In Defense of Bill Russell
The winningest hooper of all time deserves your respect
Can you imagine taking home 11 championship rings—in 13 years—and still being left out of the GOAT conversation? You battle it out on the court while treading the troubled waters of discrimination and violence that surround you. Your life and your career are threatened simply by speaking up for equality. This is the heart of Bill Russell’s journey in the 50’s and 60’s. The stoic big man was an innovator on the hardwood and was an active part of the Civil Rights movement. Despite revolutionizing the game—and setting records that stand 50 years later—the man often doesn’t get the respect he deserves. Many people don’t even list him in their all-time starting five. That’s wild. Russell is the Big Bang that helped pave the way for a league full of stars. He is absolutely deserving of a spot on Basketball Mount Rushmore. Here’s why.
ELEVATING THE TEAM
How do we measure intangibles like leadership, selflessness, heart, and work ethic? It’s easy to look at a stat sheet, point to who scored the most and surmise that they had the largest impact on the game. The big picture is often way more nuanced.
Even though Russell’s high school team won two state championships he wasn’t highly recruited. The University of San Francisco was the only school to offer Russ a scholarship. Boy, were they rewarded for their progressiveness. In his debut game Russ blocked the first five shots of the opposing All-American center! USF’s coach had never seen anything like it. He insisted that players shouldn’t leave their feet to block a shot. That’s not how defense was played back then. It wasn’t obvious at that moment but Russ was revolutionizing how defense would be played around the world. He was also making it official: Defense wins championships.
ELEVATING THE TEAM
How do we measure intangibles like leadership, selflessness, heart, and work ethic? It’s easy to look at a stat sheet, point to who scored the most and surmise that they had the largest impact on the game. The big picture is often way more nuanced.
Even though Russell’s high school team won two state championships he wasn’t highly recruited. The University of San Francisco was the only school to offer Russ a scholarship. Boy, were they rewarded for their progressiveness. In his debut game Russ blocked the first five shots of the opposing All-American center! USF’s coach had never seen anything like it. He insisted that players shouldn’t leave their feet to block a shot. That’s not how defense was played back then. It wasn’t obvious at that moment but Russ was revolutionizing how defense would be played around the world. He was also making it official: Defense wins championships.
“Most players block a shot to send the ball into the stands. Not Russell. His philosophy was to block a shot straight up to keep it in bounds.”
Averaging 20 points and 20 rebounds on 51% shooting in college isn’t too bad, right? It was through this consistent effort that Russell helped lead his team to consecutive championships. USF won a staggering 55 games in a row! The NCAA even widened the lane—from 6’ to 12’—to counter the impact of a man who could block 15 shots in a single game! In his last season at USF the team went undefeated. Only one other player on the squad went to the NBA—future Celtic K.C. Jones.After his impressive run in college Russell helped secure a gold medal as captain of the US Olympic team. He even led the squad in scoring. Despite meaningful contributions at every level of play so far Russell started his rookie NBA season with doubts. The NBA was a different beast. Russell could get buckets but he knew he wasn’t the best option on offense. He sacrificed scoring to create more opportunities for his teammates. So, if you’re the fourth best option on offense how do you help your team? High IQ, world class defense, tenacious rebounding, selflessness, and beautiful passing.
Prolific shot-blocking also gave Russell’s teams an edge. He used the block to initiate the offense—often resulting in a four-point swing. Most players block a shot to send the ball into the stands. Not Russell. His philosophy was to block a shot straight up to keep it in bounds. He would often secure the rebound and pass down court to a streaking Bob Cousy or Sam Jones. Russell wouldn’t just block hook shots either, he’d catch them with both hands. He was so synonymous with rejecting shots that opposing teams would miss uncontested layups. In his own words, “You don’t try to block every shot. You intimidate your opponent with the idea that you might block any shot.” That was Russell’s genius. Unfortunately blocks weren’t recorded until 1973. Available stats from his NBA career suggest that Russ averaged a staggering 7 or 8 blocks a game! The man truly made defense and shot blocking an art form.
Passing and rebounding were other crucial components to his success. Russell ranks fourth all-time in assists per game (4.3) by NBA Centers. Jerry West once remarked, “what one man could do to disrupt other teams... he would alter shots and ignite what (the Celtics) like to do best: run (the fast break).” The equation is simple: Defense + rebound + outlet pass = bucket. That effort on the glass—and the IQ to make the right pass—is key to how Russell put his teammates in a position to succeed. Part of that was due to his photographic memory that he used to study player’s tendencies on the court. That level of IQ was unmatched—especially at the center position!
Prolific shot-blocking also gave Russell’s teams an edge. He used the block to initiate the offense—often resulting in a four-point swing. Most players block a shot to send the ball into the stands. Not Russell. His philosophy was to block a shot straight up to keep it in bounds. He would often secure the rebound and pass down court to a streaking Bob Cousy or Sam Jones. Russell wouldn’t just block hook shots either, he’d catch them with both hands. He was so synonymous with rejecting shots that opposing teams would miss uncontested layups. In his own words, “You don’t try to block every shot. You intimidate your opponent with the idea that you might block any shot.” That was Russell’s genius. Unfortunately blocks weren’t recorded until 1973. Available stats from his NBA career suggest that Russ averaged a staggering 7 or 8 blocks a game! The man truly made defense and shot blocking an art form.
Passing and rebounding were other crucial components to his success. Russell ranks fourth all-time in assists per game (4.3) by NBA Centers. Jerry West once remarked, “what one man could do to disrupt other teams... he would alter shots and ignite what (the Celtics) like to do best: run (the fast break).” The equation is simple: Defense + rebound + outlet pass = bucket. That effort on the glass—and the IQ to make the right pass—is key to how Russell put his teammates in a position to succeed. Part of that was due to his photographic memory that he used to study player’s tendencies on the court. That level of IQ was unmatched—especially at the center position!
LEADERSHIP ON THE COURT
How many players in NBA history could command the respect to be named player-coach? Not only that but to be up for the job and succeed. Russell is one of only two NBA players who were player-coach and won an NBA title. Of all the player-coaches in NBA history—who coached an entire season—only four of them hold a record above .500. Russell holds the highest win rate at .661. He did it with an aging Celtics team and without an assistant. He knew how to compliment the game of his teammates. He worked diligently to find an emotional, physical, or intellectual edge on the court. That’s something he learned under the tutelage of legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach. Consider the IQ, accomplishments, stats, and the impact of Russell’s leadership. This is the center you want on your all-time starting five!
“When do you think we’ll see another NBA player average 42 minutes a game for their entire career?”
To this day Russell is one of four NBA players to earn a championship in high school, college, the NBA, and take gold in the Olympics. Not bad for a guy who wasn’t focused on scoring. He’s also the only player to ever earn a consecutive championship in college, gold in the Olympics, and an NBA Championship. What did each of these teams have in common besides fifteen guys and a dream? William Felton Russell.
THE WEAKEST ERA?
The greatness of ’56–’69 Celtics is often discounted by the perception that they played in a weak era. How else could a team win eight championships in a row? Recency bias—and scarce video evidence—work against the 50’s and 60’s. The conventional take is that the NBA was made up of doughy bus drivers who moonlighted as professional athletes. By this logic shouldn’t we see this kind of success in other leagues? Especially ones in their infancy? Why isn’t there a club full of athletes—in team sports—who have more rings than fingers? This argument also implies that Russ’s high school, college, Olympic, and NBA teams were all incredibly stacked. But USF didn’t even have a gym and the Celtics organization was nearly bankrupt. Neither team had won a championship before Russell either. Is he the luckiest guy in sports history or is he one of the most prolific?
To say Russell’s era was weak also overlooks his main competition: Wilt Chamberlain. These big men shared the same conference and position. Every time they met it was like two titans going to war. Wilt is arguably the most dominant big man to ever lace 'em up. He was a star athlete who had an extra 3” of height, 4” of length, and 55 lbs over Russell. Wilt averaged a dazzling 30, 22, and 4 for his career! How does that sound for weak competition?
Russell and Wilt went head-to-head a total of 142 times during their ten years in the league together. Wilt had every physical advantage but Russ still managed to pull down 23 rebounds a game to Wilt’s 28. Wilt openly admitted to having the better team in three of their seasons that overlapped. Jerry West said the same thing: his Lakers had the better team in two of their six Finals matchups against the Celtics.
When do you think we’ll see another NBA player average 42 minutes a game for their entire career? Sure, NBA seasons in this era were a little shorter but Russell was often playing all the way into the Finals. He also missed fewer than six games a season on average. That puts him second all time for average minutes played per game. Another Celtic teammate doesn’t show up on this list until number 33! Russell was the constant on the court during this Celtics dynasty. Consider that private planes, load management, and sports medicine didn’t exist for hoopers in this era. They did it all rocking canvas sneakers, too!
“I could not go to heaven once I left the Celtic locker room. Any place outside of that is a step down.”
Eleven championships in thirteen years implies that the Celtics steamrolled the decade. Their best season came with a .787 record. That puts them 24th on the NBA’s all-time win percentage by a team in a single season. This Celtics dynasty faced ten game sevens in the postseason. The average margin of victory for most of those games? 2.6 points. Russell’s teams were great—they also had plenty of competition. A squad led by Russell showed up when it mattered most though. In his entire pro/am career Russell’s teams faced 30 elimination games. They are a staggering 28–2.UNWAVERING CONVICTION
Basketball is a blend of art and war—that’s how Russell saw it. The game is full of improvisation and beauty. It’s also physical and rugged. Sometimes executed with precision and other times brute force. This view is emblematic of the game and of Russell’s life. On Friday he may participate in a Civil Rights march, risking his life and career for the well being of others. On Saturday he’s leading his team on the court through a grueling 46 minutes of playing time. Russell was motivated by the desire to help others reach their full potential. He wanted to create opportunities for others—not keep them for himself. That’s the beauty of team sports. It’s also a fundamental part of why Russell is the winningest player in NBA history. He played for his team, not himself.
Similar to how the effects of the Big Bang continue to shape the universe billions of years later, Bill Russell's legacy endures in the NBA. He exemplifies selflessness as a leader. Russell adored his teammates. He often said, “I could not go to heaven once I left the Celtic locker room—any place outside of that is a step down.” Russ played to bring out the best in his teammates—to find ways to accentuate their game. He did so with tremendous success. He was a force of nature. He played the game—and lived his life—with an unwavering conviction focused on the greater good. Russ holds records that will never be touched. His legacy is that of a pioneer and the embodiment of the American dream. A man worthy of being on Basketball Mount Rushmore.
