Bill Russell, the legend of the Boston Celtics, put his last field goal in the hoop and waved adieu to the world. Entitled the Hall of Famer, Bill dies at 88 as announced by his family.
A person whose heaven was his game representing Boston Celtics, and the pinnacle his stand-alone point to win the game. The Boston Celtics were the best team that a player dreams to stand against and win the game. The hub of the greatness of this team was always Bill Russell.
Russell earned the title of the ultimate winner and ultimate athlete, no matter the team he played against. Known for his shot-blocking, Russell’s quickness, fierceness, and using his brain for tactful moves made him an inevitable champion.
Boston Celtics
Currently, the holder of the most recorded wins of any National Basketball Association (NBA) team; the Boston Celtics are the American professional basketball team in Boston. The team is a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Formed in 1946, the team has a record of winning 17 NBA Championships with Russell being a prominent player.
The Bill Russell era in Boston Celtics is considered from 1956-1969 when the legends advanced to the 1957 NBA finals. In the seven games, the team defeated the St. Louis Hawks which set the record to 17 championships ahead. Russell then won 11 championships, creating his history as a decorated player in the NBA.
Bill Russell and Red
Red Auerbach announced his retirement as coach after the 1965–66 seasons when Russell took over as player-coach. Russell became the first African-American coach in any U.S. pro sport. At the end of the 1969 season, Russell retired from his position. Thus, the Celtics dynasty that has guarded 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons ended.
He was,
“the single most devastating force in the history of the game,” Red Auerbach, Russell’s coach said.
The Brain Game
Russell was among the ones who proved that using intellectual moves could drag any team to success. Even the political upheavals of the Civil Rights era did not set him back; instead, he let his consciousness free without confining it to the arena. Before being a superstar in the field, he held himself in the position of being a man, a human being who plays basketball.
13 years of mind-numbing games in the NBA and 11 championship titles made him the greatest player in the history of professional sports. A psychological unfolding of events in his brain made his team confident and opponents feared his moves.
His Game, His Territory
When Russell enters the field, the whole platform turns into his territory where opponents are not allowed. He performed superhuman acts that could lead his team to win the title.
Even after an accident that left him with bleeding and stitches in his arms, the next day he played against the Lakers in the final round. Though the opponent recognized his weakness and started the counterattack by hitting the patch in his arm, Russell led his team to win the title right-handed.
He controlled the backboard completely and revolutionized the whole game by making shot blocking an art because it was his territory and thus he rules the place. When the opponents heard his footsteps the chances of them missing the field remained high.
“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect, and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league. At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps. Through the taunts, threats, and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity,” read a statement by Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner.
The End of an Era
Russell Bill marched with Martin Luther King Jr., supported Muhammad Ali, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. The era may end but Bill Russell will live on for ages as his signature on the soil never perishes.
