RIP Bill Russell...

[sutz]

 

[Biscanebay12]

I was a kid playing ball at a park in Virginia Beach VA. and a man asked if he could shoot with me, we played a couple rounds of horse. I knew he look familiar but I was really young at the time. After he left I realized who he was.

RIP Mr. Russell and thank you for the memory.

 

[onanygivensunday]

He was one of a kind on the court. The consummate team player.

The Celtics of the late 50s and early 60s were dominating and Bill was one of the reasons why. Loved how he could tip the ball to himself and secure the rebound that way.

And his shot-blocking technique was 2nd to none... a thing of beauty.

RIP, brother. You deserve it.

 

[m0ng0]

Ahh bummer, he was before my time but an all time great

 

[Threedee]

One of the great competitors of all-time.

 

[toffee]

RIP, he was the best.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

It would have been fun to watch him play. 11 rings, incredible.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

About 12-15 years ago me and my buddies were playing a round of golf at McCormick Woods.

It was a really slow round and we got to a par four, tee'd off, walked down to our balls in the fairway and waited once again.

We look back and there's a GIANT African American man on the tee box with his partner. He waves at us so we let him hit, and when he got down to us we saw that it was Bill Russell and his wife. He explained that he and his wife had an important engagement to get to so could he please play through.

But not before talking to us for a couple minutes, shaking our hands and asking how our rounds were going. Russell couldn't have been more kind, funny and gracious. He even put his arm around me and said "I noticed you're left handed, you know it's never too late to start hitting from the right side of the ball."

Pioneer, icon and one of the greatest gentleman of sports to ever put on a jersey. Just pure class.

 

[Sports Hernia]

A true legend. RIP sir.

 

[onanygivensunday]

Bill was special... really special because of the kind, considerate and responsible person that he was. I didn't know him personally but everything about him in public was above reproach.

Compare him to his principal adversary in the day, Wilt Chamberlain, who was best known for his shallow, but epic prowess with women.

Bill Russell was a champion in the purest sense of the word. I feel privileged to have watched him play the game.

 

[fenderbender123]

RIP Bill.

 

[Threedee]

RIP, he was the best.

It's interesting that Bill and Wilt don't get stronger consideration when the greatness of Jordan, Kareem, and contemporary players are talked about.

 

[toffee]

It's interesting that Bill and Wilt don't get stronger consideration when the greatness of Jordan, Kareem, and contemporary players are talked about.

Different generation, and lack of 'high definition' video of those two.

 

[RiverDog]

Once read a book about Russell when he commented about his time as the Sonics head coach. He saw that his black players were excluding the one white player on the team from their social circle. He got the black players together and really laid down the law, told him that he knew exactly how that poor guy felt as he was treated in the exact same way when he was the only black on an all white team and that if they knew what was best for them, that they'd better befriend the white player and make him feel like part of the team.

Bill Russell was a class act. RIP.

 

[onanygivensunday]

It's interesting that Bill and Wilt don't get stronger consideration when the greatness of Jordan, Kareem, and contemporary players are talked about.

The difference for me is Bill and Wilt played in an era of team basketball.

Michael, Kareem, Kobe and Lebron play/-ed in an era of much more one-on-one basketball. Isolate, juke, drive, step-back jumper...

I believe that so many watching the pro game today would have a different appreciation of the game of basketball if they were to watch the NBA Finals of those played in the 1960s.

 

[RiverDog]

The difference for me is Bill and Wilt played in an era of team basketball.

Michael, Kareem, Kobe and Lebron play/-ed in an era of much more one-on-one basketball. Isolate, juke, drive, step-back jumper...

I believe that so many watching the pro game today would have a different appreciation of the game of basketball if they were to watch the NBA Finals of those played in the 1960s.

I'm not sure if I agree with that or not. Wilt still holds the record for the most points scored in a game at 100, a record that no one else has come close to. The top 4 PPG seasons and 5 out of the top 6 are held by Wilt. That sounds pretty one-on-one to me.

IMO what has changed is the 3 point shot. It didn't exist in the Russell/Chamberlin era. Today's players have to guard the perimeter whereas before, they could sag and challenge a guard to beat them from outside. Now, with the 3 point shot, in addition to more outside shooting, it has loosened up defenses and because of that, it has opened up more driving lanes.

The game has changed, but I don't think it's any more or less a team game than before. I think what you're seeing is players today being exploited for commercial purposes. No such thing as an Air Russell back in the 60's.

 

[onanygivensunday]

I'm not sure if I agree with that or not. Wilt still holds the record for the most points scored in a game at 100, a record that no one else has come close to. The top 4 PPG seasons and 5 out of the top 6 are held by Wilt. That sounds pretty one-on-one to me.

IMO what has changed is the 3 point shot. It didn't exist in the Russell/Chamberlin era. Today's players have to guard the perimeter whereas before, they could sag and challenge a guard to beat them from outside. Now, with the 3 point shot, in addition to more outside shooting, it has loosened up defenses and because of that, it has opened up more driving lanes.

The game has changed, but I don't think it's any more or less a team game than before. I think what you're seeing is players today being exploited for commercial purposes. No such thing as an Air Russell back in the 60's.

Good points, but you can't just look at Wilt's stats and conclude that his era was principally a one-on-one type league. Out of curiosity, how old are you? Were you an NBA fan during the 60s? If not, have you gone back to watch games to get a feel for the type of play for that era? I started watching the NBA in the late 50s at the age of 10. Back then, there was no 3-sec. rule, and, on offense, centers parked themselves in the paint and never left. The game was vastly different for a variety of reasons, including as you pointed out, there was no 3-pt. rule.

 

[RiverDog]

Good points, but you can't just look at Wilt's stats and conclude that his era was principally a one-on-one type league. Out of curiosity, how old are you? Were you an NBA fan during the 60s? If not, have you gone back to watch games to get a feel for the type of play for that era? I started watching the NBA in the late 50s at the age of 10. Back then, there was no 3-sec. rule, and, on offense, centers parked themselves in the paint and never left. The game was vastly different for a variety of reasons, including as you pointed out, there was no 3-pt. rule.

I've completed 67 laps around the sun, born in 1954, so yes, I was an NBA fan during the 60's. Russell was at the end of his career when I was 10, a player-coach by then, so I don't have a huge recollection of him. Wilt played a little longer, so I have better memories of him. I vividly remember his absolutely atrocious free throw shooting.

I could be wrong (and probably am), but I thought that there was a 3-second rule back then, but that the key was narrower, allowing a center to stand virtually under the basket and that Wilt was one of the reasons why they widened it. As a matter of fact, the reason why they called it 'the key' is because the lane was narrower than the free throw circle, giving it the appearance of a key.

In any event, I completely agree with you about the game being vastly different. I don't like trying to compare players from different eras in any sport and cringe at people referring to Brady as the GOAT and when they named Michael Jordan as the best athlete in the century. No one has a sense of history anymore.

 

[onanygivensunday]

I could be wrong (and probably am), but I thought that there was a 3-second rule back then, but that the key was narrower, allowing a center to stand virtually under the basket and that Wilt was one of the reasons why they widened it. As a matter of fact, the reason why they called it 'the key' is because the lane was narrower than the free throw circle, giving it the appearance of a key.

You're right. Upon further review, it WAS in place then. I did some research and found that the rule was adopted in 1936, well before my time. lol

Btw, the defensive 3-sec. rule was adopted much later... in 2001.

 

[RiverDog]

You're right. Upon further review, it WAS in place then. I did some research and found that the rule was adopted in 1936, well before my time. lol

Btw, the defensive 3-sec. rule was adopted much later... in 2001.

Now you got me to thinking, so I did some research. It turns out that the 3 second lane was widened twice, once in 1951 to reduce the dominance of George Mikan, the first true big man, and again in 1964 to handicap Wilt Chamberlin, which is the rule change that I was thinking of. And I'm old enough to remember when college basketball outlawed the dunk because of Lew Alcindor.

That would be a pretty good definition of a dominating player, when they have to change the rules of the game to level the playing field.

Good exchange, thanks!