Long before NBA basketball was known for its up and down action on the floor, Bill Russell was the man who revolutionized the sport to what we all see today. Bill Russell was such a dominant force in the NBA that a new generation of players was recruited in the hope that they could find one great man who could do it all! Bill Russell led the Celtics to 11 NBA champions, was nicknamed “Mr. Defense” and was the centerpiece of one of the greatest dynasties to ever play in professional sports.

If ever there was a basketball player who deserved to be called an “impact player,” it was Bill Russell. He left his mark on basketball everywhere he played. When he went to the University of San Francisco in 1952, the school didn’t even have a gym. Four years later, the University of San Francisco had two national championships, a 55-fight win streak, and a brand new gym. Russell led San Francisco to the first undefeated season in NCAA history.

As soon as Bill Russell graduated from college, he made his mark on the US Olympic basketball team. The United States sped through to win the gold medal in Australia. As a rookie with the Boston Celtics, he led the team to its first World Championship.

From 1959 to 1966, Russell’s impact on the game was at an all time high. He was the man who grabbed the rebounds, blocked the most shots and was the author of the fast break for the Boston Celtics. When Celtics head coach Red Auerbach retired, his chosen successor was Bill Russell himself! In becoming the first African-American head coach in professional sports, his impact was felt immediately. The 34-year-old player-coach led his team to the playoffs in two of the most memorable championship runs in basketball history. Russell and his hilltop players outclassed younger teams that were just beginning to dominate the brand of basketball he introduced to basketball more than a dozen years earlier. When Bill Russell left the game, “Mr. Defense” had certainly left his mark.

Bill Russell Timeline Biography

• 6 years old: goes to school in a one-room shack
• 12 years – Mother dies
• Age 21 – Leads San Francisco to win the NCAA Championship
• Age 22 – Drafted by the Boston Celtics
• 1956 – Helps the USA win the gold medal
• 1957: The Celtics lead their first NCAA championship
• 1966 – Becomes the first African-American coach in professional sports.
• 1969 – Retires with 12 NBA championships