Living legend. Ground-breaker. American original.
On and off the basketball court, as both an athlete and a human being, Bill Russell defines the word champion. Sports Illustrated called him the greatest team player on the greatest team of all time, HBO Sports hailed him as the greatest winner of the 20th century, and former President Bill Clinton said simply: "We are a better nation for his honesty."
He is the ultimate winner with an unprecedented 18 championships in 21 years of basketball. His feats with the Boston Celtics are stamped in the record books: nine NBA championships as the Celtics captain between 1957 and 1967, including eight in a row, the longest streak of consecutive championships in U.S. sports history; plus two more championship as the teams player-coach, which he accomplished without an assistant, in 1968 and 1969. During the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was renamed the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.
The heart and soul of the Celtics dynasty, as well as a five-time league MVP and 12-time All Star, he revolutionized basketball through his uncompromising defensive play, a style marked by ferocious athleticism, stunning analytic prowess and an indomitable will to win -- attributes he began to hone at Oaklands McClymonds High School, where he helped the basketball team capture three state championships. He guided the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956 (and was named the NCAA tournaments Most Outstanding Player in 1955.) He also captained the United States Olympic basketball team to the gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
In 1967, Bill was named the Celtics' coach, a milestone that made him the first African-American coach not just in the NBA but in all major league sports. Already an aggressive advocate for civil rights, he marched with Dr. Martin Luther King in 1963 and attended his famous "I Have A Dream" speech the same year in Washington, D.C. In 2006, he participated in the ground-breaking ceremony for the Martin Luther King memorial in Washington, D.C.
The NBA and U.S. State Department tapped him to serve as a Global Ambassador of Basketball on visits to Africa, where he was the first NBA player to visit in 1959. Twenty years later, he made his first trip to China. Altogether, he has hosted clinics in over 50 countries on six continents. For sharing his love of the game and zest for life, Bill received the NBA's first Civil Rights Award. Russell is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 and in 2007, was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame. In February 2010 Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor from the U.S. government that any person can receive unless they serve in the military.
His record as "basketball's greatest winner " will stand for many years, perhaps forever, but the attractive thing about Bill Russell is "How he has worn his accomplishments..." said former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, "...even more than his achievements, makes him worthy of our admiration." On December 2, 2008, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and The Mayor's Office of New Bostonians awarded Russell the 2008 We Are Boston Leadership Award.
Indeed, the same qualities and values that made him the ultimate team player – and the ultimate winner – have also motivated him off the court. He has authored several best-selling books, including Second Wind with Pulitzer Prize winner Taylor Branch, Russell’s Rules, and the more recent Red and Me. He is a popular motivational speaker and has numerous corporate relationships, among them AT&T, Pfizer, and Reebok. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the National Mentoring Partnership.
Inspired by a passion for living, known for his integrity, compassion, humor and intellect, Bill once wrote, “life is a journey, not a destination,” and it’s a statement that continues to fuel his interests and activities today.
Bill Russell, NBA legend and best-selling author, is available exclusively through IMG Speakers bureau for speaking engagements. Bill Russell is also available for corporate hospitality appearances, meet and greets, and much more. Please contact IMG Speakers at 212-774-6735 or speakers@imgworld.com for more information on booking Bill Russell.
