On Kareem: Physicality and jostling

(Russell had led the Celtics to their 11th championship the year Kareem was drafted at 22, and the two missed out on playing by months). This comment was from 1980, at the end of Kareem’s prime.

Q: If you were matched against Kareem in a big championship game, what would you attempt to do defensively against him?

A: Well, I know that the skyhook is not unstoppable, but it is very accurate. Against a player like that, I would make him shoot other shots. He may kill you with them; he may get 40 or 50 points with them. But in taking it away, you have to physically—you can physically take away the skyhook if you know how.

Q: And how would you take it away?

A: It is a physical thing that you can do out there. You can position yourself so that when he takes the skyhook, he’d have to step away from the basket. He doesn’t like to step away from the basket. For example, if he starts at 12 feet away and shoots at 12 feet, but if you make him shoot from 13 feet, then it’s a different shot. So what you’re trying to do is change his shot from the release point as much as possible. You’re not going to stop it, but the more you’re able to affect a change, the less accurate it’ll be.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fms-ktYue3Y&ra=m

On Shaq: Turning the game into a track meet

Interview was in 1997, while Shaq was vying to establish himself as the clear best big in the game. The interview was alongside Wilt Chamberlain, who was cracking jokes.

“I would make him play horizontal as much as possible. Plus, I would make him run up and down the court all day. It I weigh 240, and he weighs 300.”

Wilt adds “(and 40)”

Russell again: “If he had to take that weight up and down the court every time, the fatigue factor starts to set in.” (Then Wilt cuts him off, joking about how Russell takes too long to get to the point).

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=N71Pv48erIc&ra=m

On Wilt: Psychological warfare

Often outweighed by 70 or 80 pounds, the 240 pound Russell often relied on psychological tricks in trying to get the best of Chamberlain. He went 7-1 in playoff series against him, winning four game sevens by a combined nine points.

“Everyone fell for my fakes but Bill” (said Wilt)

“Well you flexed your muscles harder when you faked,” Russell said. “If you were posing, you weren’t shooting.”

He implied he would constantly try to get in Wilt’s head, playing to his ego, and trying to frustrate him.

From a 1965 article, called “How I Psych Them”

Russell tells the story of leaning against Wilt during a tiring game and saying, “I never thought I’d see the day when a great big guy like you would be pushing an old man like me around.”

Wilt would respond, (heavily implied to involve stronger words) “Don’t give me that old psych”