When fans discuss Bill Russell’s career, they often use the number of teams in the league to discredit him having almost twice as many rings as any other star, but paradoxically they don’t factor in the number of teams when talking about the concentration of talent on one team. They also don’t tend to look any deeper into the players receiving those accolades.

As an aside, Russell’s teammates made a total of 26 all-star appearances in his career, in comparison Wilt’s (an all-time great in his own right) made 24. Those players account for some, but not all of Russell’s teammates who were inducted as players.

Prior to Russell’s arrival, the Celtics were coming off of a first round exit, and had won two playoff series in ten years. They struggled when he was injured, when he retired, and won 11 rings in 13 years with him in the lineup.

Russell’s Hall of Fame Teammates (inducted for contributions as a player):

Tier one: The Stars you think of with the Celtics dynasty

Cousy/Sharman backcourt:

Cousy was the best point guard in the big-man dominated 1950s, snagging an MVP in Russell’s first year (where Russell missed the first ¹⁄₃ of the season winning the Olympics). Sharman was also one of the best guards in the 50s. The two made a formidable backcourt, at least offensively, but won two playoff series in five years together.

When they got Russell, they transformed from below average defensively to still the most dominant statistical defensive team ever, and that turned them into a championship team.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cousybo01.html

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sharmbi01.html

John Havlicek:

Probably the best player Russell ever played with, even though all of their best years didn’t overlap. Havlicek started playing half-way through Russell’s career, was a true star by the end of it.

He missed the playoffs the two years after Russell won his 11th title and retired, but would go on to win two more titles with another HOF big man in Dave Cowens 5 and 7 years later.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/havlijo01.html

Sam Jones:

A little raw coming out of college, improved and worked his way into becoming a 5x all-star and 3x All-NBA. Very clutch player.

Would have not been a perfect leading offensive man in a league with single digit teams, but the teams for which he was the first option are statistically the very best defensively in league history. During that period, the Celtics were often near or at the bottom of the league in offensive efficiency while winning championships.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jonessa01.html

Tommy Heinsohn:

Tommy is a legend of the game not just for his play on the court. As a player, he was a 6x all-star. Was he a top player in the league?

I don’t really know. He is still the all-time leader in shots attempted per minute, and he bricked a ton of 20 foot hook shots, especially late in his career. But accolades-wise, even forgetting about all of the rings, he’s a Hall of Famer.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/heinsto01.html

Tier 2: Everyone else

Bailey Howell: The best of the rest

Howell belongs in a tier above everyone else here realistically, he’s somewhere in between. By the time he got to Boston he was 30 - 30 looked a whole lot different in the 1960s. Bill Russell was legitimately arguably the longevity GOAT at the time of his retirement after 13 seasons.

Howell made one all-star appearance on the Celtics (his first year) and was key to improving their offense in his three years spent with Russell. Not known as a defensive player. At the time that Russell retired, he fell off hard and fast.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/howelba01.html

KC Jones and Frank Ramsey:

Jones was known as an elite defensive guard and OK offensive player.

Frank Ramsey was a really good sixth man or fifth starter with one randomly great finals performance.

Neither were ever all-stars. Both are in the Hall because Russell led them to a huge number of titles.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/joneskc01.html

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/ramsefr01.html

Tier ²⁄₃: Deep backup/ring chasing tier

The 60s Celtics created the first batch of ring chasers, and it contributed hugely to this stat.

Clyde Lovelette:

Easily the best in this tier, averaged 6 points in limited minutes in Boston. Went ring chasing as a backup the last two years of his career.

As an aside, was also known as a racist. Was rumored to call Wilt the N word during Wilt’s rookie year, and his final moment in the league was getting knocked out by a Wilt punch in the 1964 Finals. Wilt was not ejected.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lovelcl01.html

Andy Phillip:

Averaged 3.9 points and 2.5 assists in Boston, but had been a 5x all-star earlier in his career.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/phillan01.html

Arnie Risen:

Accounted for the Kings only championship in 1951, but was a backup in Boston before Russell got there. Shot 33% from the field in his last of two years with Russell, 23% in the playoffs.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/risenar01.html

Carl Braun:

Spent his last year in Boston, averaged 3 points in eight minutes. Had averaged 5 on one of the league’s worst teams the year before. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/braunca01.html

TLDR: Obviously, the fewer teams in the league is an important thing to consider when talking about concentration of talent as well as looking at total rings.

Russell had 5 teammates who put together HOF resumes in Boston with just their individual accolades.

The other seven Hall of Famers were:

A 3 year teammate past his prime who made one all-star appearance.

Two good role player teammates who made no all-star appearances.

One bench warmer who was really good for that role.

Three mediocre to bad bench players at the very end of a hall of fame career.

In a league with ¹⁄₄ to ¹⁄₂ as many teams, across 13 seasons, that’s not disproportionate hall of fame level talent. “Playing with 12 hall of famers” by itself massively overstates it.

I only included players who were inducted for their playing career, rather than as contributors (e.g. Satch Sanders).