Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, a record of team success nobody has matched, and he made defence and rebounding feel like an art form.
He was also the NBA's first Black head coach, a five-time MVP and the name on the Finals MVP trophy. Start with our Boston Celtics collection.
Bill Russell Fact File
| Full name | William Felton Russell |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 12 February 1934 |
| Place of birth | Monroe, Louisiana, USA |
| Died | 31 July 2022, aged 88 |
| Height | 6ft 9in (2.06m), sometimes listed at 6ft 10in |
| Position | Centre |
| Nationality | American |
| Teams | Boston Celtics (player 1956–1969, player-coach 1966–1969); later coached Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings |
| Shirt number | 6 (retired across the whole NBA in 2022) |
| College | University of San Francisco |
Career History
| Seasons | Team / Role | Games | Points / Rebounds per game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1953–1956 | USF Dons (college) | – | NCAA champions 1955 and 1956 |
| 1956–57 | Boston Celtics (rookie) | 48 | 14.7 / 19.6 |
| 1957–58 to 1960–61 | Boston Celtics | 291 | Peak of 18.2 / 24.0 (1959–60) |
| 1961–62 to 1965–66 | Boston Celtics | 388 | Career-high 18.9 points (1961–62); 24.7 rebounds (1963–64) |
| 1966–67 to 1968–69 | Boston Celtics (player-coach) | 236 | Titles in 1968 and 1969 |
| 1956–1969 | NBA career | 963 | 15.1 / 22.5 (21,620 rebounds) |
Figures are NBA regular-season games and per-game averages. His rookie season was shorter because he joined Boston after the 1956 Olympics.
Early Years: From Louisiana to San Francisco
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1934, Russell grew up in Oakland, California, and earned a place at the University of San Francisco. There he became a big man who treated defence as an attacking weapon, timing his leaps to block shots and start fast breaks.
The USF Dons won NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956 during a 56-game winning streak. In late 1956 he captained the United States to Olympic gold in Melbourne.
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The Breakthrough: Red Auerbach's Missing Piece
The St. Louis Hawks drafted Russell second overall in 1956, but Red Auerbach wanted him, and Boston traded Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan for his rights. Arriving in December, Russell averaged 19.6 rebounds as a rookie and helped Boston win its first NBA championship in 1957.
A year later he was MVP, though an ankle injury in the 1958 Finals let the Hawks take the title.
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The Dynasty: Eight in a Row and Player-Coach
From 1959 to 1966 the Celtics won eight straight championships. Russell was the heartbeat, winning four more MVP awards and averaging over 20 rebounds a game every season. His rivalry with Wilt Chamberlain gave Wilt the big numbers, but the rings usually went to Boston.
When Auerbach stepped down in 1966, Russell became player-coach, the NBA's first Black head coach, and guided Boston to titles in 1968 and 1969 before retiring.
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Legacy: The Name on the Trophy
Russell later coached Seattle and Sacramento. In 2009 the NBA named its Finals MVP award after him, and in 2011 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognising his career and his public support for civil rights. After he died in July 2022, the league retired No. 6 for every team.
Honours
NBA
- 11× NBA champion (1957, 1959–1966, 1968, 1969)
- 5× NBA Most Valuable Player (1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965)
- 12× NBA All-Star; All-Star Game MVP 1963
College and International
- 2× NCAA champion with USF (1955, 1956)
- Olympic gold medal, Melbourne 1956
Recognition
- Naismith Hall of Fame (1975 as player, 2021 as coach)
- NBA Finals MVP award named in his honour (2009)
- Presidential Medal of Freedom (2011)
- No. 6 retired league-wide (2022)
Away From the Game
Russell wrote books including Go Up for Glory and Second Wind, and worked as a TV analyst for ABC, CBS and TBS. He even hosted Saturday Night Live in 1979.
FAQs
How old was Bill Russell when he died?
Bill Russell was 88 when he died on 31 July 2022.
Where was Bill Russell born?
Monroe, Louisiana, on 12 February 1934.
How tall was Bill Russell?
He stood about 6ft 9in (2.06m), though some sources list him at 6ft 10in.
What teams did Bill Russell play for?
Only the Boston Celtics (1956–1969), after college at USF.
How many championships did Bill Russell win?
Eleven NBA titles in 13 seasons, including eight in a row.
Why is the NBA Finals MVP trophy named after Bill Russell?
The NBA renamed it in 2009 to honour the league's greatest winner.
Shop the Bill Russell Collection
Celebrate basketball's greatest winner.
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Part of our Player Profiles series. Read next: Larry Bird Career Story and Wilt Chamberlain Career Story.
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