Great post! I love the mental image of Bill Russell playing in today’s NBA. He would be the 5 that brings today’s team to multiple championships. He retired well before I was watching Celtics basketball but his legendary status with the organization continued to be a story line that was frequently revisited by the Celtics star players of the 80s when I started following the team all the way through to today. Happy birthday to a Boston Celtics icon.There is Bill Russell and there is everyone else.
Incredible how the media acts like Jordan and 6 is the gold standard. I am so sick o basketball articles that say "since 1970" since if the don't do that Bill (or Wilt) is at the top. too much he is treated like he is Ty Cobb from some bygone old timey time. The year after he left, after winning two in a row, KAreem entered the league. No NBA team repeated, until Bird hurt his back and the Lakers in 87-88. There are guys who played against Magic that played against Bill.
If you put 1969 Bill on this year's Celt they probably win it all. But 1960-65 Bill they win for sure. Want to switch everything, Brad? Okay, but now your center is better on the ball defender than everyone but Smart. He's like KG, but way springier. How about a better athlete than Timeloard, twice as tough as Smart, better rebounder than Thompson, and best passer on the team? How about you put a guy on KD that is longer, quicker, jumps way better than he does? A guy that would exist on the planet for one reason, to stop him and beat him. Let's watch Embid drag his heavy butt back on D as Bill sprints past him for dunk, after ,dunk, after dunk. Then Embid, doe eyed, realizes his ankle hurts, and slinks off to the bench. Bill battled Wilt to standstill, and at times busted him up. He can handle today's bigs.
I wouldn't put it past him to become a passable shooter. I can't imagine something that could help him win, and him not being able to do it.
I'd much rather play with Russell too...as far as I know he wasn't an overbearing prick who might punch you.ALso while Jordan cared about shoe sales Bill cared about what was right and wrong.
Thanks for a great tribute. And I love that the first item in his Twitter bio is "Civil rights activist."ALso while Jordan cared about shoe sales Bill cared about what was right and wrong.
2nd/3rd hand story, so maybe apocryphal. Bill ended up at an AAU game in the 90s early 2000s. Sat in the front row. A kid did not run back on D. Bill was supposed to give a speech after the game at a banquet. Bill sent somebody over to the bench of the kid's team and told the coach, 'Mr Russell wants you to know if your players do not run back on defence again, you can explain to everyone at the banquet why he went home.'I'd much rather play with Russell too...as far as I know he wasn't an overbearing prick who might punch you.
Amazing.
It was probably Red. When Ewing was drafted Red laughed at the idea that Ewing was the fasted big man noting Wilt was faster but that Russell "was fastest in the league at any position". Until recently Bill really never engaged is his own legacy as an individual. For years Wilt spread his tales, 20,000 women, 600lb bench press, and Bill in contrast talked of team, winning etc. After Wilt died he often defended Wilt's physical dominance, and since his famous "I'd kick your ass" moment has stuck up for himself a bit.Amazing.
I remember hearing that when he entered the NBA he was easily the fastest player in the league.
He might have been the one that said it actually.
Small quibble, 1968 was #10. But great story.On December 28, 1967, Dad and I were at the Garden where we watched Player-Coach Bill Russell’s Celtics battle the then-expansion team, the Milwaukee Bucks. The C’s, who would secure their 11th championship in 13 years later that spring, won the contest, 136-109. At halftime, I went down under the stands to get a Coke and a slice of pizza. As I skirted back to our seats, I felt a shadow looming above me. I quickly turned around; it was Bill Russell lumbering out of the Boston locker room. “Sorry, Mr. Russell!” I exclaimed and got out of his way. “No problem, Kid,” he said as he moved past me. At that moment, I felt as if I had been in the presence of God.
I came in here to see if this tweet was posted. That’s the ultimate mic drop. “You guys and your rings, how cute.”
On December 28, 1967, Dad and I were at the Garden where we watched Player-Coach Bill Russell’s Celtics battle the then-expansion team, the Milwaukee Bucks. The C’s, who would secure their 11th championship in 13 years later that spring, won the contest, 136-109. At halftime, I went down under the stands to get a Coke and a slice of pizza. As I skirted back to our seats, I felt a shadow looming above me. I quickly turned around; it was Bill Russell lumbering out of the Boston locker room. “Sorry, Mr. Russell!” I exclaimed and got out of his way. “No problem, Kid,” he said as he moved past me. At that moment, I felt as if I had been in the presence of God.
You got in the way of "Mr. Russell" too?I am greatly pleased to discover I have something in common with one of the great Americans of our time.
I am stealing this.I ust want to remind you when you enter into social media that the many dumb young, and just plain Laker fans will say
1. The first team and coach to start 5 black guys is racist because Bird, Mchale,Ainge, Walton are white.
2. Bill Russell was involved in civil rights before Ali.
3. Laker fans want to call the Cs racist, discount Russell, beating "plumbers" but count the 5 pre color barrier Minneapolis titles.
Don't let this shit slide.
Thank you for sharing this. It is unsurprising considering Russell's character but still an awesome story.When researching a book about Pawtucket’s 21 KIAs from the Vietnam War, I came across some relatives of Raymond Michalopoulos, who as a teenager worked at the R.I. Auditorium, doing light maintenance chores and serving as a ball boy when the Celtics played an occasional preseason game there. According to Ray’s cousin, Mike Connolly, the Celtics sometimes took Ray out to the team dinner. They liked the little Greek kid.
After a game one night, Ray was getting ready to walk home and Russell offered him a ride.
”It was around 1 in the morning,” Mike Connolly recalled in 2015. “The family was sitting around, waiting for Ray. Then a big Cadillac pulls into the driveway. Ray comes into the house, says he wants to introduce us to Bill Russell. Bill walked into the house. My grandmother almost had a heart attack. Bill said, ‘The game was running late and I decided to drop Ray off on my way back to Boston.’ Then he pulls out a Celtics jersey, a pair of gum trunks, signs them to Ray and his family, saying ‘Maybe these will worth something some day.’
This was around 1963 or 1964. Raymond Michalopoulos died in the battle of Dak To in November 1967.
Sometimes it is the little kindnesses that define us as human beings.Thank you for sharing this. It is unsurprising considering Russell's character but still an awesome story.
There is an On Demand show on Comcast called “Celtics Parquet Panel: Bill Russell”, with Tom Heinsohn, Jojo White, and Satch Sanders with Bob Ryan discussing Russell’s legacy. Not the greatest TV ever, but fun to see and hear these legends talk about Bill.#1 - I love everything about this thread.
#2 - Is there a good Russell Docuseries?
#3 - if not can we crowdsource the funding for one while this legend is still around?
Thanks. It's better for my work productivity if you post these things after hours!Happy birthday Russ!
I figure this is a good time to share this video where the creator makes the case for Bill is the GOAT. Lots of good footage in here and he certainly makes a compelling case.
View: https://youtu.be/WHT8x-AO290