Russell, Bill

Russell, Bill
in full William Felton Russell

born Feb. 12, 1934, Monroe, La., U.S.

U.S. basketball player.

The 6-ft 10-in. (2.08-m) centre led the University of San Francisco to two NCAA championships (1955–56). Playing for the Boston Celtics (1956–69), Russell led his team to 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons
the last 2 as coach, having become in 1967 the first black coach of a major professional sports team. Russell's career mark for rebounds (21,620) is second only to that of his great rival Wilt Chamberlain, and he is regarded as one of the finest defensive centres of all time. He was voted most valuable player in the NBA five times. He later coached the Seattle SuperSonics (1973–77) and the Sacramento Kings (1987–88).

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▪ American athlete
byname of  William Felton Russell  
born Feb. 12, 1934, Monroe, La., U.S.
 
 American basketball player regarded in his day as the greatest defensive centre in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He set standards by which other exceptionally tall players were judged (his height was 6 ft 10 in). On April 18, 1966, he became the first black coach of a major professional sports team (the Boston Celtics) in the United States.

      Reared in Oakland, Calif., Russell led the University of San Francisco to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships in two consecutive seasons (1954–55 and 1955–56). He played on the U.S. team that won the 1956 Olympic basketball gold medal in Melbourne, Austl.

      The history of professional basketball changed when Celtics coach Red Auerbach (Auerbach, Red) traded established star “Easy” Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks for the rights to draft Russell. With Russell turning shot-blocking into an art form, Boston dominated the NBA for more than a decade. With Russell at centre, the Celtics won 9 championships (1957, 1959–66) in 10 seasons and two more (1968–69) with Russell as player and coach. He retired in 1969.

      On five occasions Russell was voted the Most Valuable Player in the NBA. In 1967 the Associated Press (AP) named him one of the five members of its All-America collegiate team for the preceding 20 years; later the AP selected him the outstanding professional basketball player of the 1960s. He was coach and general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics (1973–77). His autobiography, Second Wind: The Memoirs of an Opinionated Man, was published in 1979. After retirement from basketball, Russell was a network sports announcer, wrote a syndicated column, and did television news commentary.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Russell, Bill — p. ext. William Felton Russell (n. 12 feb. 1934, Monroe, La. EE.UU.). Basquetbolista estadounidense. Fue un pívot de 2,08 m (6 pies 10 pulg.) de estatura que llevó a la Universidad de San Francisco a dos títulos nacionales de la National… …   Enciclopedia Universal

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  • Bill — Bill, Max * * * (as used in expressions) Bill of Rights (Declaración de derechos) Bill, Max Blass, Bill Bradley, Bill Brandt, Bill Clinton, Bill Buffalo Bill Cosby, Bill …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Bill Russell — Infobox NBAretired width=200 caption= position=Center height ft=6 |height in=10 weight lbs=220 number=6 birthdate=birth date and age|1934|2|12 Monroe, Louisiana deathdate= debutyear=1956 finalyear=1969 draftyear=1956 draftround=1 draftpick=2… …   Wikipedia

  • Bill Russell — Pour les articles homonymes, voir William Russell et Russell. Bill Russell …   Wikipédia en Français

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  • Russell — /rus euhl/, n. 1. Bertrand (Arthur William), 3rd Earl, 1872 1970, English philosopher, mathematician, and author: Nobel prize for literature 1950. 2. Charles Edward, 1860 1941, U.S. journalist, sociologist, biographer, and political leader. 3.… …   Universalium

  • bill — (voz inglesa) ► masculino POLÍTICA Proyecto de ley sometido al parlamento. * * * (as used in expressions) Bill of Rights (Declaración de derechos) Bill, Max Blass, Bill Bradley, Bill Brandt, Bill Clinton, Bill …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Russell (Name) — Russell oder Russel ist ein im englischsprachigen Raum häufiger Vor und Familienname Namensträger Vorname Russell Alexander Alger (1836–1907), US amerikanischer Politiker Robert Russell Bennett (1894–1981), US amerikanischer Komponist Russell… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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