Russell, Bill (1934– )

US basketball player. He won 11 All-NBA (National Basketball Association) championships in 13 years playing at centre for the Boston Celtics 1956–69. Widely regarded as the greatest defensive player of all time, he was voted the NBA's Most Valuable Player on five occasions. He was appointed the Celtics' player-coach in 1966, becoming the first African-American coach in major-league professional sport. A broadcaster after retiring from the game, he was elected to basketball's Hall of Fame in 1974.

Career highlights

NBA career rebounds: 21,620 (average 22.5); Most Valuable Player: 1958, 1961–63, 1965

Olympic Games gold 1956

Russell joined the Boston Celtics in 1956 after winning a gold medal with the US basketball team at the Melbourne Olympic Games. Earlier, at the University of San Francisco, he had won two National Collegiate Athletic Association titles. He helped the Celtics to the NBA title in his first season, then from 1959 to 1966 he was the key figure in the team's record-breaking run of eight successive championship titles. After leading the team to two more titles as player-coach he gave up playing to coach the Seattle Supersonics, but met with little success.