Bill Russell (1934-) Boston Celtics Star Center (1956-1969), Five-Time NBA MVP and Twelve-Time All-Star

[DonRocks]

Bill Russell is best-known for his defensive skills and rebounding.

But then there's this:

And here's an ESPN "SportsCentury" documentary:

There's an incredible statistic on that documentary that I'd never heard before: In a career total of 30 games in which Bill Russell's team (including the NBA playoffs, the NCAA's, and the Olympics) faced elimination, his record was 28-2.

When Russell left McClymonds High School for the University of San Francisco, one of his teammates became McClymond's new leading scorer - the kid in the center of this photo (also shown here).

Ahmad Rashad interviews Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in 1997:

[DaveO]

I didn't bother watching the long tribute but I watched the short video of Bill Russel going Coast to Coast with a defensive rebound and a driving layup on the other side.

Its astounding how these guys can run at high speed take off from the foul line which is 15 feet to the backboard, maintain height on their jump and either dunk or put in a layup on the basket.  It makes them great leapers  (both vertical and horizontal) and danged long legged.   Over the last 50-60 years the world long jump record has slowly advanced from about 25 feet to 30 feet, which means these guys are getting height and length at rather significant levels.

I'd seen that interview before.  At the end its sort of interesting as the two centers discuss how they would play Shaq O'Neill, certainly one of the most imposing physical centers of all time.   They both spoke to the same theme; they'd tire Shaq, make him do the things he didn't want to do or couldn't do as well.  Neither outright claimed he'd crush Shaq, just how they'd play him.

Chamberlain would have had the unique strength that virtually nobody else had to combat Shaq in a manner all his own, but he still spoke to the same strategy that Russel spoke to; tire Shaq.

[DonRocks]

Over the last 50-60 years the world long jump record has slowly advanced from about 25 feet to 30 feet, which means these guys are getting height and length at rather significant levels.  

I'm not sure "slowly advanced" would describe what happened in the 1968 Summer Olympics which has been described as the single greatest athletic feat in human history (I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or just forgot).

Just to emphasize how amazing this record was, the previous long jump world record was 27 feet 4 3/4 inches, Beamon's jump was 29 feet 2 1/2 inches - almost *two feet* longer than the world record.

I remember seeing it on TV - I didn't see it live, but as a "news update" since it had happened earlier in the day and I was at school. Beamon had jumped so far that he'd gone *past* the measuring device, and the length of his jump had to be calculated manually!

[DaveO]

I'm not sure "slowly advanced" would describe what happened in the 1968 Summer Olympics which has been described as the single greatest athletic feat in human history (I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or just forgot). 

I recall that huge record setting leap.  I suppose its another variation on the term "one small step for mankind".  I meant in the long term the greatest long jumps have ranged from about 25-30 feet over a 60 year span or so.

Regardless of that fact, I always find it astonishing to see the tall fast moving forwards and centers who are on some fast break, take off from the foul line and either dunk or lay the ball in a la Bill Russel in that video.

Here is a piece on 5 players with videos who dunked from the foul line, inlcuding Michael Jordan, Dr. J, and Scottie Pippen along with 2 obscure players.

The video piece on Russel shows him dribbling coast to coast (a great feat for a center) taking off near the foul line and laying the ball in;  really a tremendous combo of skills for a center.

[DonRocks]

Regardless of that fact, I always find it astonishing to see the tall fast moving forwards and centers who are on some fast break, take off from the foul line and either dunk or lay the ball in a la Bill Russel in that video.

The video piece on Russel shows him dribbling coast to coast (a great feat for a center) taking off near the foul line and laying the ball in;  really a tremendous combo of skills for a center.

If you take a close look at Bill Russell's video, a few things:

1) He is actually well inside the free throw line when he takes off, so unfortunately, we can't really call it a free throw line dunk.

But!

2) It's a game situation.

3) He jumps *over* a guy's head like Vince Carter did in the Olympics.

4) If you look at the top of his head the whole time, he appears to maintain the same height for several feet before he starts to drop - this may be camera angle, but it seems like he's flying even though that's impossible; it may be his incredible ground speed before takeoff.

5) It would have been very easy for him to dunk that ball - just before he got to the basket, he had to flip the ball up or the back of his hand would have hit the rim, and his elbow was bent so he wasn't even at full extension.

6) If you look carefully, he had to bend his head down so he didn't hit it against the backboard.

So which is the most impressive? I'm not sure - I may prefer Russell's because in general, there's *no doubt* he could have dunked from the free throw line back then (maybe not in this situation because he needed to jump over the guy's head), and perhaps for a more superficial reason, that's a really cool video.

[DaveO]

A couple of points:

I re visited the short video of Russel going coast to coast.  His leap to the basket was possibly 2 feet or so inside the foul line.  Still, I marvel at the context of players taking off from such distance maintaining length and height and either dunking or laying it in as Russel did.  A real feat in general.

I also watched the long piece.  Beautifully done.  An eloquent story on a person who is undoubtedly the best winner in professional sports bar none, with nobody in basketball coming close to his record.  I can't give specifics on others long records but think Yogi Berra with the most World Series Rings at 10 over 19 years versus Russel with 11 championships over 13 years, with Berra, as excellent as he was, never close to approximating his importance to the Yankees as  Russel was critical to the Boston Celtics.

Russel was far more than a basketball player; an important person during his prime years as a player and afterwards for his extremely strong perspective and stances on racial issues; a significant leader in that regard.

The entire story is well done tracking Russel's life, his influences as a youth and afterwards, his stances, his perspectives, etc.

A wonderful piece.  As a kid I got to occasionally watch Russel on TV;  against Chamberlain, against the Knicks and the great great Willis Reed (a NY hero) and in championship games against the Lakers.  He was one of the great formidable basketball players of all time, at a pinnacle reserved for only a handful of players.   His entire life and positions transcended that.

On a side note, there is mention of Russel's adamant stand against giving autographs but his willingness to shake your hand and speak to you.  As a high schooler I got to interview Willis Reed and shake his hand.  I still treasure that.  I sometimes marvel I ever washed that right hand.   Shaking a hand is indeed memorable and well worth it.

A beautiful piece IMHO

[DonRocks]

Nov 18, 1963 - ¨We Are Grown Men Playing in a Child's Game"  by Gilbert Rogin on si.com/vault