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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. She ended up speaking with him for nine hours. A living, smarting, hurting, smelling, greasy substance which covered you. [5][41], Besides basketball, Russell represented USF in track and field events. 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. According to Opoyi, Swisher died at the age of 78 on September 11, 2014. If you were too sheltered, you might not be motivated to help others who do not have your advantages.'. "[22], During his early years, Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. He stood side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1960s, the height of the civil rights movement. BOSTON Celtics legend, Bill Russell, had three children with his first wife, Rose. Despite the former Miss USA 1968 and Russell being happy at first, things took a turn south, and they divorced in 1980. Celtics owner Walter A. He also served a three-season (19661969) stint as player-coach for the Celtics, becoming the first black coach in the NBA and the first to win a championship. 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. In the 1961 NBA playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 41 in the Eastern Division Finals. [19] Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. NBA legend and Hall of Famer Bill Russell died Sunday at the age of 88. William Felton Russell Jr., Bill Russell's oldest son who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, died in 2016. @NBA: The great Bill Russell joins the fellas, live on . Although nearly 16 years younger than Bill Russell, Kansas native Marilyn Nault tied the knot with the basketball legend on . [223] In 1995, the Celtics left the Boston Garden and entered 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. I'm certainly going to ask Maurice Podoloff." He starred in college playing center at the University of San Francisco, leading the team to . [5], Despite his limitations on offense, as Russell averaged 15.1 points per game, his rebounding, defense, and leadership made him one of the dominant players of his era. [120] In addition, Russell ran into financial trouble. [196] Russell also had a shoe designed by Bristol Manufacturing Corporation in 1966, the Bill Russell Professional Basketball Shoe. Bill Russell, the Boston Celtics' Hall of Fame center who almost single-handedly redefined the game of basketball, was, in the words of Basketball's Big Men by David Klein, "the standard against whom all others will be judged." A big man who specialized in defense rather than scoring, Russell was the ultimate winner. Like almost all Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was very segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in their daily lives. 6 jersey will be retired across the NBA, was a champion, a gold medalist and a civil rights activist. 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. Over 50 percent of responses said 'There's too many black players. In protest, the whole team decided to camp out in a closed college dorm, which was later called an important bonding experience for the group. Thus Russell initialized as the first black head coach in NBA history. [57] Gottlieb protested the next day, saying that Russell played a one-man zone and goaltended numerous times, to only be called once. There were times I wondered, but not Rose, Bill penned for Boston Traveler in 1956. 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. Because Russell ignored virtually any well-wisher who approached him home or away, including the vast majority of media, his autograph was among the most difficult to secure of any professional athlete of his time. [5] For his efforts, Russell was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. Bill Russell, the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won eight straight titles and 11 overall during his career, died Sunday. He had invested $250,000 in a rubber plantation in Liberia, where he had wanted to spend his retirement, but it went bankrupt. Russell also 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. "[49] That playoff series ended in a dramatic Game 7, when the Sixers were trailing 110109 five seconds before the end, but Russell turned over the ball. [19], During World War II, the Second Great Migration began, as large numbers of blacks were moving to the West to look for work there. Russell died "peacefully" with . Nault became a stepmother to three of Bill's children: Karen Russell, William Russel Jr., and Jacob Russell. Russell. It covered every area. on November 1, 2013. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family out of Louisiana and settled in Oakland, California. [202] 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 himsomeone like Chamberlain, or someone coming up that everyone's touting. Be the first one to comment on this story. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career. 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. At age 35, Russell contributed with 6 points, 21 rebounds, and 6 assists in his last NBA game. Born to William Bill Russell and his college sweetheart Rose Swisher a year into their marriage (December 9, 1956) on November 2, 1957, William Bill Felton Russell Jr. was their firstborn. [112] His No. [158][159] In 2007, he was voted the third best center of all-time by ESPN behind Abdul-Jabbar and Chamberlain. And what we would do is[Auerbach] trusted all his playersso like when he'd make a coaching decision, he could talk: he talked to [Bob] Cousey [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?' 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. Your IP: [94] 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 197374 NBA season. [167] On June 15, 2017, Russell was announced as the inaugural recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. 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. [197], 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. In 1954, he became the first coach of a major college basketball squad to start three African-American players: K. C. Jones, Hal Perry, and Russell. Russell was named the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955. [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. He worked hard and used the benefits of a growth spurt to become a decent basketball player. [2] Russell and Henri Richard of the National Hockey League are tied for the record of the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league. [5][49], In the 196061 NBA season, Russell averaged 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game,[1] leading his team to a regular season mark of 5722. BOSTON (AP) Bill Russell, the NBA great who anchored a Boston . Read More: Bill Russells Kids: Where Are They Now? And that's the kind of guy [Brown] was. In 2014, after the unveiling of his statue at City Hall in Boston, Russell spoke a bit about his parents and what his life was like growing up. Please logout and login again. He was notorious for his public surliness and judgmental attitude towards others. She has done a lot of activist work, and her articles can be found in the New York Times Magazine, HuffPost, and many other publications. Bill Russell had all his children with Rose Swisher, his college sweetheart, when he married from 1956 to 1973. 1973. "[49] The next day, The Boston Globe read: "Russell's Reflexes Befuddles Visitors. . Twenty million England fans go wild across the country as Lionesses WIN nerve-shredding Euro final against Germany. [5], For his achievements, Russell was named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated in 1968. Off the court, Bill Russell paved the way for guys like me." Russell, a 6-foot-10 center, also won the NBA regular season MVP award five times while averaging 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds and 4.3 . Karen has a B.A. [30] Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. [76], In the 196162 NBA season, Russell scored a career-high 18.9 points per game, accompanied by 23.6 rebounds per game. Bill Russell. The fans could do or think whatever they wanted. 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. In an interview with ESPN, Russell said he wanted the NFL players to know they were not alone.[225]. I really missed her pep talks then. I knew only that Rose accepted and cared about me, apart from the basketball, which was a great breakthrough for me. he added in his 1979 memoir Second Wind.. equal . Bill Russell's age is 89 years old as of today's date 3rd March 2023 having been born on 12 February 1934. . [49] Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 9795 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. At first, the couple was very happy. [29] When DeJulio offered Russell a scholarship, he eagerly accepted. With his first wife, Rose, to whom he was married for 17 years, he had three children: a daughter, Karen, and two sons, Buddha and Jacob. 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. In his thirteen years, he averaged a relatively low 13.4 field goals attempted (normally, top scorers average 20 and more),[1] illustrating that he was never the focal point of the Celtics offense, who instead focused on his elite defense. Russell was accused of selling out the future of the franchise for a month of his salary. [18], Russell was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana. [107] 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. In Game 2, Philadelphia evened the series with a 115106 win and then went on to win Games 3 and 4. [124] 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. Although the middle child of Bill Sr. and Rose Swisher (born on July 6, 1959), Jacob is arguably the simplest member of the prominent Russell family in almost every sense of the term. NBA Legend Bill Russell is interviewed by television personality John King prior to Bill Russell's acceptance of the Presidential Medal of Freedom award in Washington, DC. [51] During that same draft, Boston also drafted guard K. C. Jones, Russell's former USF teammate, and managed to draft three future Basketball Hall of Famers: Russell, Jones, and Heinsohn. [193] When Wilt Chamberlain became the first NBA player to earn $100,000 in salary in 1965 (equivalent to $859,873 in 2021), Russell went to Auerbach and demanded a $100,001 salary, which he promptly received. 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. Bill Russell was the father of four children from three different women. [20] When World War II broke out, the elder Russell became a truck driver. Who is Bill Russell's First Wife? [85] On February 10, 1963, Russell recorded his first regular season triple-double after putting up 17 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 129123 win over the New York Knicks. The oldest son of Bill Russell, William Felton Russell Jr, who was named after the 11-time NBA champion, unfortunately passed away in 2016. [4] Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds,[35] saying: "I never permitted myself to be a victim. [109] 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, and Celtics owner Walter A. He replied: "Yes." His third . He took issue with a few things Brand said, and . The couple actually tied the knot on December 9, 1956, with Bill soon making it clear he owed a vast majority of his ambition, compassion, drive, and success to his supportive wife, Rose. In 1987, Karen Rusell penned an article for the New York Times titled, Growing Up With Privilege and Prejudice.. [25] Sports journalist John Taylor described it as a watershed event in Russell's life because he realized that basketball was his chance to escape poverty and racism, and he swore to make the best of it. July 31, 2022 1:50 PM PT. After all, every step he took was to ensure social change for the betterment of not just his family, his community, the game of basketball, and the entire sporting industry but also people in general. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all-time. "[207] Years after Taylor's book, Russell published the autobiographical account Red and Me, which chronicled his lifelong friendship with Auerbach. [136] 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. [223] 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. The Celtics made good use of the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers had exhausted the St. Louis Hawks in a long seven-game Western Conference Finals,[75] and Boston won the 1961 NBA Finals in five games. Date married. DeJulio was unimpressed by Russell's meager scoring and "atrocious fundamentals",[29] but he sensed that the young Russell had an extraordinary instinct for the game, especially in the clutch. In 2009, the NBA renamed the NBA Finals MVP Award in his honor. [16] In 2021, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time for his coaching career. Constantly provoked by New York Knicks center Ray Felix during a game, he complained to coach Auerbach, who told him to take matters into his own hands. [50] 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. During a conversation with students, a reporterunknown to Russellheard Russell describe Chamberlain as a malingerer and accused him of "copping out" of the game when it seemed that the Lakers would lose. [117] He finished with a 341290 regular season record and was 3427 in the playoffs. - WILLIAM FELTON RUSSELL, WILLIAM FRANCIS McSWEENY . A local kid from Somerville and several girls from the nearby area . [107] Russell then reversed himself and ordered his team to double-team West and Boston won Game 3. Dorothy, according to a 1968 Associated Press article, was one of nine children of an aircraft plant worker. [84] 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. [21] 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". 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. [131] On June 18, 2007, Russell was inducted as a member of the founding class of the FIBA Hall of Fame. She has had many amazing accomplishments in her life. Bill Russell never ceases to amaze me. [56] Russell's defense was called into question by Eddie Gottlieb, coach of the Philadelphia Warriors, after the WarriorsCeltics game on January 1, 1957, in which he recorded 17 points and 25 rebounds, plus an assist. He won more championships than any other NBA player and made the Boston Celtics one of the most successful franchises in the league's history. [109] Journalists were often treated to the "Russell Glower", described as an "icily contemptuous stare accompanied by a long silence". [209], Chamberlain's knee was injured so badly that he could not play the entire offseason and he ruptured it the next season. Karen graduated from Harward Law School and has dissected high-profile trials and national political issues. [107] West then hit one basket after the other and cut the lead to one, and Chamberlain asked to return to the game. [107], 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. Bill Russell achieved a lot during his life. [138][139] Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011. Bill Russell is an 11-time NBA champion, and 12-time All-Star and is perhaps the game's greatest champion. She is a media person, lawyer, and Black-rights activist who has also contributed to publications likeThe New York Times Magazine. The couple grew emotionally distant and divorced. [20] 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. Still, there was constantly a flow of people from Louisiana that my father would let stay with us. Rest in Peace, Bill. Russell has always worn a jersey with No. The NBA legend was 88 years old at the time of his death. 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. [70] Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. Bill Russell was born to Charles and Katie Russell on February 12, 2022, in West Monroe, Louisiana. To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey, who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. [64], 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 St. Louis Hawks. Bill Russell (L) greets Jimmy Butler at the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. 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). [205] 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. He was born on November 2, 1957, and spent several years working for Cox Trucking. Karen Russell. Bill Russell got married to his girlfriend, Rose Swisher in the year 1956. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with a 42 series win. He shared all three kids with his first wife Rose Swisher. 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, who scored to clinch the win. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 25, 2016. The Bill Russell Legacy Foundation, established by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, funded the project. The Lakers featured new recruit Chamberlain next to perennial stars Baylor and West, and were the favorites. [1] The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. The truth is Bill followed in his familys footsteps in terms of his choice to lead a quiet life, but he reportedly never shied away from admitting their identity or sharing the same generous nature. Bill Russell, the ultimate NBA champion, one of basketball's greatest players, a consummate teammate and a . [5], On February 5, 1960, Russell had 23 points, 51 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 124100 win over the Syracuse Nationals. [101] 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. Rusell states, It was one bedroom, so my brother and I both had rollaway beds. [115], As a consequence of his endured racist abuse, Russell was extremely sensitive to all racial prejudice. In 1975, he was inducted into the basketball hall of fame. In the interim, Russell won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. [106], Russell and the Celtics achieved upsets over the 76ers and the Knicks to earn a meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1969 NBA Finals. Russell, a legend on the court and in the civil rights movement, has been an integral part of MENTOR since its inception more than 30 years ago and has remained steadfastly committed as a champion of the mentoring movement. 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Bill Russell and Rose with their son, William Felton Jr, in 1958, Former Boston Celtics basketball star Bill Russell alongside his daughter, Karen Kenyatta Russell, England win Women's Euro 2022 LIVE REACTION: Party at Trafalgar Square as thousands celebrate, Queen sends praise, Proud captain Williamson vows to lap up England's Euros triumph and calls on fans to go to WSL games, We should be cheering on female footie stars in the same way we support the men, Women's football will never be the same again thanks to Lionesses' extraordinary victory, Adam Peaty stunned at Commonwealth Games as Brit hero loses 100m race for first time EVER and misses medal, England's Lionesses roar with pride as they celebrate their history-making Euro 2022 triumph. [103], In Game 7, 15,202 Philadelphia fans witnessed a home-team 10096 defeat, making it the first time in NBA history a team lost a series after leading 31. [5] The Russell draft-day trade was later called one of the most important trades in the history of North American sports. One of the greatest players in NBA history, Bill Russell, is currently in his 4th marriage. Russell was married three times. NBA legend Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in the league, passed away "peacefully" Sunday, according to a family statement from his . I could hear anything, I could see anything, and nothing mattered. [60], The Celtics finished the 195657 regular season with a 4428 record, the team's second-best record since beginning play in the 194647 BAA season, which guaranteed Russell his first NBA playoffs appearance,[61] where the Celtics met with the Syracuse Nationals, a team led by Dolph Schayes, through the Eastern Division Finals. William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. In addition to his career accomplishments, Russell was a prominent human rights activist in sports. She graduated from Harvard Law School and Georgetown University and . Russell averaged . 6 in ESPN's NBA 75th Anniversary Team list,[163] and No. [12] Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. That's the first thing Walter Brown said to Chuck Cooper. The NCAA had previously prohibited goaltending in response to George Mikan (1945) and later banned the dunk shot due to Lew Alcindor (1967), although the latter rule was later repealed. Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. [145] He also won two state championships in high school. [194][195] 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. NBA legend Bill Russell passed away at the age of 88. Last modified on Sun 4 Sep 2022 13.55 EDT. The former University of San Francisco and Boston Celtics center was professional basketball's . 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." [49] 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). Although nearly 16 years younger than Bill Russell, Kansas native Marilyn Nault tied the knot with the basketball legend on February 17, 2000, upon meeting him sometime prior by pure chance. "[60] Before the 196162 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. 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. West Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, San Francisco Dons men's basketball 195455 NCAA champions, San Francisco Dons men's basketball 195556 NCAA champions, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual 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 rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks, List of National Basketball Association single-game rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association rookie single-season rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association single-season rebounding leaders, List of NBA players with most championships, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career rebounding leaders, "Bill Russell, Henri Richard Famous Elevens Gallery", "195356 NCAA Championship Seasons: The Bill Russell Years", "Bill Russell's Trailblazing Legacy Is Secure (Even If Stats Can't Measure It)", "Bill Russell Is A Champion By Defintion [sic]", "Where does Bill Russell rank among best centers in NBA history? When their family uprooted to Oakland, California, they lived in the projects. [71][72] In the 1960 NBA Finals, the Celtics outlasted the Hawks 43 in the series and won their third championship in four years. . July 31, 2022 10:57 AM. Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in a major American sports league, died July 31. [141], Russell is one of the most successful and decorated athletes in North American sports history.