Bill Russell composes himself and interviews after winning his 11th championship ring in 1969, in his last NBA season as an active NBA player (was a coach-player).
May 5th, 1969.
Wonder how many players could be a coach player if they didn’t ban it
LeCoach
I’d think at least 1 guy on every team. At least thats how’d it be ideally
Is that reporter also 6’11?
Former NBA Player Jack Twyman, who was 6 foot 6. Either he was standing on something, or maybe, Russell was slouching a bit. Maybe the low angle obscures the height difference.
Anyway, it wasn’t like it was a foot+ difference.
I was thinking the same thing lmao he’s right up there with him
Must be really tall or on a chair lol
The reporter is definitely very tall but it’s camera angles. Bill is clearly crouching down too. Def a few inches taller
Bill was a little under 6’10”
6’9.75 barefoot . Would be listed as 6’11 today
Bill is 35 years old here.
A hard 35.
I remember when I was a kid and I first found out that Bill Russell was a player-coach, it genuinely scared the fuck out of me. Something about that always just seemed eerie, desolate, and lonely to a younger me, I don’t know why.
I remember when I was a kid and I first found out that James Harden was going to booty clubs every single night, it genuinely scared the fuck out of me. Something about that always just seemed eerie, desolate, and lonely to a younger me, I don’t know why.
I remember when I was a kid and I first found out that Kelvin Benjamin was going to food buffets every single night, it genuinely scared the fuck out of me. Something about that always just seemed eerie, desolate, and lonely to a younger me, I don’t know why.
I honestly can’t tell if you’re joking ? lol
I’m not lmao this was probably when I was like 8 or 9 and I always played team sports so the concept of there being a sports team where the coach is not an older wise figure, but an active player on the team was just weird to me and it gave me the chills. Lots of pre-cable television sports history freaked me out when I was young to be honest, i used to have Nightmares over Andre the Giant.
Like lonely because he’s isolated from the rest of the team and not one of the guys?
I’m loving all of the Bill posts.
One of the greatest dudes to ever play professional sports. He’s a hell of a lot bigger than sports, though. A true American icon.
I’m so glad he lived long enough to be so much a part of the Celtics and Boston communities for many decades afterwards. It was clear he loved that, even though some of his Celtics years, and immediate years afterwards, were so turbulent.
Even though it seems like the full embraced return didn’t happen until the 2008 championship season, when I look back at older stuff (like the final Boston Garden regular season game ceremony in 1995 that was just posted on the Celtics sub), he was there, front and center, that giant smile, taking it all in. Any Celtic reunion, nostalgia event, etc., (and that team LOVES those), he was there. I really didn’t learn until I was an adult about the rocky past because as a kid, I just saw him as the big smiling guy who showed up with all the other old guys for that stuff.
Bill Russell, winner take all games:
NCAA: 9-0
Olympics: 2-0
NBA: 11-0
It always amazes me how much Bill just did in the NBA in different ways. The rings argument and everything. He’s truly a benchmark of the NBA that should be celebrated even more
Fun fact, Bill Russell did become a full time head coach and led the Sonics to their first playoff win but like a lot of greats couldn’t really cut it as a coach. His last coaching job was with the Sacramento Kings in the 80s. The Kings when they were the Cincinnati Royals had Bob Cousy as coach and he tanked the franchise so bad, they relocated. Underrated trainwreck in NBA history, traded a star player then unretired to play as a washed 41 year old.
I’ve always heard, and it makes sense, that the elite players can’t relate to ordinary players, and that’s why they fail as coaches.
I would have loved to see Larry Bird coach longer, to see if he was truly an exception to that, or just stood back on a loaded team (which, is a coaching skill as well, knowing what lanes to be in and which to avoid).
On the other side, Jerry West looking like his heart got shattered into a million pieces.
He would’ve gotten clowned if we had r/nba in these days.
People would be way too busy clowning the Lakers for losing in the Finals to Boston for the 6th time. This time with balloons hanging over the arena because the owner thought they’d win Game 7.
Guys I’m going to say it, I don’t do think this Jerry West fella can win the big one. Total bust.
You think the general population in 1969 would pass up any opportunity to discount the success of a black athlete?
What you’re describing is racism, not getting clowned. Don’t equate the two
To be clear, I think it would be a decent mix of both. But you’re right. That’s a mistake by me to equate racism to run of the mill online clowning. My bad, thanks for calling it out
No, they would probably still give the credit to Auerbach and not Russell. I just think the slander of how the Lakers lost that Finals would be one of the greatest ever.