=Watch Bill Russell be inducted into Hall of Fame as a coach|publisher=NBC Sports|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=April 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401033622/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2021/09/12/watch-bill-russell-be-inducted-into-hall-of-fame-as-a-coach/|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly after his death in 2022, the NBA [[List of National Basketball Association retired numbers|retired]] Russell's #6 [[jersey number|jersey]] league-wide, making him the only player in NBA history to receive that honor,<ref name="League">{{cite web|last=Lopez|first=Andrew|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34384678/bill-russell-no-6-retired-nba-following-legend-death-last-month|title=Bill Russell's No. 6 to be retired across NBA following legend's death last month|work=ESPN|date=August 11, 2022|access-date=February 5, 2023|archive-date=August 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811193032/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34384678/bill-russell-no-6-retired-nba-following-legend-death-last-month|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as the third person in [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|North American major professional sports]] to have their jersey number retired league-wide, behind [[Jackie Robinson]] and [[Wayne Gretzky]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Mather|first=Victor|title=Bill Russell's No. 6 Joins Rare Class of Retired Jersey Numbers|work=The New York Times|date=August 12, 2022|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/12/sports/bill-russell-retired-numbers.html|access-date=February 24, 2024}}</ref>

==Early life==
===Family===
William Felton Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in [[West Monroe, Louisiana]]. Like many Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was [[Racial segregation in the United States|segregated]] and the Russells often struggled with [[Racism in the United States|racism]] in their daily lives.<ref name=Current>{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Tim|date=February 19, 2001|title=Bill Russell overcame long odds, dominated basketball|work=The Current|publisher=University of Missouri–St. Louis}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Current"/> 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".<ref name=Current/>

During [[World War II]], the [[Second Great Migration (African American)|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]].<ref name=Current/> While there, they fell into [[Poverty in the United States|poverty]] and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of [[Subsidized housing in the United States|public housing]] projects.<ref name=Current/>

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.<ref name=taylor52_56>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/52 52–56]}}</ref> When World War II broke out, the elder Russell became a truck driver.<ref name=taylor52_56/> Russell was closer to his mother Katie than to his father,<ref name=taylor52_56/> 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.<ref name=taylor52_56/> 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.<ref name="chat"/> Of Russell the college basketball player, Mikan said: "Let's face it, he's the best ever. He's so good, he scares you."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2211&dat=19560303&id=ENUmAAAAIBAJ&pg=2445,4482680|title=Russell 'So good, he scares you' —&nbsp;Mikan|newspaper=The Afro-American|location=New York|date=March 3, 1956|page=21|access-date=August 2, 2022|via=Google News|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801132208/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2211&dat=19560303&id=ENUmAAAAIBAJ&pg=2445,4482680|url-status=live}}</ref>

Russell's older brother was playwright [[Charlie L. Russell]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Vecsey|first=George|title=Indomitable Russell Values One Accolade Above the Rest|work=The New York Times|date=February 12, 2011|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/sports/basketball/13russell.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=February 18, 2013|archive-date=June 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610225747/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/sports/basketball/13russell.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Initial exposure to basketball===
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,<ref name=taylor52_56/> 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,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80001891.html?pageNumber=49|title=Bill Russell Named Boston Celtic Coach; Basketball Star To Draw $125,001 Salary a Record for a Pro Coach or Manager He'll Take over Next Season|work=The New York Times|date=April 19, 1966|access-date=January 31, 2022|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307223916/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80001891.html?pageNumber=49|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html|url-status=dead|title=Bill Russell Bio|publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=June 20, 2022|archive-date=May 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506224620/http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html}}</ref> Russell was almost cut again;<ref name="HS">{{cite book|last=Bjarkman|first=Peter C.|title=Boston Celtics Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cbtwpjrpEUsC|publisher=Sports Publishing|year=2002|page=99|isbn=1-58261-564-0}}</ref> as he saw Russell's raw athletic potential, coach George Powles encouraged him to work on his fundamentals.<ref name=taylor52_56/> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/8/1/23286921/bill-russell-celtics-obituary|title=The Unparalleled Legacy of Bill Russell|first=Logan|last=Murdock|date=August 1, 2022|website=The Ringer|access-date=September 25, 2023|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012163717/https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/8/1/23286921/bill-russell-celtics-obituary|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]], was one of Russell's high school basketball teammates.<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Malley|first=Pat|title=Who's Better At Hoops: Bill Russell Or Frank Robinson?|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=December 12, 1990|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1990/12/12/whos-better-at-hoops-bill-russell-or-frank-robinson/|access-date=October 9, 2024|archive-date=November 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105012416/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1990-12-12/news/0503070267_1_arundel-county-anne-arundel-frank-robinson|url-status=live}}</ref>

Russell soon became noted for his unusual style of defense. He later recalled: "To play good defense&nbsp;... 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 shot]]s, I was initially corrected, but I stuck with it, and it paid off."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Sven|first=Simon|date=December 2007|title=Wir sind stolz auf Dirk|trans-title=We are proud of Dirk|magazine=Five|language=de|issue=43|page=69}}</ref> 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.<ref name="RussellSteinberg2009">{{cite book|last1=Russell|first1=Bill|last2=Steinberg|first2=Alan|title=Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend|url=https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ|url-access=registration|date=May 5, 2009|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-176614-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ/page/66 66]–67}}</ref>

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",<ref name=taylor50_51>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/50 50–51]}}</ref> but he sensed that the young Russell had an extraordinary instinct for the game, especially in the [[clutch (sports)|clutch]].<ref name=taylor50_51/> Russell eagerly accepted the offer.<ref name="HS"/> 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.<ref name=taylor52_56/> Russell graduated from McClymonds in 1952.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sacobserver.com/2022/09/bill-russells-history-tied-to-great-migration/|title=Bill Russell's History Tied To 'Great Migration'|first=Antonio|last=Harvey|date=September 2, 2022|work=The Sacramento Observer|access-date=September 25, 2023|archive-date=September 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925124316/https://sacobserver.com/2022/09/bill-russells-history-tied-to-great-migration/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==College career==
===University of San Francisco===
====Basketball====
[[File:Bill russell usf.jpg|thumb|upright=0.81|alt=Russell shooting|Russell practicing a free throw at the [[University of San Francisco]], c. 1953–56]]

Russell started college at USF in 1952.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/07/31/bill-russell-timeline/ |title=A look back at Bill Russell's remarkable life |newspaper=The Washington Post |last=Boren |first=Cindy |date=July 31, 2022 |access-date=September 28, 2023}}</ref> He averaged 20 points per game on the [[San Francisco Dons men's basketball|Dons]]' freshman basketball team,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2022/08/01/bill-russell-received-just-one-scholarship-offer-in-high-school|title=Bill Russell Received Just One Scholarship Offer in High School|first=Joseph|last=Salvador|date=August 1, 2022|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=September 28, 2023|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012162020/https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2022/08/01/bill-russell-received-just-one-scholarship-offer-in-high-school|url-status=live}}</ref> and made his varsity debut on December 1, 1953.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/cal/basketball/russell-usf-debut-vs-cal|title=The Late Bill Russell's USF Debut Came at the Expense of Cal and its Star Bob McKeen|first=Jeff|last=Faraudo|date=August 2, 2022|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=September 28, 2023|archive-date=October 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231012162209/https://www.si.com/college/cal/basketball/russell-usf-debut-vs-cal|url-status=live}}</ref> He became the starting [[Center (basketball)|center]] for coach [[Phil Woolpert]], who emphasized defense and deliberate half-court play, which favored Russell's exceptional defensive skills.<ref name=taylor57_67>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/57 57–67]}}</ref> 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 (basketball)|Hal Perry]], and Russell.<ref name="usf">{{cite web|last=Schneider|first=Bernie|year=2006|url=http://usfdons.cstv.com/trads/russell_years.html|url-status=dead|title=1953–56 NCAA Championship Seasons: The Bill Russell Years|publisher=University of San Francisco|archive-url=https://archive.today/20061128191756/http://usfdons.cstv.com/trads/russell_years.html|archive-date=November 28, 2006|access-date=December 1, 2006}}</ref> 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 [[Forward (basketball)|forwards]] and aggressively challenge their shots.<ref name=taylor57_67/> Russell played on USF's varsity team from 1953 to 1956.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/bill-russell-1.html|title=Bill Russell|website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com|access-date=September 28, 2023|archive-date=March 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323195620/https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/bill-russell-1.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

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 men's basketball|Holy Cross Crusaders]] star [[Tom Heinsohn]] scoreless in an entire half,<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=January 9, 1956|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1956/01/09/668249/the-tournaments-and-the-man-who|title=The Tournaments and The Man Who|first=Roy|last=Terrell|access-date=April 4, 2022|quote=His name is Bill Russell and if he ever learns to hit the basket someone is going to have to revise the rules.|archive-date=April 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422195522/https://www.si.com/vault/1956/01/09/668249/the-tournaments-and-the-man-who|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' wrote: "If [Russell] ever learns to hit the basket, they're going to have to rewrite the rules."<ref name=taylor57_67/> 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.<ref name="DeCock2005">{{cite book|last=DeCock|first=Luke|title=Great Teams in College Basketball History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iR22YS-PT_wC|date=December 6, 2005|location=Oxford|publisher=Raintree|isbn=978-1-4109-1488-0|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=iR22YS-PT_wC&pg=PA1960 1960]–}}</ref> 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 [[Slam dunk|dunk shot]] due to [[Lew Alcindor]] (1967), although the latter rule was later repealed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.school-for-champions.com/sports/basketball_players_who_caused_rule_changes.htm|title=Basketball Players who Caused Rule Changes by Ron Kurtus|website=Sports History|publisher=School for Champions|access-date=April 2, 2022|archive-date=March 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327021921/https://www.school-for-champions.com/sports/basketball_players_who_caused_rule_changes.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Bill Russell University of San Francisco.jpeg|thumb|left|alt=Russell smiling|upright=0.72|Russell during his college career at USF, 1955]]
The games were often difficult for the USF squad, as Russell and his black teammates became targets of racist jeers, particularly on the road.<ref name="jwr"/> 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.<ref name="usf"/> Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds,<ref name="ConvSI">{{cite news|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=A conversation with Bill Russell|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/centurys_best/news/1999/05/06/russell/|date=May 10, 1999|access-date=February 9, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227093043/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/centurys_best/news/1999/05/06/russell/|archive-date=February 27, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> saying: "I never permitted myself to be a victim."<ref name="ConvUSA">{{cite news|work=USA Today|title=A conversation with Bill Russell|url=https://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2001-06-06-russell.htm|date=June 6, 2001|access-date=September 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227031226/https://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2001-06-06-russell.htm |archive-date=February 27, 2009}}</ref><!--  Note: This source appears to have a typo it was corrected in this article. It reads "I did now want&nbsp;..." in the source, it was changed to the obviously intended form: "I did not want&nbsp;..." -->
[[File:Bill Russell at USF.jpg|thumb|Russell in February 1956 at USF]]
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&nbsp;... 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 [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]] at the Final Four. I was first team All American. I averaged over 20 [[Point (basketball)|points]] and over 20 [[Rebound (basketball)|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/|title=Bill Russell Biography and Interview|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|year=2016|access-date=April 2, 2022|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111113137/https://achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the court, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. He led USF to [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA championships]] in [[1955 NCAA basketball tournament|1955]] and [[1956 NCAA basketball tournament|1956]], including a string of 55 consecutive victories, and a 26-point, 27-rebound, 20-block performance in one game.<ref name="Frey 2021"/> He became known for his strong defense and shot-blocking skills, once denying 13 shots in a game. [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA Bruins]] coach [[John Wooden]] called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen".<ref name="usf"/><ref name="Gill 2010"/> While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the [[Alley-oop (basketball)|alley-oop]].<ref name=johnson>{{cite book|last=Johnson|first=James W.|title=The Dandy Dons: Bill Russell, K. C. Jones, Phil Woolpert, and One of College Basketball's Greatest and Most Innovative Teams|location=Winnipeg|publisher=Bison Books|year=2009|page=85|isbn=978-0-8032-2444-5}}</ref><ref name=Paul>{{cite magazine|magazine=Slam|last=Paul|first=Alan|date=April 17, 2018|title=An Interview With Bill Russell|url=http://alanpaul.net/2018/04/an-interview-with-bill-russell/|access-date=April 2, 2022|via=Alan Paul's website|archive-date=January 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123214329/http://alanpaul.net/2018/04/an-interview-with-bill-russell/|url-status=live}}</ref> During his college career, Russell was the [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA tournament MOP]] in 1955, averaging 20.7 [[points per game]] and 20.3 [[rebounds per game]].<ref name="nbacomsummary">{{cite web|url=https://newsone.com/2003287/bill-russell-first-black-coach-in-pro-sports/|url-status=dead|title=Bill Russell|publisher=National Basketball Association|year=2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112164417/http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html|archive-date=November 12, 2006|access-date=December 1, 2006|via=Newsone.com}}</ref><ref name="Heery 2022"/>

====Track and field====
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.<ref name="chat"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/14-mHJRank.pdf|title=World Rankings — Men's High Jump|access-date=May 22, 2019|year=2019|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112011847/https://trackandfieldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/14-mHJRank.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 {{convert|6|ft|9+1/4|in|m|2}};<ref>{{cite web|date=April 22, 2003|work=CBS Sports|title=NCAA Basketball Tourney History: Two by Four|url=http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/history/multitalented|access-date=February 23, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214121726/http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/history/multitalented|archive-date=February 14, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 {{convert|7|ft|m|2}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://archives.stanforddaily.com/1956/05/15?page=3&section=MODSMD_ARTICLE30|title=Stanford Trackmen Finish Fourth in Fresno Relays; Leamon King Equals Century World Record; Landy Runs Mile in 3.59.1; Russell Nears Mark|date=May 13, 1956|work=The Stanford Daily|quote=USF's versatile Bill Russell and Compton's Charlie Dumas cleared 6–9"-1/4 and tried for the magic ceiling of seven feet. On his third attempt, Russell just missed breaking 6–9"-1/2, the record set by Walt Davis of Texas A&M|first=Frank|last=Huntress|access-date=August 1, 2022|archive-date=August 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806104837/https://archives.stanforddaily.com/1956/05/15?page=3&section=MODSMD_ARTICLE30|url-status=live}}</ref> this was all before the [[Fosbury Flop]] was introduced, with which all high jump world records after 1978 have been set.<ref>{{cite news|last=Young|first=Dennis|title=Bill Russell's 66-year-old University of San Francisco high jump record may never be broken|publisher=SF Gate|date=August 4, 2022|url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Bill-Russell-s-66-year-old-University-of-San-17352796.php|access-date=March 4, 2023|archive-date=March 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304222710/https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Bill-Russell-s-66-year-old-University-of-San-17352796.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1105/bill.russell.rare.photos/images/russell-track.jpg|title=Bill Russell attempting to clear 6–9 1/4. (embedded photo)|access-date=August 1, 2022|publisher=Associated Press|archive-date=April 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412061606/https://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1105/bill.russell.rare.photos/images/russell-track.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nba/photos/2011/05/05rare-photos-of-bill-russell|date=May 5, 2011|title=Rare Photos of Bill Russell (third photo in gallery)|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412061517/https://www.si.com/nba/photos/2011/05/05rare-photos-of-bill-russell|archive-date=April 12, 2017|access-date=August 1, 2022}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhargava |first=Yakshpat |date=January 15, 2025 |title="I've had a change of heart" - When Bill Russell forced Kendrick Perkins to name him the most athletic NBA player ever over LeBron James |url=https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/perkins-named-bill-russell-as-the-most-athletic-player-ever |access-date=January 16, 2025 |website=Basketball Network |language=en}}</ref> He also competed in the {{convert|440|yd|m|1}} race, which he could complete in 49.6 seconds.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Along Came Bill|magazine=Time|date=January 2, 1956|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,808116-2,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014222439/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,808116-2,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 14, 2007|access-date=February 23, 2007}}</ref>

==1956 Summer Olympics==
Before his NBA rookie year, Russell was the captain of the [[1956 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team]] that competed at the [[Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Summer Olympics]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Quinn|first=Sam|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bill-russell-11-time-nba-champion-and-boston-celtics-legend-dies-at-88/|title=Bill Russell, 11-time NBA champion and Boston Celtics legend, dies at 88|date=July 31, 2022|website=CBS Sports|access-date=October 8, 2023|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801021048/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bill-russell-11-time-nba-champion-and-boston-celtics-legend-dies-at-88/|url-status=live}}</ref> which was held in November and December in [[Melbourne]], Australia. [[Avery Brundage]], head of the [[International Olympic Committee]], argued that Russell had already signed a professional contract and was no longer an [[Amateur sports|amateur]] (as nominally required at the time), but Russell prevailed.<ref name=taylor67_74/> He had the option to skip the tournament and play a full season for the Celtics, but he was determined to play in the Olympics. He later commented that he would have participated in the [[high jump]] if he had been snubbed by the basketball team.<ref name="chat"/>

Under head coach [[Gerald Tucker]], Russell helped the [[1956 United States men's Olympic basketball team|U.S. national basketball team]] win the [[gold medal]] in Melbourne, defeating the [[Soviet Union national basketball team]] 89–55 in the final game with an 8–0 undefeated run.<ref name="Beslic 2020"/> The U.S. dominated the tournament, winning by an average of 53.5 points per game.<ref name="Frey 2021"/> Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for the competition.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/team/p/sid/2934/tid/379/_/1956_Olympic_Games_Tournament_for_Men/accumulated-statistics.html|title=1956 Olympic Games: Tournament for Men|publisher=FIBA|access-date=April 29, 2025|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308101451/https://archive.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/team/p/sid/2934/tid/379/_/1956_Olympic_Games_Tournament_for_Men/accumulated-statistics.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> His former USF and future Celtics teammate [[K. C. Jones]] joined him on the Olympic squad and contributed 10.9 points per game,<ref>{{cite web|website=USA Basketball|title=Games of the XVIth Olympiad – 1956|url=http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=moly_1956|access-date=April 1, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910035316/http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=moly_1956|archive-date=September 10, 2008}}</ref> including a Russell–Jones combined 29 points in the finals.<ref name="Beslic 2020"/>

==Professional career==
The [[Harlem Globetrotters]] invited Russell to join their exhibition basketball squad, but Russell, who was sensitive to racial prejudice, was enraged by the fact that Globetrotters owner [[Abe Saperstein]] would only discuss the matter with USF Coach Woolpert, and not Russell. While Saperstein spoke to Woolpert in a meeting, Globetrotters assistant coach Harry Hanna tried to entertain Russell with jokes, but he was livid after this snub and declined the offer. He reasoned that if Saperstein was too smart to speak with him, then he was too smart to play for Saperstein. Russell made himself eligible for the [[1956 NBA draft]].<ref name=taylor66_71>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/66 66–71]}}</ref>

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.<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> 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.<ref name="nbacompraise">{{cite web|last=Ryan|first=Bob|year=2006|url=http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/players/bill_russell.html|url-status=dead|title=Timeless Excellence|publisher=National Basketball Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623170243/https://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/players/bill_russell.html|archive-date=June 23, 2006|access-date=April 4, 2022}}</ref> 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 (basketball)|Les Harrison]] and received an assurance that the Royals could not afford Russell, and they would draft [[Sihugo Green]].<ref name="taylor67_74">{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/67 67–74]}}</ref> 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.<ref name="taylor67_74"/>

The [[St. Louis Hawks]], who owned the second pick, drafted Russell but were vying for Celtics center [[Ed Macauley]], a six-time [[NBA All-Star]] who had roots in [[St. Louis]]. Auerbach agreed to trade Macauley, who had previously asked to be traded to St. Louis in order to be with his sick son, if the Hawks gave up Russell. The owner of the Hawks called Auerbach later and demanded more in the trade. In addition to Macauley, who was the Celtics' premier player at the time, he wanted [[Cliff Hagan]], who had been serving in the military for three years and had not yet played for the Celtics. After much debate, Auerbach agreed to give up Hagan and the Hawks made the trade.<ref>Auerbach, Red and John Feinstein. (2004). ''Let Me Tell You a Story: A Lifetime in the Game''. Little, Brown and Company. pp. 75–6. {{ISBN|0-316-73823-9}}.</ref> During that same draft, Boston also drafted guard [[K. C. Jones]], Russell's former USF teammate; in total, the team drafted three future [[Basketball Hall of Fame]]rs in 1956: Russell, Jones, and Heinsohn.<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> The Russell draft-day trade was later called one of the most important trades in the history of North American sports.<ref name=taylor67_74/>

===Boston Celtics (1956–1969)===
====1956–1958: Rookie champion and early years====
[[File:BillRussellCeltics1.jpg|thumb|alt=Russell seated in a Celtics track suit|upright=0.77|Russell in 1957]]
Due to his Olympic commitment, Russell could not join the Celtics for the [[1956–57 NBA season]] until December.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bostoncelticshistory.com/item/russell-putting-ink-to-paper/|title=Russell: Putting Ink to Paper|website=Boston Celtics History|access-date=March 7, 2024}}</ref> The [[1956–57 Boston Celtics season]] saw the debut of a [[starting lineup]] made up of five future Hall-of-Famers: center Russell, forwards Heinsohn and [[Frank Ramsey (basketball)|Frank Ramsey]], and guards [[Bill Sharman]] and [[Bob Cousy]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Sam|website=NBC Sports|publisher=MSNBC|title=2003 draft eventually may be best in history|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/15403154/|date=October 30, 2006|access-date=May 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517052055/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/15403154/|archive-date=May 17, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Russell's first Celtics game came on December 22, 1956, against the [[1956–57 St. Louis Hawks season|St. Louis Hawks]].<ref name="taylor74_80">{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/74 74–80]}}</ref> Auerbach assigned him to shut down the Hawks' main scorer, [[Bob Pettit]], and Russell impressed the Boston crowd with his [[man-to-man defense]] and shot-blocking.<ref name="taylor74_80"/> In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. With the added defensive presence of Russell, the Celtics had laid the foundation for a dynasty, as the team utilized a strong defensive approach to the game, forcing opposing teams to commit many [[Turnover (basketball)|turnovers]], which led to many easy points on [[fast break]]s.<ref name="taylor74_80"/>

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.<ref name=taylor74_80/>  He also became famous for his shot-blocking skills and pundits called his blocks "Wilsonburgers", referring to the [[Wilson Sporting Goods|Wilson]] NBA basketballs he "shoved back into the faces of opposing shooters".<ref name=taylor74_80/> This skill allowed the other Celtics to play their men aggressively; if they were beaten, they knew that Russell was guarding the basket.<ref name=taylor74_80/>

Russell's defense was called into question by [[Eddie Gottlieb]], coach of the [[1956–57 Philadelphia Warriors season|Philadelphia Warriors]], after the Warriors–Celtics game on January 1, 1957, in which he recorded 17 points and 25 rebounds, plus an assist.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195701010BOS.html|title=Philadelphia Warriors vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 1, 1957|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 3, 2022|archive-date=April 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220403203902/https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195701010BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Gottlieb protested the next day, saying that Russell played a one-man zone and [[Goaltending (basketball)|goaltended]] numerous times, to only be called once. Auerbach replied that Gottlieb's statements were "absolutely ridiculous" and said any controversy was "a question of sour grapes".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1957/01/03/96950248.html?pageNumber=91|title=Russell of Celtics Violates N.B.A. Rules on Defense, Coach of Warriors Says|work=The New York Times|date=January 3, 1957|access-date=January 31, 2022}}</ref>

Constantly provoked by [[1956–57 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] center [[Ray Felix]] during a game, he complained to coach Auerbach, who told him to take matters into his own hands. After the next provocation, Russell pounded Felix to the point of unconsciousness, paid a modest $25 fine, and rarely was the target of cheap fouls thereafter.<ref name=taylor74_80/>

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.<ref name=taylor74_80/> 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 relationship between the two was tenuous at best.<ref name="taylor91_99">{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/91 91–99]}}</ref> Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable.<ref name="taylor108_111"/>

Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game.<ref name="brstats">{{cite web|year=2004|website=Basketball Reference|title=Bill Russell Statistics|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/russebi01.html|access-date=May 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517143603/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/russebi01.html|archive-date=May 17, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> The Celtics finished the 1956–57 regular season with a 44–28 record, the team's second-best record since beginning play in the [[1946–47 BAA season]], which guaranteed Russell his first [[1957 NBA playoffs|NBA playoffs]] appearance,<ref name="brceltics">{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=Boston Celtics|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/|access-date=December 4, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208143747/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/|archive-date=December 8, 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> where the Celtics met with the [[1956–57 Syracuse Nationals season|Syracuse Nationals]], a team led by [[Dolph Schayes]], through the Eastern Division finals. In his first playoff game, Russell finished with 16 points and 31 rebounds, along with 7 reported blocks, which were not yet an officially registered statistic.<ref name="nbacompraise"/> After the Celtics' 108–89 victory, Schayes, who made [[Johnny Kerr]] come off the bench because he struggled against Russell in the regular season, quipped: "How much does that guy make a year? It would be to our advantage if we paid him off for five years to get away from us in the rest of this series."<ref name="nbacompraise"/> The next day, ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' read: "Russell's Reflexes Befuddles Visitors."<ref name="nbacompraise"/>

The Celtics swept the Nationals in three games to earn the franchise's first [[NBA Finals]] appearance in the [[1957 NBA Finals]],<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1957 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1957.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=July 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711100852/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1957.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> where they met the [[1956–57 St. Louis Hawks season|St. Louis Hawks]], led by Pettit and former Celtic [[Ed Macauley]]. As the teams split the first six games, the tension was so high that in Game 3 Celtics coach Auerbach punched his colleague [[Ben Kerner]] and received a $300 fine.<ref name=taylor91_99/> In the highly-competitive Game 7, Russell tried his best to slow down Pettit, as Heinsohn scored 37 points and kept the Celtics alive;<ref name=taylor91_99/> Russell contributed by completing the famous "Coleman Play", as he ran down Hawks forward [[Jack Coleman (basketball)|Jack Coleman]], who had received an outlet pass at midcourt, and blocked his shot despite the fact that Russell had been standing at his own baseline when the ball was thrown to Coleman. The block preserved Boston's slim 103–102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics.<ref name=nbacompraise/><ref>{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Sam|date=June 4, 2017|url=https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2017/06/04/bill-russell-coleman-play-leadership/|title=The 'Coleman Play' introduced — and defined — Bill Russell's never-say-die leadership to Boston|website=The Boston Globe|access-date=April 4, 2022|archive-date=December 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205061443/https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2017/06/04/bill-russell-coleman-play-leadership/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the second [[Overtime (sports)|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.<ref name="taylor91_99"/> With the Celtics leading 125–123 with one second left, the Hawks had the ball at their own baseline. Reserve forward [[Alex Hannum]] threw a long [[alley-oop]] pass to Pettit and Pettit's tip-in rolled indecisively on the rim for several seconds before rolling out again. The Celtics won, earning their first [[NBA champions]]hip.<ref name="taylor91_99"/>

At the start of the [[1957–58 NBA season]], the Celtics won fourteen straight games and continued to succeed.<ref name="nbaplayoffeditionency"/> Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game.<ref name="brstats"/> The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. He was voted the [[NBA Most Valuable Player]] but only named to the [[All-NBA Second Team]], something that would occur repeatedly throughout his career, as players voted for the MVP award, something that would last until the [[1979–80 NBA season]], while the media has always voted for the [[All-NBA]] teams.<ref>{{cite news|last=Urbina|first=Frank|date=March 17, 2022|url=https://hoopshype.com/lists/12-times-nba-awards-were-absolutely-ridiculous/|title=12 times NBA awards were pretty ridiculous|work=USA Today|access-date=April 7, 2022|archive-date=April 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407033933/https://hoopshype.com/lists/12-times-nba-awards-were-absolutely-ridiculous/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Celtics won 49 games and made the first berth in the [[1958 NBA playoffs]], where they met in the [[1958 NBA Finals]] with their familiar rivals, the [[1957–58 St. Louis Hawks season|St. Louis Hawks]].<ref name=hawks58>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19571958.html|title=Pettit Drops 50 on Celtics in Game 6|publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=November 6, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011142522/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19571958.html|archive-date=October 11, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> The teams split the first two games, but Russell went down with a foot injury in Game 3 and only returned for Game 6. The Celtics won Game 4 in an upset, but the Hawks prevailed in Games 5 and 6, with Pettit scoring 50 points in the deciding Game 6.<ref name="hawks58"/> Many observers thought that Boston could have won had Russell not been injured, but Auerbach commented: "You can always look for excuses&nbsp;... We just got beat."<ref name="hawks58"/>

====1958–1966: Eight straight NBA championships====
In the [[1958–59 NBA season]], Russell averaged 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game.<ref name=brstats/> The Celtics broke a league record by winning 52 games and Russell's strong performance once again helped lead the Celtics through the [[1959 NBA playoffs]], as they returned to the NBA Finals. In the [[1959 NBA Finals]], the Celtics recaptured the NBA title, sweeping the [[1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis Lakers]] 4–0.<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1959 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1959.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=July 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711135936/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1959.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Lakers head coach [[John Kundla]] praised Russell, stating: "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. Take him out and we can beat them&nbsp;... He's the guy who whipped us psychologically."<ref name=nbacompraise/>

In the [[1959–60 NBA season]], the NBA witnessed the debut of {{convert|7|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}} [[Philadelphia Warriors]] center [[Wilt Chamberlain]], who averaged a record 37.6 points per game in his rookie year.<ref name=wiltsummary>{{cite web|publisher=National Basketball Association|title=Wilt Chamberlain Bio|url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/chamberlain_bio.html|access-date=December 1, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215202627/http://www.nba.com/history/players/chamberlain_bio.html|archive-date=December 15, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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".<ref name=taylor3_10>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/3 3–10]}}</ref> Both men awed onlookers with "nakedly awesome athleticism",<ref name=taylor3_10/> and while Chamberlain outscored Russell 30 to 22, the Celtics won 115–106, and the match was called a "new beginning of basketball".<ref name=taylor3_10/> The matchup between Russell and Chamberlain became one of basketball's greatest rivalries.<ref name=nbacomsummary/>

On February 5, 1960, Russell had 23 points, 51 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 124–100 win over the [[1959–60 Syracuse Nationals season|Syracuse Nationals]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196002050BOS.html|title=Syracuse Nationals at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 5, 1960|publisher=Basketball-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2019|archive-date=December 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221105810/https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196002050BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was the record for most rebounds in a single game until November 24, 1960, when Chamberlain grabbed 55 rebounds against Russell,<ref name="Schwartz 1999"/> who led the Celtics to a 132–129 win over the [[1959–60 Philadelphia Warriors season|Philadelphia Warriors]] with 18 points, 19 rebounds, and 5 assists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196011240PHW.html|title=Boston Celtics at Philadelphia Warriors Box Score, November 24, 1960|website=Basketball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=October 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021215323/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196011240PHW.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. In the [[1960 NBA playoffs]], Russell's Celtics met Chamberlain's Warriors in the Eastern Division finals. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 4–2 series win.<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1960 NBA Finals|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1960.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=July 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712095419/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1960.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Cherry|first=Robert|year=2004|title=Wilt: Larger than Life|location=Chicago|publisher=Triumph Books|pages=96–97|isbn=1-57243-672-7}}</ref> In the [[1960 NBA Finals]], the Celtics outlasted the Hawks 4–3 in the series and won their third championship in four years.<ref name=brceltics/> Russell scored 21 points and grabbed an NBA Finals-record 40 rebounds, plus an assist, in a Game 2 loss,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196003290BOS.html|title=1960 NBA Finals Game 2: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, March 29, 1960|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 5, 2022|archive-date=October 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023205842/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196003290BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and he added 22 points and 35 rebounds, along with 4 assists,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196004090BOS.html|title=1960 NBA Finals Game 7: St. Louis Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 9, 1960|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 5, 2022|archive-date=June 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606062347/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196004090BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref> in the deciding Game 7, a 122–103 victory for Boston.<ref name=nbacomsummary/><ref name=nbacompraise/>

[[File:1961 Chicago Packers vs. Boston Celtics.jpeg|thumb|upright=0.77|alt=Two players jumping up to shoot and block with others around them|Russell (first from left) watches as [[Chicago Packers]] player [[Walt Bellamy]] attempts to block Tommy Heinsohn in a 1961 game]]
In the [[1960–61 NBA season]], Russell averaged 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game,<ref name="brstats"/> leading his team to a regular season mark of 57–22. In the [[1961 NBA playoffs]], the Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 4–1 in the Eastern Division finals. The Celtics made good use of the fact that the [[1960–61 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] had exhausted the [[1960–61 St. Louis Hawks season|St. Louis Hawks]] in a long seven-game Western Conference finals,<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball-Reference|title=1961 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1961.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=July 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711135344/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1961.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Boston won the [[1961 NBA Finals]] in five games.<ref name=celtics61>{{cite web|publisher=National Basketball Association|title=Celtics Give Sharman Championship Sendoff|url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19601961.html|access-date=June 4, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610111959/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19601961.html|archive-date=June 10, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[1961–62 NBA season]], Russell scored a career-high 18.9 points per game, accompanied by 23.6 rebounds per game.<ref name="brstats"/> While his rival had a record-breaking season of 50.4 points per game, including [[Chamberlain's 100-point game]],<ref name="wiltsummary"/> the Celtics became the first team to win 60 games in a season and Russell was voted as the league's MVP. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all time.<ref name="Cherry 2004, pp. 115–116">{{cite book|last=Cherry|first=Robert|year=2004|title=Wilt: Larger than Life|location=Chicago|publisher=Triumph Books|pages=115–116|isbn=1-57243-672-7}}</ref> In the Eastern Division championships of the [[1962 NBA playoffs]], the Celtics met the [[1961–62 Philadelphia Warriors season|Philadelphia Warriors]] led by Chamberlain, who averaged 50 points per game that season, and Russell did his best to slow him down. In the pivotal Game 7, Russell managed to hold Chamberlain to 22 points, 28 points below his season average, while scoring 19 points. The game was tied with two seconds left when [[Sam Jones (basketball, born 1933)|Sam Jones]] sank a [[Clutch (sports)|clutch]] shot that won the Celtics the series.<ref name="Cherry 2004, pp. 115–116"/>

In the [[1962 NBA Finals]], the Celtics met the [[1961–62 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] of forward [[Elgin Baylor]] and guard [[Jerry West]]. The teams split the first six games. In Game 6, Russell recorded his first career [[triple-double]] with 19 points, 24 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Celtics won 119–105.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196204160LAL.html|title=Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 16, 1962|publisher=Basketball-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2019|archive-date=October 10, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010114747/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196204160LAL.html|url-status=live}}</ref> At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. Jones.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=game&year_min=1947&year_max=2020&is_playoffs=N&age_min=0&age_max=99&team_id=BOS&season_start=1&season_end=-1&pos_is_g=Y&pos_is_gf=Y&pos_is_f=Y&pos_is_fg=Y&pos_is_fc=Y&pos_is_c=Y&pos_is_cf=Y&is_trp_dbl=Y&order_by=date_game&order_by_asc=Y|title=Boston Celtics Players to have recorded a triple-double|website=Stathead Basketball|access-date=March 24, 2020}}</ref> Game 7 was tied one second before the end of regular time, when Lakers guard [[Rod Hundley]] faked a shot and passed out to [[Frank Selvy]], who missed an open eight-foot last-second shot that would have won Los Angeles the title.<ref name=taylor167_170>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/167|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/167 167–170]}}</ref> As the game was tied, Russell had the daunting task of defending against Baylor with little frontline help: Loscutoff, Heinsohn, and [[Satch Sanders]], the three best Celtics forwards, had fouled out. In overtime, [[Frank Ramsey (basketball)|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.<ref name=taylor167_170/><ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1962 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1962.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=August 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803083714/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1962.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Russell finished with a clutch performance, scoring 30 points, along with 4 assists,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196204180BOS.html|title=1962 NBA Finals Game 7: Los Angeles Lakers at Boston Celtics Box Score, April 18, 1962|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 5, 2022|archive-date=January 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122212446/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196204180BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and tying his own NBA Finals record with 40 rebounds in a 110–107 overtime win.<ref name="nbacompraise"/>

The Celtics lost Cousy to retirement after the [[1962–63 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 (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]'s All-Star team.<ref name="brstats"/> Before the January 31, 1963, 18-point, 22-rebound performance in a 128–125 win against the [[1962–63 Cincinnati Royals season|Cincinnati Royals]] at [[Cole Field House]] in [[College Park, Maryland]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196301310BOS.html|title=Cincinnati Royals vs Boston Celtics Box Score, January 31, 1963|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 3, 2022|archive-date=January 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103083217/https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196301310BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the Celtics were to tour the White House and Russell had a [["Do not disturb" sign]] on his phone. Auerbach had informed his players to not endorse candidates or causes, as it would alienate fans; Cousy campaigned for [[Ted Kennedy]] in 1962.<ref name=Pomerantz167_169>{{cite book|last=Pomerantz|first=Gary M.|title=The Last Pass: Cousy, Russell, the Celtics, and What Matters in the End|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL19754797W/The_last_pass|url-access=registration|year=2019|publisher=Penguin|location=New York City|isbn=9780735223639|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=XLmxDwAAQBAJ&dq=celtics+royals+jan+1963+college+park+maryland&pg=PA167 167–169]|access-date=January 6, 2022|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106083031/https://openlibrary.org/works/OL19754797W/The_last_pass|url-status=live}}</ref> President [[John F. Kennedy]] posed for a picture with Auerbach and the nine Celtics but not Russell, who overslept because he thought it was just a tour of the White House and did not know President Kennedy would be meeting them.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/02/01/89516810.html?pageNumber=16|title=Kennedy Greets Celtics, but Bill Russell Sleeps|work=The New York Times|date=February 1, 1963|access-date=January 31, 2022}}</ref> On February 10, 1963, Russell recorded his first regular season triple-double after putting up 17 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 129–123 win over the [[1962–63 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196302100BOS.html|title=New York Knicks at Boston Celtics Box Score, February 10, 1963|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=March 24, 2020|archive-date=March 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324024657/https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196302100BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Celtics reached the [[1963 NBA Finals]],<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1963 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1963.html|access-date=December 4, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060921025750/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1963.html|archive-date=September 21, 2006}}</ref> where they again defeated the [[1962–63 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]], this time in six games.<ref>{{cite book|last=Silverman|first=Drew|year=2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Th4AgAAQBAJ|title=NBA Finals|location=Minneapolis|publisher=Abdo Publishing|page=25|isbn=978-1-6240-1003-3|access-date=March 21, 2023|archive-date=May 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518114622/https://books.google.com/books?id=_Th4AgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> In Game 3, Russell had 21 points, 38 rebounds, and 6 assists.<ref name="nbacompraise"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196304170LAL.html|title=1963 NBA Finals Game 3: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 17, 1963|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 5, 2022|archive-date=January 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122211421/http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196304170LAL.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[1963–64 NBA season]], the Celtics posted a league-best 58–22 record in the regular season. Russell scored 15.0 points per game and grabbed a career-high 24.7 rebounds per game, leading the NBA in rebounds for the first time since Chamberlain entered the league.<ref name="brstats"/> Boston defeated the [[1963–64 Cincinnati Royals season|Cincinnati Royals]] 4–1 to earn another NBA Finals appearance and then won against Chamberlain's newly relocated [[1963–64 San Francisco Warriors season|San Francisco Warriors]] 4–1.<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1964 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1964.html|access-date=December 4, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060918160145/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1964.html|archive-date=September 18, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Cherry|first=Robert|year=2004|title=Wilt: Larger than Life|location=Chicago|publisher=Triumph Books|page=129|isbn=1-57243-672-7}}</ref> It was their sixth consecutive and seventh title in Russell's eight years with the team, a streak unreached in any U.S. professional sports league. Russell later called it the best team of his era and the best defense of all time.<ref name="nbacomsummary"/>

In the [[1964–65 NBA season]], the Celtics won a league-record 62 games and Russell averaged 14.1 points and 24.1 rebounds per game, winning his second consecutive rebounding title and his fifth MVP award.<ref name="brstats"/> On March 11, 1965, in a 112–100 win over the [[1964–65 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]], Russell grabbed 49 rebounds, which tied for the third-most in a single game in NBA history,<ref>{{cite news|last=Quinn|first=Justin|title=On this day: Pandemic pause anniversary; Russell's 49 boards; Potapenko trade|work=USA Today|date=March 11, 2022|url=https://celticswire.usatoday.com/lists/nba-boston-celtics-potapenko-trade-russell-49-rebounds-pandemic-anniversary-history-2022/|access-date=March 31, 2022|archive-date=April 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416091618/https://celticswire.usatoday.com/lists/nba-boston-celtics-potapenko-trade-russell-49-rebounds-pandemic-anniversary-history-2022/|url-status=live}}</ref> along with 27 points and 6 assists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196503110BOS.html|title=Detroit Pistons vs Boston Celtics Box Score, March 11, 1965|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 5, 2022|archive-date=April 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405154430/https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/196503110BOS.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[1965 NBA playoffs]], the Celtics played the Eastern Division finals against the [[1964–65 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]], a team that had traded for Chamberlain. Russell held Chamberlain to a pair of field goals in the first three quarters of Game 3.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cherry|first=Robert|year=2004|title=Wilt: Larger than Life|location=Chicago|publisher=Triumph Books|pages=141–143|isbn=1-57243-672-7}}</ref> In Game 5, Russell contributed with 12 points, 28 rebounds, and 7 assists, plus 10 blocks and 6 steals; blocks and steals became officially recorded statistics in the [[1973–74 NBA season]]. Schayes, who had become the 76ers coach, said: "The Celtics can thank the Good Lord for Bill Russell."<ref name="nbacompraise"/> That playoff series ended in a dramatic Game 7, when the Sixers were trailing 110–109 five seconds before the end, but Russell turned over the ball. When the Sixers' Hall-of-Fame guard [[Hal Greer]] inbounded, Havlicek stole the ball, causing Celtics commentator [[Johnny Most]] to scream: "[[Havlicek stole the ball]]! It's all over! Johnny Havlicek stole the ball!"<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> After the Division finals, the Celtics had an easier time in the NBA Finals,<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1965 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1965.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=July 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711140304/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1965.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> winning 4–1 against the [[1964–65 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]].<ref name="nbacomsummary"/><ref name="Silverman 2013, p. 26">{{cite book|last=Silverman|first=Drew|year=2013|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Th4AgAAQBAJ|title=NBA Finals|location=Minneapolis|publisher=Abdo Publishing|page=26|isbn=978-1-6240-1003-3|access-date=March 21, 2023|archive-date=May 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518114622/https://books.google.com/books?id=_Th4AgAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[1965–66 NBA season]], Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. This was the first time in seven years that he failed to average at least 23 rebounds a game.<ref name="brstats"/> The Celtics won the [[1966 NBA Finals]] and their eighth consecutive title.<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> Russell's team again beat Chamberlain's [[1965–66 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] 4–1 in the Eastern Division finals, proceeding to win the NBA Finals in a tight showdown against the [[1965–66 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]], with Russell scoring 25 points and grabbing 32 rebounds, plus giving out an assist,<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1966 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1966.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=July 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711100930/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1966.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> in a 95–93 win in Game 7.<ref name="Silverman 2013, p. 26"/>

====1966–1969: Player-coach champion and final seasons====
[[File:Bill Russell and Red Auerbach 1966 Champions.jpg|thumb|alt=Auerbach leaning against Russell|upright=0.9|Russell and coach [[Red Auerbach]], with his trademark victory cigar, after winning the 1966 NBA championship]]
Celtics coach [[Red Auerbach]] retired before the [[1966–67 NBA season]]. To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player [[Frank Ramsey (basketball)|Frank Ramsey]], who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes.<ref name=taylor264_272>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/264|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/264 264–272]}}</ref> His second choice was Cousy, who declined the invitation, stating that he did not want to coach his former teammates.<ref name=taylor264_272/> Third choice [[Tom Heinsohn]] also said no because he did not think he could handle the often surly Russell,<ref name=taylor264_272/> whom he proposed as a player-coach.<ref name=taylor264_272/> On April 16, 1966, Russell agreed to become head coach of the Celtics, and a public announcement was made two days later.<ref name="White 1, 49">{{cite news|last=White|first=Gordon S.|date=April 19, 1966|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80001891.html|title=Bill Russell Named Boston Celtic Coach|newspaper=The New York Times|location=Boston|pages=1, 49|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308015115/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80001891.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell became the first black head coach in NBA history,<ref name=nbacomsummary/> and he commented to journalists: "I wasn't offered the job because I am a Negro, I was offered it because Red figured I could do it."<ref name=taylor264_272/>

When he became player-coach, Russell bluntly said to his teammates that "he intended to cut all personal ties to other players" and seamlessly made the transition from their peer to their superior.<ref name=taylor280>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/280|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/280 280]}}</ref> 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 regarded Auerbach as "the greatest of all coaches".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80002651.html?pageNumber=49|pages=49|title=Celtics Name Russell Coach, Making Him First Negro to Lead Major Team|first=Arthur|last=Daley|date=April 19, 1966|work=The New York Times|quote=Russell and Auerbach enjoy a strictly professional rapport&nbsp;... Russell frankly appraised [Auerbach] as the greatest of all coaches&nbsp;... 'Yet we are not particularly friends. No man who has ever played for Auerbach has ever been close to him, with the possible exception of Bob Cousy.'|access-date=April 10, 2017|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308075831/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80002651.html?pageNumber=49|url-status=live}}</ref>

Boston's championship streak ended at eight in his first full season as head coach when Chamberlain's [[1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] won a record-breaking 68 regular-season games and were the favorites heading into the [[1967 NBA playoffs]], where they beat the Celtics 4–1 in the Eastern Division finals.<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1967 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1967.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=September 16, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060916203742/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1967.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]."<ref name=nbacomsummary/> The Sixers outpaced the Celtics when they shredded the famed Boston defense by scoring 140 points in the clinching Game 5 win.<ref name=taylor292_299>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/292|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/292 292–299]}}</ref> Russell acknowledged the first real loss of his career, as he had been injured when the Celtics lost the 1958 NBA Finals, by visiting Chamberlain in the locker room, shaking his hand, and saying: "Great."<ref name=taylor292_299/>  The game still ended on a high note for Russell. After the loss, he led his grandfather through the Celtics locker rooms and the two saw the white Celtic Havlicek taking a shower next to his black teammate [[Sam Jones (basketball, born 1933)|Sam Jones]] and discussing the game. Suddenly, his grandfather broke down crying. Asked by Russell what was wrong, his grandfather replied how proud he was of him, being coach of an organization in which blacks and whites coexisted in harmony.<ref name=taylor292_299/> It would be the only time in Russell's career that the Celtics did not play for the NBA title.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Story of Basketball in 100 Photographs|publisher=Sports Illustrated|year=2023|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nZnWEAAAQBAJ&dq=bill+russell+1967+no+nba+finals&pg=PT166|isbn=9781637275191}}</ref>

In the [[1967–68 NBA season]], the 34-year-old Russell averaged 12.5 points per game and 18.6 rebounds per game,<ref name="brstats"/> the latter of which was good enough for the third-highest average in the league.<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1968 NBA Season Summary|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1968.html|access-date=March 9, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320203423/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1968.html|archive-date=March 20, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> In the Eastern Division finals of the [[1968 NBA playoffs]], the [[1967–68 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] had the better record than Boston and were the favorites. 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. In a game called as "unreal" and "devoid of emotion", the Sixers lost 127–118 on April 5. In Game 2, Philadelphia evened the series with a 115–106 win and then went on to win Games 3 and 4. As Chamberlain was often defended by Celtics backup center [[Wayne Embry]], the press speculated that Russell was worn down. Prior to Game 5, no NBA team had ever come back from a 3–1 deficit. The Celtics rallied back, winning Game 5 122–104 and Game 6 114–106, powered by a spirited Havlicek and helped by a terrible Sixers shooting slump.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cherry|first=Robert|year=2004|title=Wilt: Larger than Life|location=Chicago|publisher=Triumph Books|pages=190–199|isbn=1-57243-672-7}}</ref>

In Game 7, 15,202 Philadelphia fans witnessed a home-team 100–96 defeat, making it the first time in NBA history a team lost a series after leading 3–1. Russell limited Chamberlain to only two shot attempts in the second half.<ref name=nbacompraise/> Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 97–95 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. He made a [[free throw]], blocked a shot by Sixers player [[Chet Walker]], grabbed a rebound off a miss by Greer, and passed the ball to teammate [[Sam Jones (basketball, born 1933)|Sam Jones]], who scored to clinch the win. Boston then beat the [[1967–68 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] 4–2 in the [[1968 NBA Finals]], giving Russell his tenth title in twelve years.<ref name=nbacomsummary/> For his efforts, Russell was named ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''{{'}}s [[Sportsman of the Year]].<ref name="Plimpton 1968"/> 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. 1 choice has to be Bill Russell. Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me."<ref name=nbacompraise/>

Duiring the [[1968–69 NBA season]], Russell was shocked by the [[assassination of Robert F. Kennedy]], disillusioned by the [[Vietnam War]], and weary from his increasingly stale marriage to his wife Rose; the couple later divorced. He was convinced that the U.S. was a corrupt nation and that he was wasting his time playing something as superficial as basketball.<ref name=taylor327_335>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/327|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/327 327–335]}}</ref> He was 15 pounds overweight, skipped mandatory NBA coach meetings, and was generally lacking energy; after a [[1968–69 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] game, he complained of intense pain and was diagnosed with acute [[fatigue|exhaustion]].<ref name=taylor327_335/> Russell pulled himself together and put up 9.9 points and 19.3 rebounds per game;<ref name="brstats"/> the aging Celtics stumbled through the regular season. Their 48–34 record was the team's worst since the [[1955–56 NBA season]] and they entered the [[1969 NBA playoffs]] as the fourth-seeded team in the East.<ref>{{cite web|website=Basketball Reference|title=1969 NBA Playoffs|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1969.html|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=July 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712112813/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1969.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Russell and the Celtics achieved upsets over the 76ers and the Knicks to earn a meeting with the [[1968–69 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] in the [[1969 NBA Finals]]. The Lakers featured new recruit Chamberlain next to perennial stars Baylor and West, and were the favorites. In the first two games, Russell ordered his players not to double-team West, who used the freedom to score 53 and 41 points in the Game 1 and 2 Laker wins.<ref name=taylor336_353>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/336|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/336 336–353]}}</ref> Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. In Game 4, the Celtics were trailing by one point with seven seconds left and the Lakers had the ball until Baylor stepped out of bounds. In the last play, Sam Jones used a triple [[Screen (basketball)|screen]] by [[Bailey Howell]], [[Larry Siegfried]], and Havlicek to hit a [[buzzer beater]] that equalized the series.<ref name=taylor336_353/> The teams split the next two games and it all came down to Game 7 in Los Angeles, where Lakers owner [[Jack Kent Cooke]] angered and motivated the Celtics by putting "proceedings of Lakers victory ceremony" on the game leaflets. 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.<ref name=taylor336_353/>

The Celtics were ahead by nine points with five minutes remaining; in addition, West was limping after a Game 5 thigh injury and Chamberlain had left the game with an injured leg.<ref name=taylor336_353/> West then hit one basket after the other and cut the lead to one, and Chamberlain asked to return to the game. Lakers coach [[Bill van Breda Kolff]] kept him on the bench until the end of the game, saying later that he wanted to stay with the lineup responsible for the comeback.<ref name="wiltsummary"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Sachare|first=Alex|title=Added Incentive|url=http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/finals/1969_finals.html|publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=December 6, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071216111932/http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/finals/1969_finals.html|archive-date=December 16, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Celtics held on for a 108–106 victory and Russell claimed his eleventh championship in thirteen years. At age 35, Russell contributed with 6 points, 21 rebounds, and 6 assists in his last NBA game.<ref name=nbacompraise/> After the game, Russell went over to the distraught West, who had scored 42 points and was named the only [[NBA Finals MVP]] in history from the losing team, clasped his hand and tried to soothe him.<ref name=taylor336_353/>

Days later, 30,000 Celtics fans cheered their returning heroes. Russell, who once said he owed the public nothing,<ref name=taylor193_197/> was not there; he abruptly retired and cut all ties to the Celtics.<ref name=taylor336_353/> Russell's retirement was so surprising that Auerbach was blindsided and drafted guard [[Jo Jo White]] instead of a potential replacement for Russell at center.<ref name=taylor358_359>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/358|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/358 358–359]}}</ref> Although White became a standout Celtics player, the Celtics lacked an All-Star center. They fell to 34–48 in the [[1969–70 NBA season]] and missed the [[1970 NBA playoffs|playoffs]] altogether for the first time since 1950.<ref name="brceltics"/> In Boston, both fans and journalists felt betrayed because Russell left the Celtics without a coach and a center, and he sold his retirement story for $10,000 to ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''. Russell was accused of selling out the future of the franchise for a month of his salary.<ref name=taylor358_359/> Russell notified Auerbach that he was resigning to join a career in television and movies "in order to find new sources of income for the future".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1969/06/13/90111063.html?pageNumber=56|title=Bill Russell Reported Favoring Movie Career|work=The New York Times|date=June 13, 1969|access-date=January 31, 2022}}</ref>

===Earnings===
During his playing career, Russell was one of the first big earners in NBA basketball. His 1956 rookie contract was worth $24,000 ({{inflation|US|24000|1956|r=0|fmt=eq}}), only fractionally smaller than the $25,000 of top earner and teammate [[Bob Cousy]].<ref name=taylor74_80/> Russell never had to work part-time. 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.<ref name=taylor174>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/174|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/174 174]}}</ref> When [[Wilt Chamberlain]] became the first NBA player to earn $100,000 in salary in 1965 ({{inflation|US|100000|1965|r=0|fmt=eq}}), Russell went to Auerbach and demanded a $100,001 salary, which he promptly received.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firmex.com/thedealroom/what-nba-salaries-would-these-superstar-players-make-today/|title=What NBA salaries would these superstar players make today?|website=The DealRoom|publisher=Firmex|first=Greg|last=Bouchard|date=May 20, 2016|access-date=December 23, 2017|archive-date=December 24, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224101212/https://www.firmex.com/thedealroom/what-nba-salaries-would-these-superstar-players-make-today/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=taylor258>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/258|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/258 258]}}</ref> For his promotion to coach, the Celtics paid Russell an annual salary of $25,000 which was in addition to his salary as a player. Although the salary was touted in the press as a record for an NBA coach, it is unclear whether Russell's continued $100,001 salary as a player was included in the calculation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80001891.html?pageNumber=49|pages=1, 49|newspaper=The New York Times|title=Basketball Star to Draw $125,001|first=Gordon S.|last=White|date=April 19, 1966|access-date=April 16, 2017|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307223916/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/80001891.html?pageNumber=49|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell also had a shoe designed by Bristol Manufacturing Corporation in 1966, the Bill Russell Professional Basketball Shoe.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OvQ5FK_VwIUC&dq=bill+russell+designed+a+shoe+1966&pg=PA6|title=Bill Russell cuts loose!|magazine=Boys' Life|date=May 1966|page=6}}</ref>

===Russell–Chamberlain relations===
[[File:Wilt Chamberlain Bill Russell 2.jpg|thumb|alt=Russell defending Chamberlain|upright=0.81|Russell defending [[Wilt Chamberlain]] in 1969]]
For most of his career, Russell and his perennial opponent [[Wilt Chamberlain]] were close friends. Chamberlain often invited Russell over for [[Thanksgiving (United States)|Thanksgiving]] dinner; at Russell's place, conversation mostly concerned Russell's electric trains.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cherry|first=Robert|year=2004|title=Wilt: Larger than Life|location=Chicago|publisher=Triumph Books|pages=360–361|isbn=1-57243-672-7}}</ref> The close relationship ended after [[Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals]], when Chamberlain injured his knee with six minutes left and was forced to leave the game. During a conversation with students, a reporter—unknown to Russell—heard Russell describe Chamberlain as a [[malingerer]] and accused him of "copping out" of the game when it seemed that the Lakers would lose.<ref name=taylor356_357>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/356 356–357]}}</ref> He was livid with Russell and saw him as a backstabber.<ref name=taylor356_357/>

Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. The two men did not speak to each other for more than twenty years until Russell met with Chamberlain and personally apologized.<ref name="taylor367_371">{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/367 367–371]}}</ref> After that, the two were often seen together at various events and interviewed as friends. When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain's nephew said that Russell was the second person he was told to call.<ref name="chat">{{cite web|last=Russell|first=Bill|date=February 28, 2005|title=Chat Transcript: Celtics Legend Bill Russell|publisher=National Basketball Association|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/chat/russell_050228.html|access-date=December 1, 2006|archive-date=October 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023143500/http://www.nba.com/celtics/chat/russell_050228.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In delivering a eulogy for Chamberlain, Russell stated that he did not consider them to be rivals, but rather to have a competition, and that the pair would "be friends through eternity".<ref>{{cite news|last=Fernandez|first=Bernard|title=A Farewell Fiercest Rival: Bill Russell Recalls Wilt As His Friend For Eternity|work=Philadelphia Daily News|date=October 18, 1999|url=http://articles.philly.com/1999-10-18/news/25507652_1_wilton-norman-chamberlain-bill-russell-william-felton-russell|access-date=February 18, 2013|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003211/http://articles.philly.com/1999-10-18/news/25507652_1_wilton-norman-chamberlain-bill-russell-william-felton-russell|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Chamberlain outscored Russell 30 to 14.2 and outrebounded him 28.2 to 22.9 in the regular season, and he also outscored him 25.7 to 14.9 and outrebounded him 28 to 24.7 in the playoffs. Russell's Celtics went 57–37 in the regular season against Chamberlain's teams and 29–20 in the playoffs, Chamberlain's losing seven of the eight series.<ref name="Schwartz 1999"/>

===Racist abuse, controversy, and relationship with Boston fans===
[[File:Bill Russell and Red Auerbach 1956.jpeg|thumb|upright=0.9|alt=The Celtics seated on the bench, with Auerbach at the fore|Russell with coach [[Red Auerbach]] in his rookie season, as they are seated on the sidelines. Auerbach refused to have a [[color barrier]] for the Celtics. Following his retirement in 1966, he handed off coaching duties to Russell as a [[player-coach]].]]
Russell's life was marked by an uphill battle against racism and controversial actions and statements in response to racism. As a child, he witnessed how his parents were victims of racial abuse, and the family eventually moved into government [[housing project]]s to escape the daily torrent of bigotry.<ref name="Current"/> When he later became a standout college player at USF, Russell recalled how he and his few fellow black teammates were jeered by white students.<ref name="jwr">{{cite magazine|last=Matthews|first=Chris|title=Bill Russell and American racism|url=http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/matthews042800.asp|magazine=Jewish World Review|date=April 28, 2000|access-date=February 9, 2007|archive-date=October 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027213647/http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/matthews042800.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>

Even after he became a star with the Celtics, Russell was the victim of racial abuse. When the NBA All-Stars toured the U.S. in the 1958 offseason, white hotel owners in segregated North Carolina denied rooms to Russell and his black teammates, causing him to later write in his 1966 memoir ''Go Up for Glory'': "It stood out, a wall which understanding cannot penetrate. You are a Negro. You are less. It covered every area. A living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. A morass to fight from."<ref name=taylor108_111>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/108|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/108 108–111]}}</ref> Before the 1961–62 season, Russell's team was scheduled to play in an exhibition game in [[Lexington, Kentucky]], when Russell and his black teammates were refused service at a local restaurant. As part of the [[1961 Celtics boycott]], he and the other black teammates refused to play in the [[exhibition game]] and flew home, drawing a great deal of controversy and publicity.<ref name="Flatter 1999">{{cite web|last=Flatter|first=Ron|date=October 13, 1999|url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016449.html|url-status=live|title=Russell was a proud, fierce warrior|work=ESPN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205195156/http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016449.html|archive-date=December 5, 2006|access-date=December 1, 2006}}</ref>

As a consequence of his endured racist abuse, Russell was extremely sensitive to all racial prejudice. According to sportswriter Taylor, in a 2005 book, Russell often perceived insults even if others did not.<ref name=taylor66_71/> He was active in the [[Black Power]] movement and was among the African-American athletes and the one political leader who came together at the 1967 [[Cleveland Summit]] to support [[Muhammad Ali]] and his decision to refuse to be drafted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1603/Athletes_support_Muhammad_Ali|title=Athletes support Muhammad Ali!|publisher=African American Registry|access-date=May 24, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106095315/http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/1603/Athletes_support_Muhammad_Ali|archive-date=January 6, 2008}}</ref> He was often called Felton X, presumably in the tradition of the [[Nation of Islam]]'s practice of replacing a European [[slave name]] with an ''X'', and purchased land in Liberia.<ref name=taylor193_197/> Russell's public statements became increasingly militant, and he was quoted as saying: "I dislike most white people because they are people&nbsp;... I like most blacks because I am black." Russell articulated these views with a measure of self-criticism, saying: "I consider this a deficiency in myself—maybe. If I looked at it objectively, detached myself, it would be a deficiency."<ref name=taylor193_197/><ref name=si19631118>{{cite magazine|last=Rogin|first=Gilbert|date=November 18, 1963|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1963/11/18/594385/we-are-grown-men-playing-a-childs-game|title='We Are Grown Men Playing A Child's Game'|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=December 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205210553/https://www.si.com/vault/1963/11/18/594385/we-are-grown-men-playing-a-childs-game|url-status=live}}</ref> When his white Celtics teammate Frank Ramsey asked whether he hated him, Russell stated that he had been misquoted but few believed it.<ref name=taylor193_197/> According to Taylor, Russell discounted the fact that his career was facilitated by white people who were proven [[anti-racists]]: his high school coach George Powles, who encouraged him to play basketball, his college coach [[Phil Woolpert]], who integrated USF basketball, Celtics coach [[Red Auerbach]], who made him the first black NBA coach and is regarded as an anti-racist pioneer for his [[No color barrier (Red Auerbach)|no color barrier]], and Celtics owner [[Walter A. Brown]], who gave him a high $24,000 rookie contract, just $1,000 shy of the top-earning veteran [[Bob Cousy]].<ref name=taylor359_366/>

[[File:Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. (Former National Basketball Association player, Bill Russell.) - NARA - 542073 - Crop.png|thumb|alt=A crowd, mostly made up of black men in suits and black women in dressed up attire|Russell attending a Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C., August 1963]]

In a 1963 article by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'', Russell said he had "never met a finer person [than George Powles]&nbsp;... I owe so much to him it's impossible to express."<ref name=si19631118/> Years after Taylor's book, Russell published the autobiographical account ''Red and Me'', which chronicled his lifelong friendship with Auerbach. Of the book, [[Bill Bradley]] wrote for ''[[The New York Times Book Review]]'' that "Bill Russell is a private, complex man, but on the subject of his love of Red Auerbach and his Celtic teammates, he's loud and clear."<ref name=nytram/> In the book, Russell wrote: "Whenever I leave the Celtics locker room, even Heaven wouldn't be good enough because anywhere else is a step down&nbsp;... With Red [Auerbach] and Walter Brown, I was the freest athlete on the planet. I could always be myself with them and they were always there for me."<ref>{{cite book|author1=Bill Russell|author2=Alan Steinberg|title=Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend|url=https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ|url-access=registration|date=May 5, 2009|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-176614-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ/page/145 145]}}</ref> 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. He said:

{{blockquote|The Celtics were the first [NBA basketball] team to draft a black player, period: a guy named Chuck Cooper from Duquesne. The first team to start five black players was the Boston Celtics. 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.

And so the guy that owned the Celtics [Walter Brown] was [in addition to Auerbach for whom Russell expressed "respect" and "actual love"] another one of the fine, good, and decent human beings that I've ever encountered. When the Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper and they came into Washington, D.C., to sign his contract, Walter Brown the owner of the team walked up to him and said: "Mr. Cooper, the Boston Celtics will never embarrass you." That's the first thing Walter Brown said to Chuck Cooper. And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was.

And so the Celtics—all we looked for was: "Can he play?" And what we would do is—[Auerbach] trusted all his players—so like when he'd make a coaching decision, he could talk: he talked to [Bob] Cousy [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?" [Auerbach would] get the information from us and then make a decision based on that information and his thoughts. So we never, or at least I never, ever considered him as having ulterior motives for whatever he did.<ref>{{cite interview|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UreayrB2EA|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211114/1UreayrB2EA|archive-date=November 14, 2021|url-status=live|first=Bill|last=Russell|title=Bill Russell: Working with Red Auerbach|interviewer=Visionary Project|date=March 22, 2010|access-date=November 14, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>}} 
 
In 1966, Russell was promoted to head coach of the Celtics. During a press conference, Russell was asked: "As the first Negro head coach in a major league sport, can you do the job impartially without any racial prejudice in reverse?" He replied: "Yes." When the reporter asked how, Russell responded: "Because the most important factor is respect. And in basketball I respect a man for his ability, period."<ref name="White 1, 49"/><ref>{{cite interview|last=Russell|first=Bill|interviewer=Bill Simmons|title=Mr. Russell's House|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=33m40s|publisher=NBA TV Originals|location=Seattle|date=February 18, 2013|access-date=April 4, 2017|at=33:40|archive-date=April 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410180013/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=33m40s|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result of repeated racial bigotry, Russell refused to respond to fan acclaim or friendship from his neighbors, thinking it was insincere and hypocritical. This attitude contributed to his bad rapport with fans and journalists.<ref name=taylor108_111/> He alienated Celtics fans by saying: "You owe the public the same it owes you, nothing! I refuse to smile and be nice to the kiddies."<ref name=taylor193_197/>

This supported the opinion of many white fans that Russell, who was by then the highest-paid Celtic, was egotistical, paranoid, and hypocritical. 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.<ref name=taylor193_197/> In response, Russell described Boston as a "flea market of racism".<ref>{{cite news|work=Boston Globe|url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/02/19/give_bill_russell_his_due/|first=Adrian|last=Walker|title=Give Russell his due|date=February 11, 2011|access-date=April 4, 2017|archive-date=October 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024055006/http://archive.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/02/19/give_bill_russell_his_due/|url-status=live}} Quoting Russell's 1979 memoir ''Second Wind''.</ref> He was quoted as saying: "From my very first year I thought of myself as playing for the Celtics, not for Boston. The fans could do or think whatever they wanted."<ref>Goudsouzian, Aram (2010). ''King of the Court: Bill Russell and the Basketball Revolution''. Berkeley: University of California Press.</ref> Referring to a time when the Celtics did not frequently sell out the [[Boston Garden]], while the generally mediocre and all-white NHL [[Boston Bruins]] did, Russell recalled: "We [the Celtics] did a survey about what we could do to improve attendance. Over 50 percent of responses said 'There's too many black players.{{'"}}<ref>{{cite interview|last=Russell|first=Bill|interviewer=Bill Simmons|title=Mr. Russell's House|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=13:02|publisher=NBA TV Originals|location=Seattle|date=February 18, 2013|access-date=April 8, 2017|at=13:02|archive-date=April 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410180013/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=13:02|url-status=live}}</ref> In retirement, Russell described the Boston press as corrupt and racist; in response, Boston sports journalist Larry Claflin claimed that Russell himself was the real racist.<ref name=taylor361>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/361|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/361 361]}}</ref> 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".<ref name="taylor193_197"/><ref>{{cite interview|last=Russell|first=Bill|interviewer=Bill Simmons|title=Mr. Russell's House|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=11m24s|publisher=NBA TV Originals|location=Seattle|date=February 18, 2013|access-date=April 4, 2017|at=33:40|archive-date=April 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410180013/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=11m24s|url-status=live}}</ref>

Russell refused to attend the ceremony when his jersey No. 6 was retired in 1972; he also refused to attend his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1975.<ref name="Flatter 1999"/> While Russell long had sore feelings towards Boston, there was something of a reconciliation, and he visited the city regularly in his later years, something he never did in the years immediately after his retirement.<ref>{{cite news|last=Macquarrie|first=Brian|title=Bitterness subsides|work=The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=November 19, 2000}}</ref> On November 15, 2019, Russell accepted the Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony with family.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2019/11/15/more-than-years-later-celtics-great-bill-russell-finally-accepts-his-hall-fame-ring/Ns13MPvfsEJwHl06QMdLnN/story.html|title=More than 40 years later, Celtics great Bill Russell finally accepts his Hall of Fame ring|work=The Boston Globe|agency=Associated Press|date=November 15, 2019|access-date=January 31, 2022|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117133943/https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2019/11/15/more-than-years-later-celtics-great-bill-russell-finally-accepts-his-hall-fame-ring/Ns13MPvfsEJwHl06QMdLnN/story.html|archive-date=November 17, 2019}}</ref> When Russell originally retired, he demanded that his jersey be retired in an empty Boston Garden.<ref name="Sandomir">{{cite news|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|title=Russell Redux: A Private Man Bursts Back Into the Public Eye|url=http://partners.nytimes.com/library/sports/basketball/061600bkn-russell.html|work=The New York Times|date=June 16, 2000|access-date=February 9, 2007|archive-date=October 14, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014231013/http://partners.nytimes.com/library/sports/basketball/061600bkn-russell.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1995, the Celtics left the Boston Garden and moved into the FleetCenter, now known as the [[TD Garden]]; as the main festive act, the Celtics wanted to re-retire Russell's jersey in front of a sellout audience.<ref name="taylor359_366"/> Perennially wary of what he long perceived as a racist city, Russell decided to make amends and gave his approval. 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]]. The crowd gave Russell a prolonged standing ovation, which brought tears to his eyes.<ref name="Sandomir"/> He thanked Chamberlain for taking him to the limit and "making [him] a better player", and the crowd for "allowing [him] to be a part of their lives."<ref name="taylor359_366"/> In December 2008, the We Are Boston Leadership Award was presented to Russell.<ref>{{cite web |title=Third Annual 'We Are Boston' Event Honors Outstanding Contributions to Boston's Diversity |publisher=City of Boston |date=December 3, 2008 |url=http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/default.aspx?id=4049 |access-date=August 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217115807/http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/default.aspx?id=4049 |archive-date=December 17, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Post-playing career and endeavors==
[[File:Bill Russell in the Green Room.jpg|thumb|upright=0.68|left|alt=Russell wearing a suit|Russell at the [[White House]] in 2011]]
In 1971, Russell joined ''[[NBA on ABC]]'' to do commentary on the Game of the Week.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/12/archives/abctv-adds-bill-russell.html|title=A.B.C.-TV Adds Bill Russell|work=The New York Times|date=October 12, 1971|access-date=January 31, 2022|archive-date=January 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220106075809/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/12/archives/abctv-adds-bill-russell.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His No. 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=National Basketball Association|title=Retired Numbers|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/history/RetiredNumbers.html|access-date=April 28, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427053642/http://www.nba.com/celtics/history/RetiredNumbers.html|archive-date=April 27, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell had worn the same number 6 at the USF and for the 1956 U.S. Olympic team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bestbythenumbers.com/2006/06/number-6-bill-russell.html|url-status=dead|title=Number 6 – Bill Russell|website=Best Athletes by the Numbers|publisher=Askk Online|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111052701/http://www.bestbythenumbers.com/2006/06/number-6-bill-russell.html|archive-date=November 11, 2013|access-date=January 17, 2014}}</ref> He was inducted into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 1975. Russell, who had a difficult relationship with the media, did not attend either ceremony.<ref name="Flatter 1999"/> He attended his 2021 induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach.<ref>{{cite news|last=Benbow|first=Julian|date=September 11, 2021|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/11/sports/celtics-legend-bill-russell-receives-second-induction-into-basketball-hall-fame-coach-this-time/|title=Celtics legend Bill Russell receives second induction into Basketball Hall of Fame, as coach this time|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=April 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414144328/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/11/sports/celtics-legend-bill-russell-receives-second-induction-into-basketball-hall-fame-coach-this-time/|url-status=live}}</ref>

After retiring as a player, Russell had stints as head coach of the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] (1973–1977) and [[Sacramento Kings]] (1987–1988). His time as a non-playing 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 162–166 record. Russell's stint with the Kings was considerably shorter, his last assignment ending when the Kings went 17–41 to begin the [[1987–88 NBA season]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Powell|first=Shaun|date=September 1, 2021|url=https://www.nba.com/news/bill-russell-hall-of-fame-profile-2021|title=Successful, short-lived coaching days get Bill Russell into Hall again|publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=April 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414143038/https://www.nba.com/news/bill-russell-hall-of-fame-profile-2021|url-status=live}}</ref> He finished with a 341–290 regular season record and was 34–27 in the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/russebi01c.html|url-status=live|title=Bill Russell Coaching Record|website=Basketball Reference|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719133807/http://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/russebi01c.html|archive-date=July 19, 2008|access-date=July 18, 2008}}</ref> Russell also served as general manager of the SuperSonics during his coaching tenure,<ref>{{cite news|title=Bill Russell, NBA great and former Sonics coach, dies at 88|work=The Seattle Times|agency=Associated Press|date=July 31, 2022|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/other-sports/bill-russell-nba-great-and-former-sonics-coach-dies-at-88/|access-date=January 19, 2023|archive-date=January 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119183518/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/other-sports/bill-russell-nba-great-and-former-sonics-coach-dies-at-88/|url-status=live}}</ref> and held the same position with the Kings during the [[1988–89 NBA season|1988–89 season]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Kramers|first=Alex|title=Bill Russell Leaves Lasting Impact on Kings|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=February 24, 2017|url=https://www.nba.com/kings/blog/bill-russell-impact-kings|access-date=January 17, 2023|archive-date=January 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118023050/https://www.nba.com/kings/blog/bill-russell-impact-kings|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition, Russell ran into financial trouble. He had invested $250,000 in a rubber plantation in [[Liberia]], where he had wanted to spend his retirement, but it went bankrupt.<ref name=taylor193_197/> The same fate awaited his Boston restaurant Slade's, after which he had to default on a $90,000 government loan to purchase the outlet. The [[Internal Revenue Service]] discovered that Russell owed $34,430 in tax money and put a lien on his house.<ref name=taylor359_366>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/359|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/359 359–366]}}</ref>

Russell became a vegetarian, took up [[Golf in the United States|golf]], and worked as a [[color commentator]] for [[CBS]] and [[TBS (U.S. TV channel)|TBS]] throughout the 1970s into the mid-1980s, but he was uncomfortable as a broadcaster. 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."<ref name="nbacomsummary"/><ref name=taylor359_366/> On November 3, 1979, Russell hosted ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', in which he appeared in several sports-related sketches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/november-3-bill-russell/4023007|title=Watch Saturday Night Live Episode: November 3 – Bill Russell|publisher=NBC|date=September 27, 2019|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=May 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525234904/https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/november-3-bill-russell/4023007|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell also wrote books, usually written as a joint project with a professional writer, including 1979's ''Second Wind'',<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Pina|first=Michael|date=May 22, 2020|url=https://www.gq.com/story/bill-russell-second-wind-last-dance|title=Culture Now Is a Great Time to Read Bill Russell's Memoir|magazine=GQ|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=April 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414141930/https://www.gq.com/story/bill-russell-second-wind-last-dance|url-status=live}}</ref> and played Judge Roger Ferguson in the ''[[Miami Vice]]'' episode "The Fix" (aired March 7, 1986).<ref>{{cite web|last=Smiley|first=Brett|date=March 7, 2018|url=https://sportshandle.com/best-betting-scenes-bill-russell-miami-vice/|title=Best Betting Scenes: Bill Russell Goes Rogue on 'Miami Vice'|website=SportsHandle|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=June 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628002452/https://sportshandle.com/best-betting-scenes-bill-russell-miami-vice/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1985, former Celtic teammate [[Don Chaney]], who was head coach of the [[Los Angeles Clippers]], asked Russell to tutor [[Benoit Benjamin]], the third overall draft pick from [[Creighton University]], who left after his junior season; according to Chaney, Russell did not get paid for it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/28/sports/sports-people-help-from-russell.html|title=Sports People; Help from Russell|work=The New York Times|date=December 28, 1985|access-date=January 31, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107040240/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/28/sports/sports-people-help-from-russell.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Russell made few public appearances in the early 1990s, living as a near-recluse on [[Mercer Island, Washington]], near [[Seattle]]. Following Chamberlain's death in October 1999, Russell returned to prominence at the turn of the millennium.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/16/sports/pro-basketball-russell-redux-a-private-man-bursts-back-into-the-public-eye.html|last=Sandomir|first=Richard|title=Russell Redux: A Private Man Bursts Back Into the Public Eye|work=The New York Times|date=June 16, 2000|access-date=January 27, 2012|archive-date=May 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527140745/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/16/sports/pro-basketball-russell-redux-a-private-man-bursts-back-into-the-public-eye.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2001, Russell and David Falkner published ''Russell Rules: 11 Lessons on Leadership from the Twentieth Century's Greatest Winner''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Russell|first1=Bill|last2=Falkner|first2=David|title=Russell Rules: 11 Lessons on Leadership from the Twentieth Century's Greatest Winner|publisher=Dutton|year=2001|isbn=9780525945987}}</ref> Russell convinced [[Miami Heat]] superstar center [[Shaquille O'Neal]] to bury the hatchet with fellow NBA superstar and former Los Angeles Lakers teammate [[Kobe Bryant]] and end the [[Shaq–Kobe feud]] in January 2006.<ref>{{cite web|work=ESPN|title=Shaq heeds Russell's call for peace; Lakers hold on for win|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260116013|access-date=December 3, 2006|archive-date=June 14, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614034500/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=260116013|url-status=dead}}</ref> On November 17, the two-time NCAA champion Russell was recognized for his impact on college basketball as a member of the founding class of the [[National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame]]. He was one of five, along with [[James Naismith]], [[Oscar Robertson]], [[Dean Smith]], and [[John Wooden]], selected to represent the inaugural class.<ref>{{cite web|title=Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame to induct founding class|url=http://nabc.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111806aaa.html|publisher=National Association of Basketball Coaches|access-date=December 2, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071117133552/http://nabc.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/111806aaa.html|archive-date=November 17, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> On May 20, 2007, Russell was awarded an honorary doctorate by [[Suffolk University]], where he served as its commencement speaker.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://moakleyarchive.omeka.net/items/show/7343|title=Sports legend Bill Russell receives an honorary degree at the 2007 Suffolk University commencement|website=Moakley Archive|date=May 20, 2007|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=June 30, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630142306/https://moakleyarchive.omeka.net/items/show/7343|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell also received honorary degrees from [[Harvard University]] on June 7, 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/06/honorary-degrees-awarded-at-commencements-morning-exercises/|title=Honorary degrees awarded at Commencement's Morning Exercises|website=The Harvard Gazette|date=June 7, 2007|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=February 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203084839/https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/06/honorary-degrees-awarded-at-commencements-morning-exercises/|url-status=live}}</ref> and from [[Dartmouth College]] on June 14, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-211-98z8wwdc|title=Dartmouth grads hear 'nose dive' warning|publisher=American Archive of Public Broadcasting|date=June 15, 2009|access-date=April 14, 2022}}</ref> On June 18, 2007, Russell was inducted as a member of the founding class of the [[FIBA Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/hall-of-fame/Bill-Russell|title=FIBA Hall of Fames – Bill Russell|publisher=FIBA|date=June 18, 2007|access-date=April 14, 2022|quote=Enshrined as a player in the FIBA Hall of Fame on September 12, 2007.|archive-date=April 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414141930/https://www.fiba.basketball/hall-of-fame/Bill-Russell|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Matange|first=Yash|date=September 9, 2021|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/hall-of-fame-fiba-naismith-memorial-full-list-of-inductees-enshrined-at-springfield-madrid/cnbksxzlnvpx1dawry6ivnvxd|title=Naismith and FIBA Hall of Fame: Full list of inductees enshrined at Springfield and Madrid|magazine=The Sporting News|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=April 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414141930/https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/hall-of-fame-fiba-naismith-memorial-full-list-of-inductees-enshrined-at-springfield-madrid/cnbksxzlnvpx1dawry6ivnvxd|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2008, Russell received the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#sports|title=Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement – Sports|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=December 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215023909/https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#sports|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/|title=Bill Russell|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|access-date=April 14, 2022|quote=Bill Russell receives the Golden Plate Award of the Academy of Achievement from Council Member Willie L. Brown, the former Mayor of San Francisco, during the 2008 International Achievement Summit in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.|archive-date=January 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111113137/https://achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/|url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref name=finalsmvp>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/14/russell.trophy/index.html|title=The Finals MVP to Receive Bill Russell MVP Award|access-date=February 14, 2009|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=February 14, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217121109/http://www.nba.com/2009/news/02/14/russell.trophy/index.html|archive-date=February 17, 2009}}</ref> During halftime of the [[2009 NBA All-Star Game]], Celtics captains [[Ray Allen]], [[Kevin Garnett]], and [[Paul Pierce]] presented Russell a surprise birthday cake for his 75th birthday.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=National Basketball Association|title=All-Star Top 10, from Shaq's moves to boos for Spurs|url=http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/02/16/top10.20090215/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219141920/http://www.nba.com/2009/allstar2009/02/16/top10.20090215/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 19, 2009|access-date=July 16, 2009}}</ref> Russell attended Game 5 of the [[2009 NBA Finals]] to present Bryant the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2009/06/07/russell_does_the_honors|title=Russell does the honors|access-date=August 10, 2009|website=The Boston Globe|date=June 7, 2009|first=Marc J.|last=Spears|archive-date=June 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612032206/http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2009/06/07/russell_does_the_honors/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/06/15/lakers.magic.game5/|title=Kobe shows maturity of last seven years in leading Lakers to title|access-date=February 11, 2023|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=June 15, 2009|archive-date=June 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090618144038/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/06/15/lakers.magic.game5/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Russell was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] by President [[Barack Obama]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/presidential-medals-of-freedom_n_823667|title=Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients (Photos)|website=HuffPost|first=Dean|last=Praetorius|date=February 15, 2011|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=April 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401052305/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/presidential-medals-of-freedom_n_823667|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell and Bryant were spectators to a basketball game for Obama's 50th birthday at the [[White House tennis court]]. The game featured [[Shane Battier]], [[LeBron James]], [[Magic Johnson]], [[Maya Moore]], [[Alonzo Mourning]], [[Joakim Noah]], [[Chris Paul]], [[Derrick Rose]], and Obama's friends from high school.<ref name=SIObama>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2020/04/04/barack-obama-basketball-white-house-kobe-bryant|title=Inside the Iconic Obama Basketball Games at the White House|date=April 4, 2020|last=Mannix|first=Chris|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=December 20, 2020|archive-date=December 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230141329/https://www.si.com/nba/2020/04/04/barack-obama-basketball-white-house-kobe-bryant|url-status=live}}</ref>

On September 26, 2017, Russell posted a photograph of himself to a previously unused Twitter account in which he was [[taking the knee]] in solidarity with the [[U.S. national anthem kneeling protests]]. Russell wore his Presidential Medal of Freedom and the image was captioned: "Proud to take a knee, and to stand tall against social injustice." In an interview with [[ESPN]], Russell said he wanted the [[NFL]] players to know they were not alone.<ref>{{cite web|last=MacMullan|first=Jackie|title=Bill Russell: 'Tell those NFL players, I'm with them'|url=https://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/20835178/bill-russell-tell-nfl-players-them|date=September 27, 2017|work=ESPN|access-date=September 28, 2017|archive-date=September 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928150559/http://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/20835178/bill-russell-tell-nfl-players-them|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Accomplishments and legacy==
[[File:Basketball Legends.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A collection of basketball players seated around the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy|Russell (first from left, front row) posing along other former players with the Championship Trophy for the 2005 NBA Legends Tour]]
Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history.<ref name="Gill 2010"/><ref name="Frey 2021">{{cite web|last=Frey|first=Titan|date=December 31, 2021|url=https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/the-bill-russell-story-more-than-a-champion|title=The Bill Russell Story: More Than A Champion|website=Fadaway World|access-date=April 6, 2022|archive-date=May 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514235855/https://fadeawayworld.net/nba/the-bill-russell-story-more-than-a-champion|url-status=live}}</ref> His awards and achievements include eleven NBA championships with the [[Boston Celtics]] in thirteen seasons,<ref name="Beslic 2020">{{cite web|last=Beslic|first=Stephen|date=May 27, 2020|url=https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/seven-players-who-have-won-ncaa-nba-and-olympic-titles|title=Eight players who have won NCAA, NBA, and Olympic titles|website=Basketball Network|access-date=April 6, 2022|archive-date=April 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417070747/https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/seven-players-who-have-won-ncaa-nba-and-olympic-titles|url-status=live}}</ref> two of which were won as [[player-coach]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Loyola|first=Kelvin|date=March 5, 2021|url=https://bolavip.com/en/sports/25-players-that-won-a-ncaa-and-nba-championship-20210304-0009.html|title=25 players that won an NCAA and NBA championship|website=Bolavip|access-date=April 6, 2022|archive-date=August 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806134055/https://bolavip.com/en/sports/25-players-that-won-a-ncaa-and-nba-championship-20210304-0009.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and he is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level.<ref name="Hoophall.com">{{cite web|url=http://hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-bill-russell.html|url-status=dead|title=Bill Russell|website=Hoophall.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070503151053/http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/bhof-bill-russell.html|archive-date=May 3, 2007|access-date=April 29, 2007}}</ref> By winning the 1956 NCAA championship with USF and the 1957 NBA title with the Celtics,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Bumbaca|first1=Chris|last2=Mendoza|first2=Jordan|date=April 4, 2021|url=https://usatoday.com/in-depth/sports/nba/2021/04/04/jordan-jabbar-magic-won-ncaa-nba-titles-rare/4849991001/|title=Jordan, Jabbar, Russell and Magic won NCAA and NBA titles, but it's become a rare feat|work=USA Today|access-date=April 6, 2022|archive-date=March 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324105953/https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/sports/nba/2021/04/04/jordan-jabbar-magic-won-ncaa-nba-titles-rare/4849991001/|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell became the first of only five players in basketball history to win an NCAA championship and an NBA championship in back-to-back seasons, the others being [[Henry Bibby]], [[Magic Johnson]], [[Billy Thompson (basketball)|Billy Thompson]], and [[Christian Braun]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Wimbish|first=Jasmyn|date=June 13, 2023|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nuggets-christian-braun-fifth-player-in-basketball-history-to-win-nba-ncaa-titles-in-back-to-back-seasons/|title=Nuggets' Christian Braun fifth player in basketball history to win NCAA, NBA titles in back-to-back seasons|work=CBS Sports|access-date=September 9, 2023|archive-date=August 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821115016/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nuggets-christian-braun-fifth-player-in-basketball-history-to-win-nba-ncaa-titles-in-back-to-back-seasons/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also won two state championships in high school. In the interim, Russell won an Olympic gold medal in 1956.<ref name=nbacomsummary/><ref name="Heery 2022">{{cite web|last=Heery|first=Pat|date=March 6, 2022|url=https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/bill_russell_career_retrospective/s1__28421087|title=Bill Russell: Career retrospective|website=Yardbarker|access-date=April 6, 2022|archive-date=April 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406130305/https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/bill_russell_career_retrospective/s1__28421087|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell was one of only eight players in the history of basketball to achieve the [[Triple Crown (American basketball)|Triple Crown]] — winning an NCAA championship, NBA championship, and Olympic gold medal.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beslic |first= Stephen|date=November 11, 2022 |title=Eight players who have won NCAA, NBA, and Olympic titles |url=https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/seven-players-who-have-won-ncaa-nba-and-olympic-titles |work= Basketball Network|location= |access-date=November 27, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Davis">{{cite news |last= Cohn|first=Jordan |date= October 11, 2020|title= Anthony Davis joins 7 other players to win NBA Finals, NCAA Championship, Olympic gold medal|url=https://www.audacy.com/thefandc/sports/nba/anthony-davis-joins-basketballs-triple-crown-club |work=[[106.7 The Fan]] |location= |access-date=November 27, 2024}}</ref> His stint as coach of the Celtics was also of historical significance,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=McGregor|first=Gilbert|date=October 20, 2021|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/bill-russell-coaching-career-black-nba-coaches/12v1c635cp2m61up9mkkxib9tk|title=How Bill Russell's coaching career opened doors for NBA's Black head coaches|magazine=The Sporting News|access-date=February 27, 2022|archive-date=March 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328004223/https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/bill-russell-coaching-career-black-nba-coaches/12v1c635cp2m61up9mkkxib9tk|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=McGregor|first=Gilbert|date=January 17, 2022|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/bill-russell-success-as-the-leagues-first-black-coach-paved-the-way-lenny-wilkens-al-attles-pierce-williams-casey-bickerstaff-silas-rivers-lue/voy8y0s0wph41nokjtiaw5i5g|title=Bill Russell: How historic success as the league's first Black coach paved the way for others|magazine=The Sporting News|access-date=February 27, 2022|archive-date=February 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209022204/https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/bill-russell-success-as-the-leagues-first-black-coach-paved-the-way-lenny-wilkens-al-attles-pierce-williams-casey-bickerstaff-silas-rivers-lue/voy8y0s0wph41nokjtiaw5i5g|url-status=live}}</ref> as he became the first black head coach in the NBA,<ref name="Goldstein 2022"/> when he succeeded [[Red Auerbach]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Chandler|first=D. L.|date=April 18, 2012|url=https://newsone.com/2003287/bill-russell-first-black-coach-in-pro-sports/|title=NBA Legend Bill Russell Became First Black Coach In Pro Sports 46 Years Ago Today|website=NewsOne|access-date=April 14, 2022|archive-date=November 12, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112164417/http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Aschburner|first=Steve|date=February 15, 2022|url=https://www.nba.com/news/biggest-moments-for-nbas-15-greatest-coaches|title=Biggest moments for NBA's 15 Greatest Coaches|publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=February 27, 2022|archive-date=February 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227030358/https://www.nba.com/news/biggest-moments-for-nbas-15-greatest-coaches|url-status=live}}</ref>

In his first NBA full season (1957–58), 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 is one of just two NBA players (the other being [[Wilt Chamberlain]]) to have grabbed more than 50 rebounds in a game.<ref name="Schwartz 1999">{{cite web|last=Schwartz|first=Larry|date=October 29, 1999|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/chamberlain_wilt.html|title=Wilt battled 'loser' label|work=ESPN|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=April 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422171338/https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/chamberlain_wilt.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He still holds the NBA record for rebounds in one half with 32 (vs. Philadelphia, November 16, 1957). Career-wise in rebounds, Russell ranks second to Chamberlain in regular season total (21,620) and average per game (22.5), and he led the NBA in average rebounds per game four times.<ref name=nbacomsummary/> As of 2024, Russell is the leader for most career rebounds, most minutes per game (42.3), and most rebounds per game in Celtics franchise history.<ref>{{cite web|title=Boston Celtics Career Leaders|work=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/leaders_career.html|access-date=January 9, 2024|archive-date=August 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805194521/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/leaders_career.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell is the all-time playoff leader in total (4,104) and average (24.9) rebounds per game, he grabbed 40 rebounds in three separate playoff games (twice in the [[NBA Finals]]), and he never failed to average at least 20 rebounds per game in any of his thirteen playoff campaigns. Russell also had seven regular-season games with 40 or more rebounds, the NBA Finals record for highest rebound per game average (29.5, 1959) and by a rookie (22.9, 1957).<ref name=nbacomsummary/> 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).<ref name=stats>{{cite news|title=NBA Finals records|work=USA Today|date=June 2, 2001|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/01playoffs/finals/records.htm|access-date=April 29, 2007|archive-date=December 16, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216184016/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/01playoffs/finals/records.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> He also had 51 in one game, 49 in two others, and twelve straight seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds.<ref name=nbacomsummary/> Russell was known as one of the most [[Clutch (sports)|clutch]] players in the NBA.<ref name="Shouler 2006" /> He played in eleven deciding games (ten times in Game 7s, once in a Game 5) and ended with a 11–0 record. In these eleven games, Russell averaged 18.3 points and 29.4 rebounds.<ref name=nbacompraise/>

[[File:Medal of Freedom Ceremony (5448739629).jpg|alt=Russell smiling as Barack Obama puts an award around his neck|thumb|upright=0.9|Russell being awarded the Medal of Freedom by President [[Barack Obama]] at the [[White House]], February 2011]]
Russell was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his defensive intensity, basketball [[Intelligence quotient|IQ]], and will to win.<ref name=nbacompraise/> He excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive rebounds.<ref name=nbacomsummary/> Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled.<ref name="Shouler 2006">{{cite web|last=Shouler|first=Ken|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs2006/columns/story?id=2453844&columnist=shouler_ken|date=May 23, 2006|title=Bill Russell was Mr. Game 7|work=ESPN|access-date=April 6, 2022|quote=Russell is more effective against me than any other defender in the NBA because he catches me off guard with his moves. Sometimes, he's playing in front of me. Other times he's in back of me. He keeps me guessing. He plays me tight this time, loose the next time. I've got to look around to find out where he is. It means I'm concentrating on him as much as my shot. And, of course, nobody has quite the timing he does in blocking shots.|archive-date=April 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170408082353/http://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs2006/columns/story?id=2453844&columnist=shouler_ken|url-status=live}}</ref> 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]".<ref name=nytram>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/books/review/Bradley-t.html|title=Life Coach|first=Bill|last=Bradley|date=June 5, 2009|magazine=The New York Times Book Review|access-date=April 5, 2022|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421165750/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/books/review/Bradley-t.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard [[Bob Cousy]] for easy [[fast-break]] points.<ref name=nbacomsummary/> He was also known as a fine passer and [[pick-and-roll]] setter, featured a decent left-handed [[hook shot]], and finished strong on alley oops.<ref name=nbacompraise/> 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). In his thirteen years, he averaged a relatively low 13.4 field goals attempted (normally, top scorers average 20 and more),<ref name="brstats"/> illustrating that he was never the focal point of the Celtics offense, who instead focused on his elite defense.<ref name=nbacompraise/> He ranks No. 1 in NBA history for defensive win shares at 133.6, with [[Tim Duncan]] in second at 106.3.<ref name="Heery 2022"/> While blocked shots were not a recorded [[basketball statistic]] during Russell's career, he averaged 8.1 blocks in 135 games, as Boston writers often attempted to tally his blocks.<ref name=nbacompraise/> [[Bill Simmons]] has estimated that Russell had between 8 and 15 blocks per game in the playoffs.<ref name="Heery 2022"/>

Russell was driven by "a neurotic need to win", as his Celtic teammate [[Tom Heinsohn]] observed.<ref name=taylor193_197>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/193|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/193 193–197]}}</ref> He was so tense before every game that he regularly vomited in the locker room; early in his career, it happened so frequently that his fellow Celtics were more worried when it did not happen than when it did.<ref name=taylor6>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/6|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/6 6]}}</ref> Later in Russell's career, [[John Havlicek]] said of his teammate and coach that he threw up less often than early in his career, only doing so "when it's an important game or an important challenge for him—someone like Chamberlain, or someone coming up that everyone's touting. [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.{{'"}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Plimpton|first=George|date=December 23, 1968|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1968/12/23/551861/sportsman-of-the-year-bill-russell|title=Sportsman of the Year: Bill Russell|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=December 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229040923/https://www.si.com/vault/1968/12/23/551861/sportsman-of-the-year-bill-russell|url-status=live}}</ref> In a retrospective interview, Russell described the state of mind he felt he needed to enter in order to be able to play basketball: "I had to almost be in a rage. Nothing went on outside the borders of the court. I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. And I could anticipate every move that every player made."<ref>{{cite interview|last=Russell|first=Bill|interviewer=Bill Simmons|title=Mr. Russell's House|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=10m35s|publisher=NBA TV Originals|location=Seattle|date=February 18, 2013|access-date=April 4, 2017|at=10:35|archive-date=April 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410180013/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc5wizzVVC8#t=10m35s|url-status=live}}</ref>

In his career, Russell won five [[NBA MVP]] awards (1959, 1961–63, 1965),<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> which is tied with [[Michael Jordan]] for second all-time behind [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]'s six awards.<ref>{{cite web|title=NBA MVP & ABA Most Valuable Player Award Winners|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/mvp.html|access-date=April 9, 2025}}</ref> He was selected three times to the [[All-NBA]] First Teams (1959, 1963, 1965) and eight Second Teams (1958, 1960–62, 1964, 1966–68), and was a 12-time [[NBA All-Star]] (1958–1969).<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> Russell was elected to one [[NBA All-Defensive First Team]].<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> This took place during his last season (1969) and was the first season the NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fromal|first=Adam|date=September 28, 2011|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/867258-ranking-every-nba-all-defensive-first-team-in-history-from-worst-to-first|title=Ranking Every NBA All-Defensive First Team in History from Worst to First|website=Bleacher Report|access-date=April 7, 2022|archive-date=April 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407031715/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/867258-ranking-every-nba-all-defensive-first-team-in-history-from-worst-to-first|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1970, ''[[The Sporting News]]'' named Russell the "Athlete of the Decade".<ref name="Hoophall.com"/><ref name=":0">{{cite magazine|last=Elderkin|first=Phil|date=January 19, 2022|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nba-75-bill-russell-1960s-athlete-of-the-decade-tsn-archives/c4vuigi02ch915zwuzk2u0ilj|title=NBA 75: Bill Russell, 1960s Athlete of the Decade (TSN Archives)|magazine=The Sporting News|access-date=April 7, 2022|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421025303/https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/nba-75-bill-russell-1960s-athlete-of-the-decade-tsn-archives/c4vuigi02ch915zwuzk2u0ilj|url-status=live}}</ref> Russell is universally seen as one of the best NBA players ever,<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> and he was declared "Greatest Player in the History of the NBA" by the Professional Basketball Writers Association of America in 1980.<ref name="nbacomsummary"/>

[[File:Bill Clinton and Bill Russell meet at 2014 Civil Rights Summit.jpg|alt=Clinton smiling and hugging a pole while speaking to Russell|thumb|left|Former president [[Bill Clinton]] and Russell at the [[LBJ Presidential Library]]'s Civil Rights Summit in 2014]]
For his achievements, Russell was named "Sportsman of the Year" by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' in 1968.<ref name="Plimpton 1968">{{cite magazine|last=Plimpton|first=George|date=December 23, 1968|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1968/12/23/sportsman-of-the-year-bill-russell|title=1968 Sportsman of the Year: Bill Russell, Boston Celtics coach-player|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=April 7, 2022|archive-date=April 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407031715/https://vault.si.com/vault/1968/12/23/sportsman-of-the-year-bill-russell|url-status=live}}</ref> He is one of four players (along with Cousy, [[George Mikan]], and [[Bob Pettit]]) to have made all four [[NBA anniversary teams]]: the [[NBA 25th Anniversary Team]] (1970), the [[NBA 35th Anniversary Team]] (1980), the [[NBA 50th Anniversary Team]] (1996),<ref name="nbacomsummary"/> and the [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team]] (2021).<ref name="NBA 75"/> Russell ranked No. 18 on [[ESPN]]'s "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century" list in 1999.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shapiro|first=Leonard|date=January 22, 1999|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1999/01/22/espns-sportscentury-goes-back-back-back-through-the-annals-of-sports-history/7a824d06-30c0-4009-8849-cbd52bb8b8e2/|title=ESPN's 'SportsCentury' Goes Back-Back-Back|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 18, 2022|archive-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828051503/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1999/01/22/espns-sportscentury-goes-back-back-back-through-the-annals-of-sports-history/7a824d06-30c0-4009-8849-cbd52bb8b8e2/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://static.espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html|title=Top N. American athletes of the century|work=ESPN|date=October 29, 1999|access-date=March 18, 2022|archive-date=May 24, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524073844/http://static.espn.go.com/sportscentury/athletes.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, he was voted the third best center of all time by ESPN behind Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain.<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily Dime: Special Edition The game's greatest giants ever|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-GreatestCenters|date=March 6, 2007|access-date=January 26, 2008|archive-date=March 25, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070325001933/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-GreatestCenters|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, ''[[Slam (magazine)|Slam]]'' named him the third best player of all-time behind Jordan and Chamberlain.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.slamonline.com/online/the-magazine/features/2009/06/the-new-top-50/|title=The New Top 50|magazine=Slam|access-date=June 22, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622072004/http://www.slamonline.com/online/the-magazine/features/2009/06/the-new-top-50/|archive-date=June 22, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2020, he was ranked No. 4 in ESPN's list of the top 74 NBA players of all time, the second best center behind Abdul-Jabbar and ahead of Chamberlain.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29105801/ranking-top-74-nba-players-all-nos-10-1|title=Ranking the top 74 NBA players of all time: Nos. 10–1|work=ESPN|date=May 13, 2020|access-date=May 19, 2021|archive-date=November 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119203144/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29105801/ranking-top-74-nba-players-all-nos-10-1|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, he was ranked No. 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33297498/the-nba-75th-anniversary-team-ranked-where-76-basketball-legends-check-our-list|title=The NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, ranked: Where 76 basketball legends check in on our list|work=ESPN|date=February 21, 2022|access-date=April 7, 2022|archive-date=April 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425080052/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33297498/the-nba-75th-anniversary-team-ranked-where-76-basketball-legends-check-our-list|url-status=live}}</ref> and No. 4 in a similar list by ''[[The Athletic]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3137873/2022/02/23/the-nba-75-the-top-75-nba-players-of-all-time-from-mj-and-lebron-to-lenny-wilkens/|title=NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens|website=The Athletic|date=February 23, 2022|access-date=June 13, 2025|archive-date=April 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407031715/https://theathletic.com/3137873/2022/02/23/the-nba-75-the-top-75-nba-players-of-all-time-from-mj-and-lebron-to-lenny-wilkens/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Of Russell, former NBA player and head coach [[Don Nelson]] said: "There are two types of superstars. One makes himself look good at the expense of the other guys on the floor. But there's another type who makes the players around him look better than they are, and that's the type Russell was."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html|title=Bill Russell Bio|publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=January 24, 2014|archive-date=May 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506224620/http://www.nba.com/history/players/russell_bio.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2000, his longtime teammate [[Tom Heinsohn]] described both Russell's stature and his uneasy relationship with Boston more earthily, saying: "Look, all I know is the guy&nbsp;... came to Boston and won 11 championships in 13 years, and they named a bleeping tunnel after [[Ted Williams]]."<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Felker|editor-first=Clay|year=2000|title=The Best American Magazine Writing 2000|edition=paperback|location=New York City|publisher=Public Affairs|page=23|isbn=978-1-5864-8009-7}}</ref> During the [[NBA All-Star Weekend]] on February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner [[David Stern]] announced that the NBA Finals MVP award would be named after Russell.<ref name=finalsmvp/> He was named as a 2010 recipient of the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2010/11/17/president-obama-names-presidential-medal-freedom-recipients|title=President Obama Names Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients|date=November 17, 2010|access-date=November 19, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170126074451/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2010/11/17/president-obama-names-presidential-medal-freedom-recipients|archive-date=January 26, 2017|via=[[National Archives and Records Administration|NARA]]|publisher=[[White House]]|url-status=live}}</ref> On June 15, 2017, Russell was announced as the inaugural recipient of the [[NBA Lifetime Achievement Award]].<ref name="Lifetime">{{cite web|last=Feldman|first=Dan|date=June 15, 2017|url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2017/06/15/bill-russell-to-receive-nbas-inaugural-lifetime-achievement-award/|title=Bill Russell to receive NBA's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award|website=NBC Sports|access-date=April 7, 2022|archive-date=August 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806131330/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2017/06/15/bill-russell-to-receive-nbas-inaugural-lifetime-achievement-award/|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2021, Russell was honored as one of the&nbsp;league's 75 greatest players of all time.<ref name="NBA 75">{{cite press release|url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced|title=NBA 75th Anniversary Team announced|publisher=National Basketball Association|date=October 21, 2021|access-date=January 27, 2022|archive-date=October 25, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025195243/https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced|url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 11, 2022, it was announced that Russell's No. 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 [[Major North American professional sports teams|the four major American sports leagues]].<ref name="League"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Bill Russell's No. 6 jersey to be retired throughout NBA |url=https://www.nba.com/news/bill-russells-no-6-jersey-to-be-retired-throughout-nba |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=August 12, 2022 |language=en |archive-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817080803/https://www.nba.com/news/bill-russells-no-6-jersey-to-be-retired-throughout-nba |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the NBA players who wore the number 6 jersey at that time, such as [[LeBron James]], may keep the number under the [[grandfather clause]] until they voluntarily change it or retire, similar to what MLB players did with Robinson's No. 42.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 11, 2022 |title=NBA players who currently wear No. 6 jersey |url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-players-who-currently-wear-no-6-jersey |access-date=August 12, 2022 |publisher=National Basketball Association |archive-date=August 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812035809/https://www.nba.com/news/nba-players-who-currently-wear-no-6-jersey |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Eulau |first=Eric |url=https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/lakers-news-league-retires-bill-russells-no-6-lebron-james-grandfathered-in-ee21 |title=Lakers News: League Retires Bill Russell's No. 6, LeBron James Grandfathered In |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=August 12, 2022 |access-date=October 21, 2023 |archive-date=August 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826013309/https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/lakers-news-league-retires-bill-russells-no-6-lebron-james-grandfathered-in-ee21 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2024, Boston Mayor [[Michelle Wu]] and other officials announced that the city would rename the new North Washington Street Bridge (located near TD Garden) in honor of Russell. At the time of the renaming, the "William Felton 'Bill' Russell Bridge" was under construction as the replacement of a bridge known locally as the [[Charlestown Bridge]].<ref>Multiple sources:
*{{cite web |last1=Klein |first1=Asher |last2=Bradford |first2=Colton |title=Boston renaming bridge for late Celtics legend Bill Russell |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/boston-to-rename-bridge-for-late-celtics-legend-bill-russell/3526492/?os=... |website=NBC Boston |access-date=October 24, 2024 |date=October 21, 2024}}
*{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/10/21/metro/bill-russell-bridge-charlestown-td-garden-renaming/ |title=Bridge Near TD Garden Named for NBA Legend Bill Russell: 'What a Bridge Does Is Bring People Together' |first1=Camilo |last1=Fonseca |first2=Travis |last2=Andersen |website=[[The Boston Globe]] |url-access=limited |date=October 21, 2024 |accessdate=October 21, 2024}}</ref>

===Statue===
In 2013, [[Boston]] honored Russell by erecting a statue of him on [[City Hall Plaza (Boston)|City Hall Plaza]]. He is depicted in-game, surrounded by 11 [[plinths]] representing the 11 championships he helped the Celtics win.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gellerman|first=Bruce|url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2013/11/01/russell-celtics-statue-boston|title=Bill Russell Statue Unveiled At Boston City Hall|date=November 1, 2013|publisher=WBUR-FM|access-date=January 27, 2023|archive-date=November 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121051349/http://www.wbur.org/news/2013/11/01/russell-celtics-statue-boston|url-status=live}}</ref> Each plinth features a key word and related quote to illustrate Russell's multiple accomplishments. The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project.<ref>{{cite web|title=News and Events|url=http://www.billrusselllegacy.org/news.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711172606/http://www.billrusselllegacy.org/news.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 11, 2011|publisher=Russell Legacy Project|access-date=February 23, 2013}}</ref> The art is by Ann Hirsch of [[Somerville, Massachusetts]], in collaboration with Pressley Associates Landscape Architects of Boston.<ref>{{cite news|last=Holmes|first=Baxter|date=October 17, 2013|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/10/16/bill-russell-statue-unveiled-nov-city-hall-plaza/rGOtAgUbGYNQ6OF0ulLQnK/story.html|title=Bill Russell statue to be unveiled Nov. 1|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=February 12, 2014|archive-date=February 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203081623/http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/10/16/bill-russell-statue-unveiled-nov-city-hall-plaza/rGOtAgUbGYNQ6OF0ulLQnK/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The statue was unveiled on November 1, 2013, with Russell in attendance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2013/11/01/formal-unveiling-bill-russell-statue-boston-canceled-due-threat-high-winds/SeX5OeZFvm8ABCHfPzLXYK/story.html|title=City Hall Plaza statue honors Celtics' Bill Russell|last=MacQuarrie|first=Brian|work=The Boston Globe|date=November 1, 2013|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=April 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416091618/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2013/11/01/formal-unveiling-bill-russell-statue-boston-canceled-due-threat-high-winds/SeX5OeZFvm8ABCHfPzLXYK/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/9914066/statue-boston-celtics-great-bill-russell-unveiled-boston|title=Bill Russell's statue unveiled|last=Forsberg|first=Chris|work=ESPN|date=November 1, 2013|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=August 2, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802171929/http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/9914066/statue-boston-celtics-great-bill-russell-unveiled-boston|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Sports/2013/1102/Basketball-s-Bill-Russell-joins-the-Bronze-Age|title=Basketball's Bill Russell joins the Bronze Age|last=Atkin|first=Ross|work=The Christian Science Monitor|date=November 2, 2013|access-date=August 16, 2025|archive-date=August 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807002607/https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Sports/2013/1102/Basketball-s-Bill-Russell-joins-the-Bronze-Age|url-status=live}}</ref> During the spring of 2015, two statues of children were added, honoring Russell's commitment to working with children. These statues were modeled by a local boy from Somerville and multiple girls from the surrounding area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nesn.com/2015/10/bill-russell-legacy-project-statues-unveiled-at-bostons-city-hall-photos/|title='Bill Russell Legacy Project' Statues Unveiled At Boston's City Hall (Photos)|publisher=New England Sports Network|date=October 29, 2015|access-date=April 1, 2022|archive-date=May 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524174600/https://nesn.com/2015/10/bill-russell-legacy-project-statues-unveiled-at-bostons-city-hall-photos/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===West Coast Conference's Russell Rule===
On August 2, 2020, the [[West Coast Conference]] (WCC), which has been home to Russell's alma mater of USF since the league's formation in 1952,<ref name="WCC history">{{cite web|url=https://wccsports.com/sports/2018/6/26/ot-history-html.aspx|title=West Coast Conference History|publisher=West Coast Conference|access-date=August 10, 2020|archive-date=June 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604015315/https://wccsports.com/sports/2018/6/26/ot-history-html.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|During Russell's college career, the conference was known as the California Basketball Association.<ref name="WCC history"/>}} became the first [[NCAA Division I]] conference to adopt a conference-wide diversity hiring commitment, announcing the Russell Rule, named after Russell and based on the [[National Football League]]'s [[Rooney Rule]]. In its announcement, the WCC stated: "The 'Russell Rule' requires each member institution to include a member of a traditionally underrepresented community in the pool of final candidates for every athletic director, senior administrator, head coach and full-time assistant coach position in the athletic department."<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://wccsports.com/news/2020/8/2/general-russell-rule-diversity-hiring-commitment.aspx|title=Russell Rule Diversity Hiring Commitment|publisher=West Coast Conference|date=August 3, 2020|access-date=August 10, 2020|archive-date=March 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302120116/https://wccsports.com/news/2020/8/2/general-russell-rule-diversity-hiring-commitment.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
'''[[Triple Crown (American basketball)|Basketball Triple Crown]]'''<ref name="Davis"/>

'''NBA'''
* 11× [[NBA champion]] ({{nbafy|1957}}, {{nbafy|1959}}–{{nbafy|1966}}, {{nbafy|1968}}, {{nbafy|1969}}){{efn|Russell won 11 NBA championships as a player for the Boston Celtics. Those 11 championships include two that he won as the team's [[player-coach]] (1968, 1969).<ref name="FIBA"/> }}
* 5× [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Most Valuable Player]] ({{nbay|1957|end}}, {{nbay|1960|end}}–{{nbay|1962|end}}, {{nbay|1964|end}})<ref name="brstats"/>
* 12× [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1958}}–{{nasg|1969}})<ref name="brstats"/>
* [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|NBA All-Star Game MVP]] ({{nasg|1963}})<ref name="brstats"/>
* 3× [[All-NBA First Team]] ({{nbay|1958|end}}, {{nbay|1962|end}}, {{nbay|1964|end}})<ref name="brstats"/>
* 8× [[All-NBA Second Team]] ({{nbay|1957|end}}, {{nbay|1959|end}}–{{nbay|1961|end}}, {{nbay|1963|end}}, {{nbay|1965|end}}–{{nbay|1967|end}})<ref name="brstats"/>
* [[NBA All-Defensive First Team]] ({{nbay|1968|end}})<ref name="brstats"/>
* 4× [[List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders|NBA rebounding champion]] ({{nbay|1957|end}}, {{nbay|1958|end}}, {{nbay|1963|end}}, {{nbay|1964|end}})<ref name="brstats"/>
* [[NBA Lifetime Achievement Award]] ([[2017 NBA Awards|2017]])<ref name="Lifetime"/>
* [[NBA anniversary team]] ([[NBA 25th Anniversary Team|25th]], [[NBA 35th Anniversary Team|35th]], [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|50th]], [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team|75th]])
* No. 6 [[Boston Celtics retired numbers|retired by Boston Celtics]]
* No. 6 [[List of National Basketball Association retired numbers|retired by NBA leaguewide]]
* Statue at [[Boston City Hall Plaza]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-11-01 |title=Statue of Celts great Russell unveiled in Boston |url=https://www.espn.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/9914066/statue-boston-celtics-great-bill-russell-unveiled-boston |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
* [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player|NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Trophy]] named in Russell's honor (2009)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-02-15 |title=NBA names Finals MVP after Celts great Russell |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3908460 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
'''As coach'''
* 2× [[NBA champion]] ({{nbafy|1968}}, {{nbafy|1969}}){{efn|Russell won 11 NBA championships as a player for the Boston Celtics. Those 11 championships include two that he won as the team's player-coach.|name=b}}<ref name="titles">{{cite news|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10017227-bill-russell-dies-at-age-88-hall-of-famer-won-11-nba-titles-with-celtics|title=Bill Russell Dies at Age 88; Hall of Famer Won 11 NBA Titles with Celtics |work=Bleacher Report|last=Rapp|first=Timothy|date=July 31, 2022|access-date=May 10, 2024}}</ref>

'''USA Basketball'''
* [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic]] Gold Medal ([[Basketball at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956]])

'''NCAA'''
* 2× [[West Coast Conference|WCC]] regular season champion ([[1954–55 San Francisco Dons men's basketball team|1955]], [[1955–56 San Francisco Dons men's basketball team|1956]])
* 2× [[List of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Champions|NCAA champion]] ([[1955 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1956]])
* [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player]] ([[1955 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1955]])
* [[UPI College Basketball Player of the Year|UPI College Player of the Year]] (1956)
* 2× [[Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year|Helms Player of the Year]] (1955, 1956)
* 2× Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#1955 Consensus All-America team|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#1956 Consensus All-America team|1956]])
** 2× [[Associated Press|AP]] first-team All-American ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1956]])
** 2× [[United Press International|UPI]] first-team All-American ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1956]])
** 2× [[Look (American magazine)|''Look Magazine'']] first-team All-American ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1956]])
** 2× [[Newspaper Enterprise Association|NEA]] first-team All-American ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1956]])
** 2× [[International News Service]] first-team All-American ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1955]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1956]])
** 2× ''[[Collier's]]'' All-American ([[1955 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1955 second-team]], [[1956 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1956 first-team]])
* [[West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year|WCC Player of the Year]] (1956)
* 3× First-team All-[[West Coast Conference|WCC]] (1954–1956)
* No. 6 [[San Francisco Dons men's basketball retired numbers|retired by San Francisco Dons]]

'''Media'''
* [[Philadelphia Sports Writers Association]] Athlete of the Year (1965)<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 21, 2018 |title=PSWA History |url=https://phillysportswriters.com/pswa-history/ |access-date=May 16, 2025 |website=The Philadelphia Sports Writers Association |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[The Sporting News|''Sporting News'']] Athlete of the Decade (1960s)<ref name=":0" />
* [[Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year|''Sports Illustrated'' Sportsman of the Year]] (1968)
* 4× [[The Sporting News|''Sporting News'']] NBA MVP (1961–1963, 1965)<ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA Sporting News MVP Award Winners |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/tsn_mvp.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
* 4× [[U.S. Basketball Writers Association|USBWA]] NBA MVP (1961–1963, 1965)<ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA USBWA Most Valuable Player Award Winners |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/usbwa_mvp.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
* 2× Sam Davis Memorial Award (1961, 1965)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sam Davis Memorial Award (MBWA NBA MVP) Winners |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/sam_davis.html |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Associated Press|AP]] 1960s NBA All-Decade Team<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-22 |title=Chamberlain, Russell headline AP's 1960s all-decade NBA team |url=https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-basketball-nba-finals-elgin-baylor-e4ecc880c4f013c16d1924a4890e0e60 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[The Sporting News|Sporting News]]'' 1960s NBA All-Decade First Team<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-31 |title=The 1960s All-Decade Team {{!}} Sporting News Canada |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/the-1960s-all-decade-team/1iyf41ozjsyyl1oh67ny67wtng |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-ca}}</ref>
* [[Academy of Achievement#Notable recipients of the Golden Plate Award|Academy of Achievement – Golden Plate Award]] (2008)
*  Harold & Carole Pump Foundation – Lifetime Achievement Award (2009)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees |url=https://haroldpumpfoundation.com/index.php/events/lifetime-achievement-award-honorees |access-date=April 22, 2025 |website=Harold & Carole Pump Foundation |language=en-gb}}</ref>
* [[Sports Illustrated#Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award|''Sports Illustrated''<nowiki/>'s Muhammad Ali Legacy Award]] (2016)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown and Bill Russell to Receive the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award {{!}} Los Angeles Lakers |url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/releases/161130-kareem-si-legacy-award |access-date=April 22, 2025 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

'''National'''
* [[File:Presidential Medal of Freedom (ribbon).svg|80px]] [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] ([[List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients#Awarded by Barack Obama|2011]])

'''Halls of Fame'''
* 2× [[List of members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Basketball Hall of Fame To Celebrate The Life Of Two-Time Inductee Bill Russell, Class of 1975 and 2021 |url=https://www.hoophall.com/news/basketball-hall-of-fame-to-celebrate-the-life-of-two-time-inductee-bill-russell-class-of-1975-and-2021 |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=www.hoophall.com |language=en}}</ref>
** Class of 1975 – as individual (first [[African Americans|African-American]])<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-31 |title=USF Athletics Remembers Former Don Bill Russell |url=https://usfdons.com/news/2022/8/1/mens-basketball-usf-athletics-remembers-former-don-bill-russell |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=University of San Francisco Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
** Class of 2021 – as coach
* [[National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame]] – Inaugural Class of 2006
* [[Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame]] – Inaugural Class of 1980<ref>{{Cite web |title=William "Bill" Fenton Russell |url=https://bashof.org/inductee/william-bill-fenton-russell/#:~:text=Year%20Inducted:%201980,U.S.%20Olympic%20championship%20at%20Melbourne. |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>

==NBA career statistics==
{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y|leader=y|record=y}}

===Regular season===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:right;"
|+Bill Russell regular season statistics<ref name="brstats"/>
|-
!scope="col"|Year
!scope="col"|Team
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|GP|Games Played}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|MPG|Minutes per Game}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|FG%|Field Goal Percentage}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|FT%|Free Throw Percentage}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|RPG|Rebounds per Game}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|APG|Assists per Game}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|PPG|Points per Game}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1956–57 NBA season|1956–57]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1956–57 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|48 || 35.3 || .427 || .492 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|19.6* || 1.8 || 14.7
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:transparent;"|[[1957–58 NBA season|1957–58]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1957-58 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|69 || 38.3 || .442 || .519 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|22.7* || 2.9 || 16.6
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"| [[1958–59 NBA season|1958–59]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1958-59 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|70 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|42.6* || .457 || .598 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|23.0* || 3.2 || 16.7
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1959–60 NBA season|1959–60]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1959-60 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|74 || 42.5 || '''.467''' || '''.612''' || 24.0 || 3.7 || 18.2
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1960–61 NBA season|1960–61]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1960–61 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|78 || 44.3 || .426 || .550 || 23.9 || 3.4 || 16.9
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1961–62 NBA season|1961–62]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1961–62 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|76 || '''45.2''' || .457 || .575 || 23.6 || 4.5 || '''18.9'''
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1962–63 NBA season|1962–63]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1962–63 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|78 || 44.9 || .432 || .555 || 23.6 || 4.5 || 16.8
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1963–64 NBA season|1963–64]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1963–64 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|78 || 44.6 || .433 || .550 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|'''24.7'''* || 4.7 || 15.0
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1964–65 NBA season|1964–65]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1964–65 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|78 || 44.4 || .438 || .573 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|24.1* || 5.3 || 14.1
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1965–66 NBA season|1965–66]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1965–66 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|78 || 43.4 || .415 || .551 || 22.8 || 4.8 || 12.9
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:transparent;"|[[1966–67 NBA season|1966–67]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1966–67 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|style="background:#cfecec;"|'''81'''* || 40.7 || .454 || .610 || 21.0 || '''5.8''' || 13.3
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1967–68 NBA season|1967–68]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1967–68 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|78 || 37.9 || .425 || .537 || 18.6 || 4.6 || 12.5
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1968–69 NBA season|1968–69]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1968–69 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|77 || 42.7 || .433 || .526 || 19.3 || 4.9 || 9.9
|-class="sortbottom"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;background:transparent;" colspan="2" |Career
|963 || 42.3 || .440 || .561 || 22.5 || 4.3 || 15.1
|-
|-class="sortbottom"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;background:transparent;" colspan=2|All-Star
|12 || 28.5 || .459 || .529 || 11.5 || 3.2 || 10.0
|}

===Playoffs===
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:right;"
|+Bill Russell post-season statistics<ref name="brstats"/>
|-
!scope="col"|Year
!scope="col"|Team
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|GP|Games Played}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|MPG|Minutes per Game}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|FG%|Field Goal Percentage}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|FT%|Free Throw Percentage}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|RPG|Rebounds per Game}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|APG|Assists per Game}}
!scope="col"|{{Abbr|PPG|Points per Game}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1957 NBA playoffs|1957]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1956–57 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|10 || 40.9 || .365 || .508 || 24.4 || 3.2 || 13.9
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:transparent;"|[[1958 NBA playoffs|1958]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1957–58 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|9 || 39.4 || .361 || .606 || 24.6 || 2.7 || 15.1
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1959 NBA playoffs|1959]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1958–59 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|11 || 45.1 || .409 || .612 || 27.7 || 3.6 || 15.5
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1960 NBA playoffs|1960]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1959–60 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|13 || 44.0 || .456 || .707 || 25.8 || 2.9 || 18.5
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1961 NBA playoffs|1961]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1960–61 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|10 ||  46.2 || .427 || .523 || '''29.9''' || 4.8 || 19.1
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1962 NBA playoffs|1962]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1961–62 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|14 || '''48.0''' || .458 || '''.726''' || 26.4 || 5.0 || '''22.4'''
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1963 NBA playoffs|1963]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1962–63 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|13 || 47.5 || .453 || .661 || 25.1 || 5.1 || 20.3
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1964 NBA playoffs|1964]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1963–64 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|10 || 45.1 || .356 || .552 || 27.2 || 4.4 || 13.1
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1965 NBA playoffs|1965]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1964–65 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|12 || 46.8 || '''.527''' || .526 || 25.2 || '''6.3''' || 16.5
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1966 NBA playoffs|1966]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1965–66 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|17 || 47.9 || .475 || .618 || 25.2 || 5.0 || 19.1
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:transparent;"|[[1967 NBA playoffs|1967]]
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1966–67 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|9 || 43.3 || .360 || .635 || 22.0 || 5.6 || 10.6
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1968 NBA playoffs|1968]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1967–68 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|'''19''' || 45.7 || .409 || .585 || 22.8 || 5.2 || 14.4
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|[[1969 NBA playoffs|1969]]†
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1968–69 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|18 || 46.1 || .423 || .506 || 20.5 || 5.4 || 10.8
|-class="sortbottom"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;background:transparent;" colspan="2"|Career
|165 || 45.4 || .430 || .603 || bgcolor="EOCEF2"|24.9{{double-dagger}} || 4.7 || 16.2
|}

==Head coaching record==
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start|caption=Bill Russell coaching statistics}}
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1966–67 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1966}}
|81||60||21||.671|| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Eastern||9||4||5||.444
|style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1967 NBA playoffs|Division finals]]
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1967–68 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1967}}
|82||54||28||.659|| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Eastern||19||12||7||.632
|style="text-align:center;"|'''Won [[1968 NBA Finals|NBA championship]]'''
|-! style="background:#FDE910;"
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1968–69 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1968}}
|82||48||34||.585|| style="text-align:center;"|4th in Eastern||18||12||6||.667
|style="text-align:center;"|'''Won [[1969 NBA Finals|NBA championship]]'''
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1973–74 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1973}}
|82||36||46||.439|| style="text-align:center;"|3rd in Pacific||—||—||—||—
|style="text-align:center;"|Missed playoffs
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1974–75 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1974}}
|82||43||39||.524|| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Pacific||9||4||5||.444
|style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1975 NBA playoffs|Conference semifinals]]
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1975–76 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1975}}
|82||43||39||.524|| style="text-align:center;"|2nd in Pacific||6||2||4||.333
|style="text-align:center;"|Lost in [[1976 NBA playoffs|Conference semifinals]]
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1976–77 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1976}}
|82||40||42||.488|| style="text-align:center;"|4th in Pacific||—||—||—||—
|style="text-align:center;"|Missed playoffs
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|[[1987–88 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
|style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1987}}
|58||17||41||.293|| style="text-align:center;"|(dismissed)||—||—||—||—
|style="text-align:center;"|—
|-class="sortbottom"
|style="text-align:left;"|'''Career'''
|||631||341||290||.540|| ||61||34||27||.557||
{{s-end}}

==Personal life and death==
[[File:Bill Russell - 2005 NBA Legends Tour - 1-21-05.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Russell looking away from the camera|Russell in 2005]]
Russell was a resident of [[Mercer Island, Washington]], for nearly five decades.<ref>{{cite news|last=Flemming|first=Jack|title=NBA legend Bill Russell wants $2.6 million for Washington home|work=Los Angeles Times|date=August 23, 2021|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/real-estate/story/2021-08-23/nba-legend-bill-russell-wants-2-6-million-for-washington-home|access-date=June 28, 2023|archive-date=September 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230906232955/https://www.latimes.com/business/real-estate/story/2021-08-23/nba-legend-bill-russell-wants-2-6-million-for-washington-home|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1959, Russell became the first NBA player to visit Africa.<ref>{{cite web|last=Esten|first=Hugh|date=November 28, 2016|title=Bill Russell – A Proud, Fierce Warrior|url=http://www.achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=December 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219191159/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/|url-status=live}} Last revised on July 31, 2022.</ref>

Russell was a member of [[Kappa Alpha Psi]] fraternity, having been initiated into its Gamma Alpha chapter while a student at University of San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atlantaalumnichapter.org/frat.html|url-status=dead|title=A Brief History of Kappa Alpha Psi|publisher=Atlanta Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111231161759/http://www.atlantaalumnichapter.org/frat.html|archive-date=December 31, 2011|access-date=August 29, 2013}}</ref>

On October 16, 2013, Russell was arrested for bringing his registered, loaded .38-caliber [[Smith & Wesson]] handgun to the [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport]].<ref name="Stapleton">{{cite news|last=Stapleton|first=AnneClaire|title=Police: NBA legend Bill Russell arrested with gun at airport|date=October 19, 2013|url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/19/us/bill-russell-gun-airport/|access-date=October 19, 2013|publisher=CNN|archive-date=October 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020073232/http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/19/us/bill-russell-gun-airport/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was issued a citation and released, and the [[Transportation Security Administration]] indicated it would levy a civil penalty, which would be between $3,000 and $7,500.<ref name="Stapleton"/>

===Marriages and children===
Russell was married to his college sweetheart Rose Swisher from 1956 to 1973. They had three children: daughter Karen Russell, a television pundit and lawyer, and sons William Jr. and Jacob. The couple grew emotionally distant and divorced.<ref name=taylor359_362>{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/359|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Random House|location=New York City|isbn=1-4000-6114-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl/page/359 359–362]}}</ref> In 1977, he married [[Dorothy Anstett]], [[Miss USA]] of 1968;<ref name=taylor359_362/> they divorced in 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/player/bio/_/id/4152|title=Bill Russell Biography|work=ESPN|access-date=April 4, 2022|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801132208/https://www.espn.com/nba/player/bio/_/id/4152|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1996, Russell married his third wife, Marilyn Nault;<ref>{{cite book|author-link=Murry R. Nelson|last=Nelson|first=Murry R.|title=Bill Russell: A Biography|year=2005|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|location=Westport, Connecticut|isbn=0-313-33091-3|page=xiv|no-pp=true}}</ref> their marriage lasted until her death in January 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=The University of San Francisco Honors the Memory of Marilyn Nault Russell|url=http://usfdons.cstv.com/genrel/012609aaa.html|publisher=University of San Francisco|date=January 26, 2009|access-date=February 15, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218144837/http://usfdons.cstv.com/genrel/012609aaa.html|archive-date=February 18, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Russell was married to Jeannine Russell at the time of his death.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sloan|first=Elizabeth|date=July 10, 2019|url=https://heavy.com/sports/2019/07/bill-russell/|title=Bill Russell: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|website=Heavy|access-date=August 2, 2022|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801132210/https://heavy.com/sports/2019/07/bill-russell/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kupper|first=Eisenhamme|date=July 31, 2022|url=https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2022-07-31/bill-russell-dead|title=Bill Russell, legendary Celtics center and NBA coach, dead at 88|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 31, 2022|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731174522/https://www.latimes.com/obituaries/story/2022-07-31/bill-russell-dead|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Personality===
In 1966, ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that "Russell's main characteristics are pride, intelligence, an active and appreciative sense of humor, a preoccupation with dignity, a capacity for consideration once his friendship or sympathy has been aroused, and an unwillingness to compromise whatever truths he has accepted."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/issue.html|date=April 19, 1966|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|newspaper=The New York Times|pages=49|title=Glory at the Basket, William Felton Russell|access-date=July 16, 2022|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307230445/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1966/04/19/issue.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, Russell wrote his paternal grandfather's motto, passed down to his father and then to him: "A man has to draw a line inside himself that he won't allow any man to cross." Russell said he was "proud of my grandfather's heroic dignity against forces more powerful than him&nbsp;... he would not allow himself to be oppressed or intimidated by anyone." He wrote these words after recounting how grandfather Jake Russell had stood up to the [[Ku Klux Klan]] and other whites who attempted to thwart his efforts to build a schoolhouse for black children; his grandfather was the first person in Russell's patrilineal line born free in North America and was himself illiterate.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Ring Leader: Bill Russell helped the Celtics rule their sport like no team ever has|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2014/08/15/bill-russell-boston-celtics-ring-leader-si-60-frank-deford|first=Frank|last=Deford|date=May 10, 1999|access-date=July 16, 2022|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731190914/https://www.si.com/nba/2014/08/15/bill-russell-boston-celtics-ring-leader-si-60-frank-deford|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Russell|first1=Bill|last2=Steinberg|first2=Alan|title=Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend|url=https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ|url-access=registration|date=May 5, 2009|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-176614-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ/page/2 2]–6}}</ref> Russell's motto became: "If you disrespect that line, you disrespect me."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Russell|first1=Bill|last2=Steinberg|first2=Alan|title=Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend|url=https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ|url-access=registration|date=May 5, 2009|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-06-176614-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ/page/6 6]}}</ref>

Russell was known for his distinctive high-pitched laugh, of which Red Auerbach quipped: "There are only two things that could make me quit coaching. My wife and Russell's laugh."<ref name=si19631118/> To teammates and friends, Russell was open and amicable; he was extremely distrusting and cold towards anyone else.<ref name=taylor193_197/> Journalists were often treated to the "Russell Glower", described as an "icily contemptuous stare accompanied by a long silence".<ref name=taylor193_197/> 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.<ref name=taylor193_197/>

===Death===
Russell died at his Mercer Island, Washington, home on July 31, 2022, at the age of 88.<ref name="Goldstein 2022"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Goldman|first=Tom|date=July 31, 2022|title=Bill Russell, Basketball Great With Record 11 NBA Titles, Dies At 88|publisher=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2022/07/31/961414664/bill-russell-basketball-great-with-record-11-nba-titles-dies-at-88|access-date=July 31, 2022|archive-date=July 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731174521/https://www.npr.org/2022/07/31/961414664/bill-russell-basketball-great-with-record-11-nba-titles-dies-at-88|url-status=live}}</ref> The news was announced in a [[Twitter post]] by his family. In a statement, NBA Commissioner [[Adam Silver]] said that Russell was "the greatest champion in all of team sports".<ref>{{cite web|last=Wright|first=Michael C.|date=July 31, 2022|title=Celtics legend, 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell dies at 88|url=https://www.nba.com/news/celtics-legend-11-time-nba-champion-bill-russell-dies-at-88|publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=July 31, 2022|archive-date=August 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801014812/https://www.nba.com/news/celtics-legend-11-time-nba-champion-bill-russell-dies-at-88|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Selected publications==
* {{cite book|last=Russell|first=Bill|author2=McSweeny, William|title=Go Up for Glory|url=https://archive.org/details/goupforglory00russ|url-access=registration|year=1966|publisher=Coward-McCann<!--|sbn=425-2162-9-->}}
* {{cite book|last=Russell|first=Bill|author2=Branch, Taylor|author-link2=Taylor Branch |title=Second Wind|year=1979|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=978-0-394-50385-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Russell|first=Bill|author2=Faulkner, David|title=Russell Rules: 11 Lessons on Leadership from the Twentieth Century's Greatest Winner|year=2001|publisher=New American Library|isbn=0-525-94598-9|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780525945987}}
* {{cite book|last=Russell|first=Bill|author2=Steinberg, Alan|title=Red and Me: My Coach, My Lifelong Friend|year=2009|publisher=Harper|isbn=978-0-06-176614-5|url=https://archive.org/details/redmemycoachmy00russ}}

===Documentary series===
*''Bill Russell: Legend'', Netflix, 2023

==See also==
* [[List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association career minutes played leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association career playoff triple-double leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association single-game rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association single-season rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks]]
* [[List of NBA players with most championships]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career rebounding leaders]]
* [[Race and ethnicity in the NBA]]

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Goudsouzian|first=Aram|year=2010|title=King of the Court: Bill Russell and the Basketball Revolution|location=Berkeley|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-25887-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Heisler|first=Mark|year=2003|title=Giants: The 25 Greatest Centers of All Time|location=Chicago|publisher=Triumph Books|isbn=1-57243-577-1}}
* {{cite book|last=Kornheiser|first=Tony|author-link=Tony Kornheiser|year=1999|chapter=Bill Russell: Nothing but a Man|editor-last=MacCambridge|editor-first=Michael|title=ESPN SportsCentury|location=New York City|publisher=Hyperion-ESPN Books|pages=178–189}}
* {{cite book|last=Pluto|first=Terry|author-link=Terry Pluto|year=1992|title=Tall Tales: The Glory Years of the NBA in the Words of the Men Who Played, Coached, and Built Pro Basketball|location=New York|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=0-671-74279-5|url=https://archive.org/details/talltales00plut}}
* {{cite book|last=Pomerantz|first=Gary M.|year=2019|url=https://openlibrary.org/works/OL19754797W/The_last_pass|url-access=registration|title=The Last Pass: Cousy, Russell, the Celtics, and What Matters in the End|location=New York City|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0-7352-2363-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John|year=2005|url=https://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl|url-access=registration|title=The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball|location=New York City|publisher=Random House|isbn=1-4000-6114-8}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=Q242185|c=Category:Bill Russell|wikt=no|v=no|b=no|s=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no|n=no}}
* {{basketballhof|william-f-bill-russell}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930171404/http://www.halloffame.fiba.com/pages/eng/hof/indu/play/2007/p/lid_17904_newsid/19961/bio.html FIBA Hall of Fame on Russell]
* {{basketballstats|nba_historical=bill_russell|bbr=r/russebi01}}
* {{IMDb name|0751020}}

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