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Bill Russell remains the NBA's ultimate winner. Russell, who passed away on July 31, won 11 titles with the Boston Celtics in a 13-year career between 1956 and 1969. Calling him a perennial champion would be an understatement. In terms of winning, Russell was to the NBA what tennis superstar Rafael Nadal is to the French Open.
Among Russell's best qualities was that he was a team player and played top-notch defense. The first quality is why several critics rate Russell ahead of his rival Wilt Chamberlain. The latter attribute played a big part in Russell leading the Celtics to 11 championships.
In a clip posted by the Boston Celtics on Twitter, Russell talked about his defensive prowess. The legend said:
“A lot of times I would set players up in that if you know anything about vision, eyesight in the NBA. Players, their vision is like a projector. It opens and closes. When they’re coming up court, they used to spread vision till they see everything. But when they pass and shoot, it narrows down to the target."
Russell added:
"A defensive player could stand one foot out of their line of sight and he can’t see him. Literally, he cannot see him. It’s completely blind although it’s right in the middle of the court.”
Bill Russell No. 6 jersey retired by the NBA
To commemorate Bill Russell's legacy, the NBA had already named the finals MVP trophy after him in 2009. However, in the aftermath of Russell's death, the league also decided to retire Russell's No. 6 jersey. This makes Russell the first player in NBA history to have his jersey retired across the league. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on the occasion:
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way. Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”
Overall, Russell won five MVP awards. He was a 12-time All-Star and was a member of the NBA's 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. In 1966, Russell was hired by the Celtics as the first Black coach in the history of the league and major U.S. professional sports.
As a player-coach, he guided Boston to back-to-back NBA championships in 1968 and 1969. Russell was awarded the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, for his achievements on and off the court. In 2017, Bill Russell was presented with the NBA's Lifetime Achievement award.
