Bill Russell

[Striper69]

There was a discussion about great players coaching so I looked up Bill Russell. Here's an awesome video I found that tells a lot about his career (a lot I never knew about)...

Was he the greatest basketball player ever?

http://www.3030fm.com/2013/02/19/video-mr-russells-house-bill-russell-interview-w-bill-simmons/

 

[Wbbfan1]

Greatest TEAM Player and winner in Basketball. Not the Best Player.

 

[Palatine]

Greatest TEAM Player and winner in Basketball. Not the Best Player.

If the argument is championships (the one Jordan fans use against LeBron) than Russell is clearly the best player of all time.

Here's a video video of Russel grabbing a board, dribbling and beating everyone down court, and leaping over a player and scoring. If this was a Jordon or Lebron clip it would run non-stop on ESPN.

 

[stwainfan]

Known as the best by many. One of my cards

 

[Palatine]

That said, Wilt Chamberlain was the best basketball player of all time.

 

[Striper69]

That said, Wilt Chamberlain was the best basketball player of all time.

Watch the video. They discuss that very subject.

 

[Striper69]

Greatest TEAM Player and winner in Basketball. Not the Best Player.

The argument might be "What else is there?".

 

[OneTrickPony]

The argument might be "What else is there?".

All depends on what you play for...

 

[Alydar]

The eternal argument in team sport: is the best player the one who puts up their own stats or the one who makes his/her teammates better and wins championships. No one ever asked Sandy Koufax which of his fingers was the best. The Celtics of the 50's and 60's were the most dominant team in pro sport history IMO despite the fact that there were several players in the league that were better than any player on Boston. (Wilt West, Robertson) Wilt outscored and out-rebounded Bill in almost every game they played. But it always seemed like Bill would save a play for the last few minutes that would win it.

 

[Kibitzer]

Russ has the best answer to this question (about who is/was The Greatest).

I recall him being interviewed on TV, and the questioner not only asked Russ who was the greatest basketball player, but tossed out a few names: Oscar, Wilt, Jordan, Magic, Kareem.

(Russ is accustomed to fielding this one)

He smiled and responded: "I don't know about those fellas, but I've got the most rings."

Next question?

 

[Kibitzer]

I think it was 1962 or thereabouts. Let me remind you about "those other fellas."

That season, Wilt averaged 50 points per game (and 48+ minutes per game), and Oscar averaged a triple double.

Russ won the MVP award (one of five).

 

[Alydar]

I think it was 1962 or thereabouts. Let me remind you about "those other fellas."

That season, Wilt averaged 50 points per game (and 48+ minutes per game), and Oscar averaged a triple double.

Russ won the MVP award (one of five).

I'm always amused when someone says that Jordan was the most dominant player of all time. And in Oscar's days palming was actually against the rules. LOL

 

[rvwsleep]

The all NBA team has been voted on by the players since the 1946-47 season. In the 9 year period of the 59-60 to the 67-68 season inclusive, Chamberlain was voted starting center 7 times. Russell twice. Their contemporaries considered Chamberlain the better player. As great as Russell was, he wasn't very good offensively. 44% from the floor (almost all of those very close to the basket) and 56% from the free throw line (Chamberlain, a notoriously poor foul shooter, was a lifetime 51% from the charity stripe).

 

[cookie447]

So, just who is this Bill Russell fellow of whom you speak? And this chap Chamberlain? ...................

 

[Kibitzer]

The all NBA team has been voted on by the players since the 1946-47 season. In the 9 year period of the 59-60 to the 67-68 season inclusive, Chamberlain was voted starting center 7 times. Russell twice. Their contemporaries considered Chamberlain the better player. As great as Russell was, he wasn't very good offensively. 44% from the floor (almost all of those very close to the basket) and 56% from the free throw line (Chamberlain, a notoriously poor foul shooter, was a lifetime 51% from the charity stripe).

I'm sure you will concede that Russ was pretty good defensively.

Bill Simmons trots out his version of stats to support his contention that Russ was better than Wilt. (The YouTube interview of Russ by Simmons, "Russell's House," is worth viewing.)

Someone once said that stats are to a sports junkie as a lamppost is to a drunk. It provides lots of support but sheds little light.

 

[rvwsleep]

I'm sure you will concede that Russ was pretty good defensively.

Bill Simmons trots out his version of stats to support his contention that Russ was better than Wilt. (The YouTube interview of Russ by Simmons, "Russell's House," is worth viewing.)

Someone once said that stats are to a sports junkie as a lamppost is to a drunk. It provides lots of support but sheds little light.

I was just pointing out what their fellow players thought about them. The fact that Russell wasn't great offensively is as obvious as how great he was defensively.

 

[hoophuskee]

Everyone has their own opinion on what they value and how they feel the game should be played (therefore how a player plays in the manner they feel is best) and what are the big differecne makers that makes one great. IMO Jordan is number 1 (though I can't stand him), and Russell is number 2. For me LeBron is number 5 with not much of a shot to move up into the top 4.

Regarding perception an what one likes-teh comment Russell is best team player. For example someone mentioned Russell as greatest team player ever. IMO it's hard ot measure that. Anyhow in Russell's first year he had Cousy and Sharman as teammates. Did LeBron or Jordan or Lew Alcindor have this type of greatness as teammates as Bill had from the get-go? Bill had an awesome set of guards the moment he entered the NBA.

 

[grizz36]

I was privileged to be in Boston Garden for Bill Russell's debut against the St Louis Hawks. To debunk the popular myth that Russ wasn't appreciated as a player in Boston, the crowd was "13,909" that night, meaning there was SRO and more like about 16,000 were present. You could feel the electricity when you walked in. Russ went up against Chuck Share, the first of the good (not necessarily great) 7 footers who weighed in around 280 lbs. He pounded away at Russ every which way but loose but Bill's stat line at game's end was like 16 points, 18 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and several steals. I remember his performance that night for the amount of physical punishment he took and still able to put up those stats. BTW - The Celts won that night at the final buzzer on a jump shot from the right corner by Bill Sharman.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think it was 1962 or thereabouts. Let me remind you about "those other fellas."

That season, Wilt averaged 50 points per game (and 48+ minutes per game), and Oscar averaged a triple double.

Russ won the MVP award (one of five).

Interesting point, Kib.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Greatest TEAM Player and winner in Basketball. Not the Best Player.

Very succinct and probably true.

 

[MilfordHusky]

That said, Wilt Chamberlain was the best basketball player of all time.

I think I'd put Jordan at the top, but Wilt is a reasonable choice. He was an elite athlete, with size, strength, and skill. His physical attributes may make him number 1. He was as strong as Shaq and far more skilled. Until he went to the Lakers, I loved watching Wilt play. His battles against Russell were legendary.

 

[Robert Wordell]

Bill was like Geno in one aspect - His record in the championship round was perfect 9 for 9

 

[Kibitzer]

Bill was like Geno in one aspect - His record in the championship round was perfect 9 for 9

I think Geno will never get a shot at how well Russ did in game 7's (tied at 3, all the money on the table). I think Russ was something like 13-1.

To be fair, Geno has certainly faced more "one-and-done" situations in Olympic, International, NCAA or conference tournaments.

And he has done pretty well, thank you.

 

[wire chief]

Greatest TEAM Player and winner in Basketball. Not the Best Player.

There's no such thing as a "best player", but if there were, it would be Russel.

 

[hoophuskee]

QUOTE="wire chief, post: 991909, member: 1411"]There's no such thing as a "best player", but if there were, it would be Russel.[/QUOTE]

yes there is for me. Because I think there is and I think it's the guy I said. That's enough for me to believe that there is a best player.