Hall of Fame
Center
Led Teams to Back-to-Back NCAA Championships, 1955 and 1956, and 55-game win streak
USF All-Time Career Rebounder, 1,606
Two-time All-American
Three-time All-CBAC/WCAC All-Star
USF Career Years: 1953-1956
Birthdate: February 12, 1934
Hometown: Oakland, CA
High School: McClymonds High School
William "Bill" Felton Russell was born February 12, 1934 in West Monroe, LA, and attended McClymonds High School after his family moved to Oakland, CA when he was eight years old.
In his early years, he was a runner and a track jumper, and was cut from the basketball team at Herbert Hoover Junior High School. Struggling to learn the necessary skills for basketball, he was nearly cut from his high school team, but his coach encouraged him to work on his fundamentals, and he accepted that challenge. Coupled with a growth spurt, he started to improve his defense by learning to jump to make and block shots, which was not mainstream at the time. In high school, he began studying the footwork and court plays of other players in order to improve his floor skills.
Despite being an All-Conference in high school, he was overlooked by most college recruiters. His only scholarship opportunity was with USF, and Russell accepted. His talent blossomed on the Hilltop as he established a legacy of excellence due to his defensive skills, shot-blocking and rebounding. He combined the speed of a guard with the skills of a center. As a freshman, he averaged 20.0 PPG and became a determined, competitor committed to winning. He joined the varsity team at 6’ 10” and 215 lbs., playing center under the legendary coach Phil Woolpert. His leadership, talent, and focus led the Dons to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. Coach John Wooden of UCLA called him the “greatest defensive man” he had ever seen. His USF career totals averaged 20.7 PPG, 20.3 RPG with a total of 1606.
Russell was part of a history-making starting team in 1955 and 1956. USF had made the ground-breaking decision to go against the “gentlemen’s agreement,” in effect during the early years of basketball, not to play more than two African-American players at a time. Under coach Phil Woolpert, the starting team included Carl Boldt and Mike Farmer who were joined by three African-American players: Bill Russell, K.C. Jones and Hall Perry.
The Richmond Free Press reported in 2020 that it was not always easy for the team on the road. In Oklahoma City in 1954, the African-American members of the team were denied hotel lodging. In a show of unity, all the members of the team and the coaches spent the night in a nearby college dorm. The team was also subjected to racist jeers from white spectators and players, especially on the road. Later, Russell would explain that these instances hardened him and that he refused to think of himself as a victim. Similar incidents occurred on the road for the Celtics, when Russell and his black teammates were refused lodging or restaurant service in various cities. After an incident in Lexington, KY, he and his black teammates boycotted the exhibition game and flew home amid controversy.
After graduation, he captained the gold-medal winning United States National Basketball team at the 1956 Olympics and the University of San Francisco retired his jersey (#6) in acknowledgment of the unprecedented effect he had on college basketball and social change.
He was named Street and Smith’s fourth greatest college basketball player, and was drafted by the Saint Louis Hawks in 1956, in Round 1 (2nd pick overall). But the Hawks had their sights set on Celtics Center Ed Macauley, a six-time NBA star, who had requested to be traded to Saint Louis. The Hawks gave up Russell to the Celtics in exchange for Macauley and Cliff Hagan. During that same draft, coach Red Auerbach also drafted K.C. Jones, Russell’s former teammate, and then had three future Hall of Fame players in Russell, Jones and Tommy Heinsohn. During his first game, rookie Russell impressed the Boston fans with his man-to-man defense and his shot-blocking. Russell was so quick that he could run over to assist in a double team and then make it back to find the open man. The Celtics played aggressively and Russell’s blocks were called “Wilson-burgers,” referring to the Wilson brand ball he shoved into the faces of his shooting opponents. The Celtics finished their season with a 44-28 record. During the course of his Celtics career, he earned MVP five times, NBA All-Star twelve times, NBA Champion eleven times, and NBA Second Team eight times. The Celtics retired his jersey (#6).
In 1966, Coach Auerbach retired, and Russell became a Player-Coach and eventually Head Coach later that year, the first black head coach in NBA history. In his first full season, the Celtics winning streak ended in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers who were led the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. After their loss, Russell congratulated his longtime opponent and friend, and then led his grandfather back to the Celtics locker room where his grandfather saw a white and black player showering next to each other, discussing the game. His grandfather broke down in tears with pride that his grandson was the coach of a team where players of all races coexisted in harmony.
During the final three seasons of his career, Russell served as player-coach of the Celtic, once again paving the way as he became the first black NBA Coach and the first to win the NBA Championship. He left his position after winning the 1969 NBA Championship and the following year the team sunk to a 34-48 record. The Celtics had failed to make the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1950.
He joined NBA on ABC as a commentator in 1971 and went on to coach the Seattle Supersonics from 1972 to 1977, and the Sacramento Kings from 1987-1988. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1975, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, and the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017, among others.
On August 2, 2020, the West Coast Conference became the first NCAA Division I Conference to adopt the “Russell Rule”, based on the Rooney Rule of the National Football League. The Russell Rule stipulated that each member institution include candidates from underrepresented communities when interviewing for the athletic department positions of athletic director, senior administrator, head coach, and full-time assistant coach.
Bill Russell was a game changer both on and off the court for the University of San Francisco and the Boston Celtics and his influence continues to inspire others in the battle for social justice.
