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142-492: A slam dunk contest is also held in conjunction with the game. Following are the most valuable players (MVP) from each year: Zach LaVine won the dunk contest in 2013, and used the same moves as a professional to win the Slam Dunk Contest during the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend . Source Slam dunk A slam dunk , also simply known as

284-659: A color commentator and authored several books. Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, was one of the founding inductees into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2007. He was selected into the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971 and the NBA 35th Anniversary Team in 1980, was named as one of

426-437: A dunk, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by shoving the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands. It is a type of field goal that is worth two points. Such a shot was known as a "dunk shot" until the term "slam dunk" was coined by former Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn . The slam dunk

568-406: A 'double-elbow hang', in which the player inserts both forearms through the rim and subsequently hangs on both elbows pits. Circa 2009, French athlete Guy Dupuy demonstrated the ability to perform a between-the-legs elbow hang; however, Guy opted not to hang on the rim by his elbow, likely because the downward moment could have resulted in injury. An alley-oop dunk, as it is colloquially known,

710-414: A 360-between-the-legs. Due to the athleticism and hang-time required, the dunk is a crowd favorite and is heralded by players as the preeminent of all dunks. The player approaches the basket and leaps as they would for a generic dunk. Instead of simply dunking the ball with one or two hands, the player allows their forearm(s) to pass through the basket, hooking their elbow pit on the rim before hanging for

852-576: A 4–2 series win. In the 1960 NBA Finals , the Celtics outlasted the Hawks 4–3 in the series and won their third championship in four years. Russell scored 21 points and grabbed an NBA Finals-record 40 rebounds, plus an assist, in a Game 2 loss, and he added 22 points and 35 rebounds, along with 4 assists, in the deciding Game 7, a 122–103 victory for Boston. In the 1960–61 NBA season , Russell averaged 16.9 points and 23.9 rebounds per game, leading his team to

994-412: A California High School All-Stars tour, he became obsessed with studying and memorizing other players' moves, e.g., footwork such as which foot they moved first on which play, as preparation for defending against them, which included practicing in front of a mirror at night. Russell described himself as an avid reader of Dell Magazines ' 1950s sports publications, which he used to scout opponents' moves for

1136-562: A black player was the best. That did not happen ... My junior year in college, I had what I thought was the one of the best college seasons ever. We won 28 out of 29 games. We won the National Championship. I was the MVP at the Final Four. I was first team All American. I averaged over 20 points and over 20 rebounds , and I was the only guy in college blocking shots. So after the season

1278-428: A bounce-pass from teammate Jason Kapono . Independent 6'2" North American athlete Eric Bishop introduced a dunk entitled the 'Paint Job'. The title is in reference to the key on a basketball court, often known as 'paint' in common parlance. Approaching along the baseline with a running dribble, Bishop jumped with one-foot at the border of the key, dunked with one-hand while gliding over the key and landed just beyond

1420-483: A clutch performance, scoring 30 points, along with 4 assists, and tying his own NBA Finals record with 40 rebounds in a 110–107 overtime win. The Celtics lost Cousy to retirement after the 1962–63 NBA season , and they drafted John Havlicek and were powered by Russell, who averaged 16.8 points and 23.6 rebounds per game, won his fourth regular-season MVP award, and earned the NBA All-Star Game MVP honors at

1562-416: A coach confined every or almost every relationship with each Celtic player to a strictly professional one. Russell regarded Auerbach as "the greatest of all coaches". Boston's championship streak ended at eight in his first full season as head coach when Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers won a record-breaking 68 regular-season games and were the favorites heading into the 1967 NBA playoffs , where they beat

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1704-502: A different station, the attendant stuck a shotgun in his face and threatened to kill him if he did not stay and wait his turn. In another incident, Russell's mother was walking outside in a fancy dress when a white policeman accosted her. He told her to go home and remove the dress, which he described as "white woman's clothing". During World War II , the Second Great Migration began, with large numbers of Black people leaving

1846-452: A dunk because the ball was thrust downward into the basket, meeting the basic definition of the dunk. During the 2009 NBA dunk contest, Howard had a separate goal brought onto the court, and the rim was noticeably significantly higher than a standard goal. Howard, after going into a 1950s-era telephone booth and again fashioning the Superman attire, caught a pass from Nelson and easily completed

1988-550: A future member of the Baseball Hall of Fame , was one of Russell's high school basketball teammates. Russell soon became noted for his unusual style of defense. He later recalled: "To play good defense ... it was told back then that you had to stay flatfooted at all times to react quickly. When I started to jump to make defensive plays and to block shots , I was initially corrected, but I stuck with it, and it paid off." In an autobiographical account, Russell said that while on

2130-457: A game, he complained to coach Auerbach, who told him to take matters into his own hands. After the next provocation, Russell pounded Felix to the point of unconsciousness, paid a modest $ 25 fine, and rarely was the target of cheap fouls thereafter. At that time, Russell received much negative publicity as a player. He was notorious for his public surliness. Because Russell ignored virtually any well-wisher who approached him home or away, as well as

2272-401: A gorilla dunk, that term is uncommon now. During the jump, the ball is raised above, and often behind the player's head for a wind-up before slamming the ball down into the net at the apex of the jump. Due to the undemanding body mechanics involved in execution, the tomahawk is employed by players of all sizes and jumping abilities. Because of the ball-security provided by the use of both hands,

2414-422: A lob-pass to himself and a pass off of the backboard to himself. Independent athlete Shane 'Slam' Wise introduced a cuffed-cradle of the ball prior to initiating the under the leg transfer and finishing with two-hands. While a number of players have finished the dunk using one- or two-hands with their backs to the rim, perhaps the most renowned variant of the dunk is the combination with a 360°, or simply stated:

2556-737: A member of the UNC Tar Heels women's basketball team, became the second collegiate women's player ever to dunk. As of 2024, at least 37 dunks have been scored by 8 different WNBA players. The first and second were scored by Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks , on 30 July 2002 (against the Miami Sol ), and 9 July 2005. Other WNBA dunks have been scored by Michelle Snow (first during an All-Star game), Candace Parker (twice), Sylvia Fowles , Brittney Griner , Jonquel Jones , Elena Delle Donne , Liz Cambage , and Awak Kuier . The record for

2698-552: A picture with Auerbach and the nine Celtics but not Russell, who overslept because he thought it was just a tour of the White House and did not know President Kennedy would be meeting them. On February 10, 1963, Russell recorded his first regular season triple-double after putting up 17 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 129–123 win over the New York Knicks . The Celtics reached the 1963 NBA Finals , where they again defeated

2840-456: A quickly-enacted rule making it an offence to break the backboard. Technology has evolved to adapt to the increased strength and weight of players to withstand the force of such dunks, such as the breakaway rim (introduced to the NBA in 1981) changes to the material used for the backboards, and strengthening of the goal standards themselves. The invention by Arthur Ehrat to create the breakaway rim with

2982-613: A record-breaking season of 50.4 points per game, including Chamberlain's 100-point game , the Celtics became the first team to win 60 games in a season and Russell was voted as the league's MVP. Both Cousy and Russell called it the greatest Celtics team of all time. In the Eastern Division championships of the 1962 NBA playoffs , the Celtics met the Philadelphia Warriors led by Chamberlain, who averaged 50 points per game that season, and Russell did his best to slow him down. In

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3124-652: A regular season mark of 57–22. In the 1961 NBA playoffs , the Celtics defeated the Syracuse Nationals 4–1 in the Eastern Division finals. The Celtics made good use of the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers had exhausted the St. Louis Hawks in a long seven-game Western Conference finals, and Boston won the 1961 NBA Finals in five games. In the 1961–62 NBA season , Russell scored a career-high 18.9 points per game, accompanied by 23.6 rebounds per game. While his rival had

3266-412: A second. James White in the 2006 NCAA Slam Dunk Contest successfully performed tomahawk and windmill variations of the foul-line dunk. Though he was unable to complete a between-the-legs from the foul line at that contest, he has been known to execute it on other occasions. In the 2008 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Jamario Moon leaped from the foul-line then, using his non-dominant hand, caught and dunked

3408-476: A short period of time. Although the dunk was introduced by Vince Carter in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk contest , Kobe Bryant was filmed performing the dunk two years earlier in 1998 at an exhibition in the Philippines and during the 1997 offseason at Magic Johnson's A Midsummer Night's Magic charity event as well as Roy Hinson who performed the dunk during warm-ups for the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk contest . Colloquially,

3550-514: A spring on it led to the return of the dunk in college basketball. All-star power forward Gus Johnson of the Baltimore Bullets was the first of the famous backboard breakers in the NBA, shattering three during his career in the 1960s and early 1970s. Luke Jackson also shattered a backboard in 1968. In the ABA, Charlie Hentz broke two backboards in the same game on 6 November 1970 resulting in

3692-424: A string of 55 consecutive victories, and a 26-point, 27-rebound, 20-block performance in one game. He became known for his strong defense and shot-blocking skills, once denying 13 shots in a game. UCLA Bruins coach John Wooden called Russell "the greatest defensive man I've ever seen". While at USF, he and Jones helped pioneer a play that later became known as the alley-oop . During his college career, Russell

3834-419: A two-handed dunk on the higher goal. While this was not performed for record-setting purposes, the dunk received a perfect score and a warm response from the crowd, in part because of its theatrics. Also in this contest, 5'9" guard Nate Robinson wore a green New York Knicks jersey and green sneakers to represent Kryptonite , playing on Howard's Superman theme. He used a green "Kryptonite" ball, and jumped over

3976-535: A typical "Negro Job"—low-paid and not intellectually challenging. When World War II broke out, the elder Russell became a truck driver. Russell was closer to his mother Katie than to his father, and he received a major emotional blow when she suddenly died when he was 12 years old. His father gave up his trucking job and became a steelworker in order to be closer to his children. Russell stated that his father became his childhood hero, later followed up by Minneapolis Lakers superstar George Mikan , whom he met when he

4118-416: Is performed when a pass is caught in the air and then dunked. The application of an alley-oop to a slam dunk occurs in both games and contests. In games, when only fractions of a second remain on the game or shot clock , an alley-oop may be attempted on in-bound pass because neither clock resumes counting down until an in-bounds player touches the ball. The images to the right depict an interval spanning 1/5 of

4260-598: Is usually the highest percentage shot and a crowd-pleaser. Thus, the maneuver is often taken from the basketball game and showcased in slam dunk contests such as the NBA Slam Dunk Contest held during the annual NBA All-Star Weekend . The first incarnation of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest was held during the half-time of the 1976 ABA All-Star Game . A study was carried out in 2015 to show the effectiveness of different shot types, including slam dunks. The study

4402-507: The 1946–47 BAA season , which guaranteed Russell his first NBA playoffs appearance, where the Celtics met with the Syracuse Nationals , a team led by Dolph Schayes , through the Eastern Division finals. In his first playoff game, Russell finished with 16 points and 31 rebounds, along with 7 reported blocks, which were not yet an officially registered statistic. After the Celtics' 108–89 victory, Schayes, who made Johnny Kerr come off

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4544-553: The 1956 Summer Olympics . These victories along with his NBA championships made Russell one of only eight players in the history of basketball to achieve the Triple Crown . After being chosen by the St. Louis Hawks with the second overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft, Russell was traded to the Boston Celtics for Celtics center Ed Macauley and small forward Cliff Hagan . With Russell as their starting center and defensive anchor,

4686-489: The 1957 NBA Finals , where they met the St. Louis Hawks , led by Pettit and former Celtic Ed Macauley . As the teams split the first six games, the tension was so high that in Game 3 Celtics coach Auerbach punched his colleague Ben Kerner and received a $ 300 fine. In the highly-competitive Game 7, Russell tried his best to slow down Pettit, as Heinsohn scored 37 points and kept the Celtics alive; Russell contributed by completing

4828-608: The 1957–58 NBA season , the Celtics won fourteen straight games and continued to succeed. Russell averaged 16.6 points per game and a league-record average of 22.7 rebounds per game. The NBA reasoned that other centers were better all-round players than Russell but no player was more valuable to his team. He was voted the NBA Most Valuable Player but only named to the All-NBA Second Team , something that would occur repeatedly throughout his career, as players voted for

4970-786: The 1963 NBA All-Star Game following his 19-point, 24-rebound performance for the Eastern Conference 's All-Star team. Before the January 31, 1963, 18-point, 22-rebound performance in a 128–125 win against the Cincinnati Royals at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland , the Celtics were to tour the White House and Russell had a "Do not disturb" sign on his phone. Auerbach had informed his players to not endorse candidates or causes, as it would alienate fans; Cousy campaigned for Ted Kennedy in 1962. President John F. Kennedy posed for

5112-502: The 1976 ABA All-Star Game , the league's final All-Star game before the completion of the ABA–NBA merger . Erving defeated Thompson in the championship round, after leaping from the free-throw line. The other participants were Artis Gilmore , George Gervin , and Larry Kenon . The NBA held its first Slam Dunk Contest as a one-off, season-long event similar to NBA Horse event held the following season . During halftime at each game, there

5254-582: The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 (being one of only four players to receive all three honors), and was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. In 2009, the NBA renamed the NBA Finals MVP Award in his honor. In 2011, Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the court and in the civil rights movement . In 2021, Russell

5396-522: The Chicago Bulls (the most recent shattered-backboard incident in the NBA to date). In the 1996 NBA Slam Dunk Contest , winner Brent Barry dunked from the free-throw line. Barry received 49 (out of 50) for the dunk. Kobe Bryant won the 1997 Dunk Contest. Vince Carter dunked while leaping over 7-foot-2 (2.18 m) French center Frédéric Weis in the 2000 Summer Olympics . The French media dubbed it " le dunk de la mort "—"the dunk of death". In

5538-461: The Cincinnati Royals 4–1 to earn another NBA Finals appearance and then won against Chamberlain's newly relocated San Francisco Warriors 4–1. It was their sixth consecutive and seventh title in Russell's eight years with the team, a streak unreached in any U.S. professional sports league. Russell later called it the best team of his era and the best defense of all time. In the 1964–65 NBA season ,

5680-402: The Los Angeles Lakers , this time in six games. In Game 3, Russell had 21 points, 38 rebounds, and 6 assists. In the 1963–64 NBA season , the Celtics posted a league-best 58–22 record in the regular season. Russell scored 15.0 points per game and grabbed a career-high 24.7 rebounds per game, leading the NBA in rebounds for the first time since Chamberlain entered the league. Boston defeated

5822-537: The Philadelphia Warriors , after the Warriors–Celtics game on January 1, 1957, in which he recorded 17 points and 25 rebounds, plus an assist. Gottlieb protested the next day, saying that Russell played a one-man zone and goaltended numerous times, to only be called once. Auerbach replied that Gottlieb's statements were "absolutely ridiculous" and said any controversy was "a question of sour grapes". Constantly provoked by New York Knicks center Ray Felix during

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5964-461: The St. Louis Hawks . Auerbach assigned him to shut down the Hawks' main scorer, Bob Pettit , and Russell impressed the Boston crowd with his man-to-man defense and shot-blocking. In previous years, the Celtics had been a high-scoring team but lacked the defensive presence needed to close out tight games. With the added defensive presence of Russell, the Celtics had laid the foundation for a dynasty, as

6106-496: The University of Kansas , Chamberlain was known to have dunked on an experimental 12-foot basket set up by Phog Allen . When Chamberlain dunked the ball it was called a "dipper dunk." Dunking was banned in the NCAA and high school sports from 1967 to 1976. Many people have attributed the ban to the dominance of the college phenomenon Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar );

6248-541: The clutch . Russell eagerly accepted the offer. Sports journalist John Taylor described the scholarship offer as a watershed event in Russell's life because Russell realized that basketball was his chance to escape poverty and racism, and he swore to make the best of it. Russell graduated from McClymonds in 1952. Russell started college at USF in 1952. He averaged 20 points per game on the Dons ’ freshman basketball team, and made his varsity debut on December 1, 1953. He became

6390-503: The dunk shot due to Lew Alcindor (1967), although the latter rule was later repealed. The games were often difficult for the USF squad, as Russell and his black teammates became targets of racist jeers, particularly on the road. In one incident, hotels in Oklahoma City refused to admit Russell and his black teammates while they were in town for the 1954 All-College Tournament. In protest,

6532-549: The high jump if he had been snubbed by the basketball team. Under head coach Gerald Tucker , Russell helped the U.S. national basketball team win the gold medal in Melbourne, defeating the Soviet Union national basketball team 89–55 in the final game with an 8–0 undefeated run. The U.S. dominated the tournament, winning by an average of 53.5 points per game. Russell led the team in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game for

6674-439: The "Superman" dunk. He donned a Superman outfit as Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson tied a cape around his shoulders. Nelson alley-ooped the basketball as Howard jumped from within the key side of the free throw circle line, caught the ball, and threw it through the rim. This dunk is somewhat controversial, as his hand was not over as well as on a vertical plane to the rim. Some insist that it should in fact be considered

6816-509: The $ 25,000 signing bonus he requested. Celtics owner Walter A. Brown contacted Rochester owner Les Harrison and received an assurance that the Royals could not afford Russell, and they would draft Sihugo Green . Auerbach later said that Brown offered Harrison guaranteed performances of the Ice Capades if they did not draft Russell; it is difficult to verify or disprove this, but it is clear that

6958-415: The 1960s; and David Thompson and Julius Erving in the 1970s. This transformed dunking into the standard fare it is today. In the 1950s, Jim Pollard and Wilt Chamberlain had both dunked from the free throw line—15 feet from the basket. Chamberlain was able to dunk from the free-throw line without a running start, beginning his forward movement from within the top half of the free-throw circle. This

7100-407: The 1994 NBA slam dunk contest, who called it "The East Bay Funk Dunk," so much so that the dunk is often colloquially referred to as a "Rider dunk"—notwithstanding Orlando Woolridge 's own such dunk in the NBA contest a decade earlier. Since then, the under-the-leg has been attempted in the NBA contest by a number of participants, and has been a staple of other contests as well. Its difficulty—due to

7242-453: The 2000 dunk contest Carter used an elbow hang along with his reverse 360 windmill dunk (reminiscent of Kenny Walker's 360 windmill dunk in 1989 except that Carter spins clockwise, whereas Walker spins counter-clockwise) and between-the-legs dunk. When performed, much of the audience was speechless, including the judges, because none had seen these types of dunks before. In the 2008 Sprite Rising Star's Slam Dunk Contest Dwight Howard performed

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7384-505: The 2012 contest; Prince and Sykes failed to complete their dunks, while Stewart landed two in the first round but missed her second two attempts in the final round. Bill Russell As coach: William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He

7526-555: The 6'11" Howard prior to dunking. This dunk and the theatrics could have won the competition for Robinson, who was voted the winner by the NBA fans. Robinson then thanked Howard for graciously allowing him to dunk over him, asking the crowd to also give Howard a round of applause. More recently, the Clippers earned the nickname "Lob City" from 2011 onwards, with Chris Paul utilizing alley-oop passes regularly to teammates Blake Griffin , and DeAndre Jordan . JaVale McGee currently holds

7668-531: The 76ers coach, said: "The Celtics can thank the Good Lord for Bill Russell." That playoff series ended in a dramatic Game 7, when the Sixers were trailing 110–109 five seconds before the end, but Russell turned over the ball. When the Sixers' Hall-of-Fame guard Hal Greer inbounded, Havlicek stole the ball, causing Celtics commentator Johnny Most to scream: " Havlicek stole the ball ! It's all over! Johnny Havlicek stole

7810-411: The Celtics 4–1 in the Eastern Division finals. During the series, Russell said: "Right now, he (Wilt) is playing like me [to win]." The Sixers outpaced the Celtics when they shredded the famed Boston defense by scoring 140 points in the clinching Game 5 win. Russell acknowledged the first real loss of his career, as he had been injured when the Celtics lost the 1958 NBA Finals, by visiting Chamberlain in

7952-477: The Celtics played the Eastern Division finals against the Philadelphia 76ers , a team that had traded for Chamberlain. Russell held Chamberlain to a pair of field goals in the first three quarters of Game 3. In Game 5, Russell contributed with 12 points, 28 rebounds, and 7 assists, plus 10 blocks and 6 steals; blocks and steals became officially recorded statistics in the 1973–74 NBA season . Schayes, who had become

8094-525: The Celtics through the 1959 NBA playoffs , as they returned to the NBA Finals. In the 1959 NBA Finals , the Celtics recaptured the NBA title, sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers 4–0. Lakers head coach John Kundla praised Russell, stating: "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. Take him out and we can beat them ... He's the guy who whipped us psychologically." In the 1959–60 NBA season ,

8236-401: The Celtics to a 132–129 win over the Philadelphia Warriors with 18 points, 19 rebounds, and 5 assists. Boston won a then-record 59 regular-season games, including a then-record tying 17-game win streak. In the 1960 NBA playoffs , Russell's Celtics met Chamberlain's Warriors in the Eastern Division finals. Chamberlain outscored Russell by 81 points in the series, but the Celtics walked off with

8378-486: The Celtics went on to win their first NBA championship in 1957 and won an NBA record eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star , Russell's rebounding, defense, and leadership made him one of the dominant players of his era. Standing at 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) tall, with a 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) arm span , his shot-blocking and man-to-man defense were major reasons for

8520-438: The Celtics won 115–106, and the match was called a "new beginning of basketball". The matchup between Russell and Chamberlain became one of basketball's greatest rivalries. On February 5, 1960, Russell had 23 points, 51 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 124–100 win over the Syracuse Nationals . It was the record for most rebounds in a single game until November 24, 1960, when Chamberlain grabbed 55 rebounds against Russell, who led

8662-416: The Celtics won 119–105. At that time, he became the fourth player in Celtics history to have a triple-double, joining Macauley, Cousy, and K. C. Jones. Game 7 was tied one second before the end of regular time, when Lakers guard Rod Hundley faked a shot and passed out to Frank Selvy , who missed an open eight-foot last-second shot that would have won Los Angeles the title. As the game was tied, Russell had

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8804-456: The Celtics won a league-record 62 games and Russell averaged 14.1 points and 24.1 rebounds per game, winning his second consecutive rebounding title and his fifth MVP award. On March 11, 1965, in a 112–100 win over the Detroit Pistons , Russell grabbed 49 rebounds, which tied for the third-most in a single game in NBA history, along with 27 points and 6 assists. In the 1965 NBA playoffs ,

8946-408: The Celtics' dominance during his career. Russell also led the NBA in rebounds four times, had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds, and remains second all-time in both total rebounds and rebounds per game. Russell played in the wake of black pioneers Earl Lloyd , Chuck Cooper , and Sweetwater Clifton , and he was the first black player to achieve superstar status in the NBA. During

9088-717: The Central California Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meet, the Pacific AAU meet, and the West Coast Relays (WCR). One of his highest jumps occurred at the WCR, where he achieved a mark of 6 feet 9 + 1 ⁄ 4  inches (2.06 m); at the meet, Russell tied Charlie Dumas , who would later in the year win gold in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia for the United States and become

9230-459: The Eastern Division finals, proceeding to win the NBA Finals in a tight showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers , with Russell scoring 25 points and grabbing 32 rebounds, plus giving out an assist, in a 95–93 win in Game 7. Celtics coach Red Auerbach retired before the 1966–67 NBA season . To coach the Celtics, he had initially wanted his old player Frank Ramsey , who was too occupied running his three lucrative nursing homes. His second choice

9372-514: The Hawks prevailed in Games 5 and 6, with Pettit scoring 50 points in the deciding Game 6. Many observers thought that Boston could have won had Russell not been injured, but Auerbach commented: "You can always look for excuses ... We just got beat." In the 1958–59 NBA season , Russell averaged 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game. The Celtics broke a league record by winning 52 games and Russell's strong performance once again helped lead

9514-410: The Hawks were so depleted that they had only seven players left. With the Celtics leading 125–123 with one second left, the Hawks had the ball at their own baseline. Reserve forward Alex Hannum threw a long alley-oop pass to Pettit and Pettit's tip-in rolled indecisively on the rim for several seconds before rolling out again. The Celtics won, earning their first NBA championship . At the start of

9656-541: The Legs. All of the Dunks received a score of 50 for the dunk and won the Dunk contest. Dunk types reflect the various motions performed on the way to the basket. They start with the basic one- or two-hand forward-facing dunk and go on through various levels of athleticism and intricacy. Discrete dunk types can be modified by appending other moves; for example, a player who passes the ball off

9798-556: The MVP award, something that would last until the 1979–80 NBA season , while the media has always voted for the All-NBA teams. The Celtics won 49 games and made the first berth in the 1958 NBA playoffs , where they met in the 1958 NBA Finals with their familiar rivals, the St. Louis Hawks . The teams split the first two games, but Russell went down with a foot injury in Game 3 and only returned for Game 6. The Celtics won Game 4 in an upset, but

9940-537: The NBA witnessed the debut of 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain , who averaged a record 37.6 points per game in his rookie year. On November 7, 1959, Russell's Celtics hosted Chamberlain's Warriors and pundits called the matchup between the best offensive and defensive centers "The Big Collision" and "Battle of the Titans". Both men awed onlookers with "nakedly awesome athleticism", and while Chamberlain outscored Russell 30 to 22,

10082-420: The Royals underrated Russell. The St. Louis Hawks , who owned the second pick, drafted Russell but were vying for Celtics center Ed Macauley , a six-time NBA All-Star who had roots in St. Louis . Auerbach agreed to trade Macauley, who had previously asked to be traded to St. Louis in order to be with his sick son, if the Hawks gave up Russell. The owner of the Hawks called Auerbach later and demanded more in

10224-457: The South to find jobs in the rest of the U.S. When Russell was eight years old, his father moved the family to Oakland, California . While there, they fell into poverty and Russell spent his childhood living in a series of public housing projects. His father was said to be a "stern, hard man" who initially worked in a paper factory as a janitor, which was what sports journalist John Taylor called

10366-467: The Year check. The relationship between the two was tenuous at best. Despite their different ethnic backgrounds and lack of common off-court interests, his relationship with Cousy was amicable. Russell played 48 games, averaging 14.7 points per game and a league-high 19.6 rebounds per game. The Celtics finished the 1956–57 regular season with a 44–28 record, the team's second-best record since beginning play in

10508-525: The air ... trying to take people out of games so they couldn't play. It was an unwritten rule." Still, by the 1950s and early 1960s some of the NBA's tallest and strongest centers such as Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain had incorporated the move into their offensive arsenal. Slightly smaller players at forward and guard then began to dunk, helping to popularize the move, like "Jumping" Johnny Green , Gus Johnson , Elgin Baylor , and Connie Hawkins in

10650-454: The back, and then slammed through the rim. Although, due to momentum, many players are unable to palm the ball through the entire windmill motion, the dunk is often completed with one-hand as centripetal force allows the player to guide the ball with only their dunking hand. In some instances sticky resins or powders may be applied to the palm, these are thought to improve grip and prevent loss of possession. Amongst players, subtle variations in

10792-423: The backboard, catches it in the air, and executes a double-pump dunk would be said to have completed a "self-pass off the backboard, double pump". One of the simplest dunk types is the "tomahawk" dunk, resembling the windup and sharp downward motion of a blow with a tomahawk . A Tomahawk dunk can be performed with one or two hands, and when two hands are used, it is called a backscratcher. Initially referred to as

10934-405: The ball may be held in the below-the-waist position for milliseconds longer, thus showcasing the player's hang time (jumping ability). Whether the result of a 180° spin or body angle at takeoff, the double clutch is generally performed with the player's back toward the rim. While this orientation is rather conducive to the double clutch motion, Spud Webb was known to perform this dunk while facing

11076-408: The ball to teammate Sam Jones , who scored to clinch the win. Boston then beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4–2 in the 1968 NBA Finals , giving Russell his tenth title in twelve years. For his efforts, Russell was named Sports Illustrated ' s Sportsman of the Year . After losing for the fifth straight time against Russell and the Celtics, Hall-of-Fame Lakers guard Jerry West stated: "If I had

11218-517: The ball!" After the Division finals, the Celtics had an easier time in the NBA Finals, winning 4–1 against the Los Angeles Lakers . In the 1965–66 NBA season , Russell contributed 12.9 points and 22.8 rebounds per game. This was the first time in seven years that he failed to average at least 23 rebounds a game. The Celtics won the 1966 NBA Finals and their eighth consecutive title. Russell's team again beat Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers 4–1 in

11360-429: The basic under-the-legs dunk—more so than any other. For example, in a 1997 French Dunk contest, Dali Taamallah leapt with his right leg while controlling the ball with his left hand, and once airborne he transferred the ball from his left hand, underneath his right leg to his right hand before completing the dunk. NBA star Jason Richardson has also pioneered several notable variations of the between-the-legs including

11502-514: The basket, they're going to have to rewrite the rules." The NCAA in fact did; the lane was widened for his junior year. After he graduated, the NCAA rules committee instituted a second new rule to counter the play of big men like Russell; basket interference was now prohibited. Russell became one of several big men who have brought about NCAA rule changes. The NCAA had previously prohibited goaltending in response to George Mikan (1945) and later banned

11644-420: The basket. Additionally, Kenny "Sky" Walker , Tracy McGrady —in the 1989 and 2000 NBA Contests, respectively—and others, have performed 360° variation of the double clutch (McGrady completed a lob self-pass before the dunk). Circa 2007, independent slam dunker T-Dub performed the double clutch with a 540° spin which he concluded by hanging on the rim. For one-footed jumpers, the ball is generally transferred to

11786-469: The bench because he struggled against Russell in the regular season, quipped: "How much does that guy make a year? It would be to our advantage if we paid him off for five years to get away from us in the rest of this series." The next day, The Boston Globe read: "Russell's Reflexes Befuddles Visitors." The Celtics swept the Nationals in three games to earn the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance in

11928-431: The border on the side opposite his take-off—a 16-foot flight. At least one player has performed a 720 degree dunk (that is, two full turns in the air): Taurian Fontenette also known as Air Up There during a Streetball game. Dunking is much less common in women's basketball than in men's play. Dunking is slightly more common during practice sessions, but many coaches advise against it in competitive play because of

12070-481: The competition. His former USF and future Celtics teammate K. C. Jones joined him on the Olympic squad and contributed 10.9 points per game, including a Russell–Jones combined 29 points in the finals. The Harlem Globetrotters invited Russell to join their exhibition basketball squad, but Russell, who was sensitive to racial prejudice, was enraged by the fact that Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein would only discuss

12212-543: The cuffing method, players are also afforded the opportunity of performing the windmill motion towards the front, a technique exploited by French athlete Kadour Ziani when he pioneered his trademark double-windmill. Occasionally in the game setting, the windmill is performed via alley-oop but is rarely seen in offense-rebound putback dunks due to the airtime required. Dominique Wilkins popularized powerful windmills—in games as well as in contests—including two-handed, self-pass, 360°, rim-hang, and combined variants thereof. At

12354-429: The daunting task of defending against Baylor with little frontline help: Loscutoff, Heinsohn, and Satch Sanders , the three best Celtics forwards, had fouled out. In overtime, Frank Ramsey , the fourth forward, fouled out trying to guard Baylor, so Russell was robbed of his usual four-men wing rotation; he and little-used fifth forward Gene Guarilia successfully pressured Baylor into missed shots. Russell finished with

12496-406: The direction of the windmill depend on bodily orientation at takeoff and also jumping style (one-foot or two-feet) in relation to dominant hand. There are a number of variations on the windmill, the most common being the aforementioned one- or two-hand variants. In these cases, the windmill motion may be performed with the previously discussed one-arm technique and finished with one- or two-hands, or

12638-426: The draft, Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach set his sights on Russell, thinking his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess were the missing pieces the Celtics needed. Auerbach's thoughts were unorthodox, as in that period centers and forwards were defined by their offensive output, and their ability to play defense was secondary. Boston's chances of getting Russell seemed slim because they had finished second in

12780-616: The dunk has a variety of names including 'honey dip', 'cookie jar', and 'elbow hook'. In the 2011 NBA contest, Los Angeles Clippers power-forward Blake Griffin completed a self-pass off of the backboard prior to elbow-hanging on the rim. A number of other variants of the elbow hang have been executed, including a lob self-pass, hanging by the arm pit , a windmill, and over a person. Most notable are two variations which as of July 2012, have yet to be duplicated. In 2008, Canadian athlete Justin Darlington introduced an iteration aptly entitled

12922-446: The dunk. TNT viewers rated it "the best dunk of all time" over Vince Carter's between-the-legs slam. In the 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contest , which came down to Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, Jordan dunked from the free-throw line, much like Erving, but parted his legs making his dunk arguably more memorable than Erving's . Twice in his rookie season ( 1992–93 ) during games, center Shaquille O'Neal dunked so hard that he broke

13064-468: The famous "Coleman Play", as he ran down Hawks forward Jack Coleman , who had received an outlet pass at midcourt, and blocked his shot despite the fact that Russell had been standing at his own baseline when the ball was thrown to Coleman. The block preserved Boston's slim 103–102 lead with 40-odd seconds left to play in regulation, saving the game for the Celtics. In the second overtime , both teams were in serious foul trouble: Heinsohn had fouled out, and

13206-512: The favorites. National tragedy struck on April 4, day of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. With eight of the ten starting players on Sixers and Celtics being black, both teams were in deep shock and there were calls to cancel the series. In a game called as "unreal" and "devoid of emotion", the Sixers lost 127–118 on April 5. In Game 2, Philadelphia evened the series with a 115–106 win and then went on to win Games 3 and 4. As Chamberlain

13348-581: The final three seasons of his career (1966–1969), he served as player-coach of the Celtics, becoming the first black NBA coach to win a championship. Russell ended his playing career and left his position as Celtics coach after helping the Celtics win the 1969 NBA championship. Russell served as head coach and general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics from 1973 to 1977. He also coached the Sacramento Kings from 1987 to 1988. Russell also worked as

13490-419: The first modern dunk contest in 1984. Spud Webb at 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) defeated 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) Dominique Wilkins in the 1986 dunk contest. Michael Jordan nicknamed "Air Jordan" for his dunking ability, popularized a dunk referred to by some fans as the "Leaner" in 1987 contest. This dunk was so called because Jordan's body was not perpendicular to the ground while performing

13632-481: The first person to high-jump 7 feet (2.13 m). this was all before the Fosbury Flop was introduced, with which all high jump world records after 1978 have been set. He also competed in the 440 yards (402.3 m) race, which he could complete in 49.6 seconds. Before his NBA rookie year, Russell was the captain of the 1956 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team that competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics , which

13774-408: The first time in NBA history a team lost a series after leading 3–1. Russell limited Chamberlain to only two shot attempts in the second half. Despite this, the Celtics were leading only 97–95 with 34 seconds left when Russell closed out the game with several consecutive clutch plays. He made a free throw , blocked a shot by Sixers player Chet Walker , grabbed a rebound off a miss by Greer, and passed

13916-523: The game being called. The NBA has made shattering the backboard a technical foul , although it will not count towards a player's count of seven that can draw a suspension, or two towards ejection from a game, and it counts towards a player's count of six personal fouls. This has assisted in deterring this action, as it can cost the team points. The first-ever Slam Dunk Contest was held on January 27, 1976 at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver during halftime of

14058-518: The hydraulic support of one goal standard (against the Phoenix Suns ) and broke the welds holding up another goal standard, causing the basket to break off and fall to the floor (against the New Jersey Nets ), although in neither case did the glass break. This resulted in reinforced backboard supports as well. During that same season, New Jersey's Chris Morris shattered a backboard in a game against

14200-403: The job because I am a Negro, I was offered it because Red figured I could do it." When he became player-coach, Russell bluntly said to his teammates that "he intended to cut all personal ties to other players" and seamlessly made the transition from their peer to their superior. At the time his additional role of coach was announced, Russell publicly stated he believed Red Auerbach 's impact as

14342-415: The locker room, shaking his hand, and saying: "Great." The game still ended on a high note for Russell. After the loss, he led his grandfather through the Celtics locker rooms and the two saw the white Celtic Havlicek taking a shower next to his black teammate Sam Jones and discussing the game. Suddenly, his grandfather broke down crying. Asked by Russell what was wrong, his grandfather replied how proud he

14484-411: The matter with USF Coach Woolpert, and not Russell. While Saperstein spoke to Woolpert in a meeting, Globetrotters assistant coach Harry Hanna tried to entertain Russell with jokes, but he was livid after this snub and declined the offer. He reasoned that if Saperstein was too smart to speak with him, then he was too smart to play for Saperstein. Russell made himself eligible for the 1956 NBA draft . In

14626-440: The most WNBA dunks belongs to Brittney Griner , with 25 career dunks as of 2024. Griner was also the first player to dunk twice in one game (27 May 2013, her WNBA debut) and the first to dunk in a playoff game (25 August 2014). Griner was also prolific in high school and college: as a high school senior, she dunked 52 times in 32 games and set a single-game record of seven dunks. As a standout at Baylor University , Griner became

14768-559: The national championship. Under head coach Guy Lewis , Houston (with Elvin Hayes ) made considerable use of the "stuff" shot on their way to the Final Four in 1967 . In the NBA, in 1976 Arthur Erhat filed a patent for "a rim that had give but immediately returned to its original position," making dunking safe for the first time by significantly reducing the shattering of backboards. In 1979, Erving's teammate and center Darryl Dawkins twice shattered NBA backboards with dunks leading to

14910-436: The no-dunking rule is sometimes referred to as the "Lew Alcindor rule." Others have attributed the ban to racial motivations, as at the time most of the prominent dunkers in college basketball were African-American, and the ban took place less than a year after the 1966 NCAA University Division basketball championship game , wherein a Texas Western team with an all-black starting lineup beat an all-white Kentucky team to win

15052-435: The non-dominant hand just before or upon take-off; for two-footers, this transfer is often delayed for milliseconds as both hands control the ball to prevent dropping it. Once airborne, the dunker generally transfers the ball from non-dominant to dominant hand beneath a raised leg. Finally, the ball is brought upwards by the dominant hand and slammed through the rim. The between-the-legs dunk was popularized by Isaiah Rider in

15194-418: The onset of the jump, the ball is controlled by either one or both hands and once in the air is typically brought to chest level. The player will then quickly thrust the ball downwards and fully extend their arms, bringing the ball below the waist. Finally the ball is brought above the head and dunked with one or both hands; and the double clutch appears as one fluid motion. As a demonstration of athletic prowess,

15336-504: The opponents tried to find the open man. He also became famous for his shot-blocking skills and pundits called his blocks "Wilsonburgers", referring to the Wilson NBA basketballs he "shoved back into the faces of opposing shooters". This skill allowed the other Celtics to play their men aggressively; if they were beaten, they knew that Russell was guarding the basket. Russell's defense was called into question by Eddie Gottlieb , coach of

15478-523: The opposing center: using his quickness and speed, he would double-up on forwards and aggressively challenge their shots. Russell played on USF's varsity team from 1953 to 1956. Combining the stature and shot-blocking skills of a center with the foot speed of a forward, Russell became the centerpiece of a USF team that soon became a force in college basketball. After USF kept Holy Cross Crusaders star Tom Heinsohn scoreless in an entire half, Sports Illustrated wrote: "If [Russell] ever learns to hit

15620-506: The pivotal Game 7, Russell managed to hold Chamberlain to 22 points, 28 points below his season average, while scoring 19 points. The game was tied with two seconds left when Sam Jones sank a clutch shot that won the Celtics the series. In the 1962 NBA Finals , the Celtics met the Los Angeles Lakers of forward Elgin Baylor and guard Jerry West . The teams split the first six games. In Game 6, Russell recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 24 rebounds, and 10 assists as

15762-412: The player may control the ball with two hands, with both arms performing the windmill motion, finishing with one or both hands. Additionally, the ball may be cuffed between the hand and the forearm—generally with the dominant hand. The cuff technique provides better ball security, allowing for a faster windmill motion and increased force exerted on the basket at finish, with either one or both hands. Using

15904-569: The previous season and the worst teams had the highest draft picks, and the Celtics had slipped too low in the draft order to pick Russell. In addition, Auerbach had already used his NBA territorial pick to acquire talented forward Tom Heinsohn . Auerbach knew that the Rochester Royals , who owned the first draft pick, already had a strong rebounder in Maurice Stokes , were looking for an outside shooting guard, and were unwilling to pay Russell

16046-403: The purpose of defending against them. Russell was ignored by college recruiters and did not receive an offer until recruiter Hal DeJulio from the University of San Francisco (USF) watched him play in a high school game. DeJulio was unimpressed by Russell's meager scoring and "atrocious fundamentals", but he sensed that the young Russell had an extraordinary instinct for the game, especially in

16188-407: The required hand-eye coordination, flexibility, and hang-time—keeps it generally reserved for exhibitions and contests, not competitive games. Ricky Davis has managed to complete the dunk in an NBA game, but both he and Josh Smith have botched at least one in-game attempt as well. Because of the possible combinations of starting and finishing hands, and raised-legs, there are many variations on

16330-404: The rim, a windmill dunk (see below) is then performed. Before takeoff, or at the onset of the jump, the ball is brought to the abdomen and then the windmill motion is started by moving the ball below the waist according to the length of the player's fully extended arm. Then following the rotation of the outstretch arm, the ball is moved in a circular motion, typically moving from the front towards

16472-511: The risks of injury or failing to score. In 1978, Cardte Hicks became the first woman to dunk in a professional game during a men's professional game in the Netherlands . In 1984, Georgeann Wells , a 6'7" (201 cm) junior playing for West Virginia University , became the first woman to score a slam dunk in women's collegiate play, in a game against the University of Charleston on 21 December. On December 4, 1994, Charlotte Smtih , then

16614-615: The seventh player to dunk during a women's college basketball game and the second woman to dunk twice in a single college game. At the 2012 London Olympics , Liz Cambage of the Australian Opals became the first woman to dunk in the Olympics , scoring against Russia . In 2004, as a high school senior, Candace Parker was invited to participate in the McDonald's All-American Game and accompanying festivities where she competed in and won

16756-481: The slam dunk contest. In subsequent years other women have entered the contest; though Kelley Cain , Krystal Thomas , and Maya Moore were denied entry into the same contest in 2007. Brittney Griner intended to participate in the 2009 McDonald's Dunk Contest but was unable to attend the event due to the attendance policy of her high school. Breanna Stewart , at 6'3" (191 cm), Alexis Prince (6'2"; 188 cm), and Brittney Sykes (5'9"; 175 cm) competed in

16898-496: The starting center for coach Phil Woolpert , who emphasized defense and deliberate half-court play, which favored Russell's exceptional defensive skills. Woolpert's choice of how to deploy his players was unaffected by their skin color. In 1954, he became the first coach of a major college basketball program to start three African-American players: K. C. Jones , Hal Perry , and Russell. In his USF years, Russell took advantage of his relative lack of bulk to guard other players than

17040-626: The team at Herbert Hoover Junior High School. As a freshman at McClymonds High School in Oakland, Russell was almost cut again; as he saw Russell's raw athletic potential, coach George Powles encouraged him to work on his fundamentals. After Russell was cut from the junior varsity basketball team as a junior in high school, Powles gave him a spot on the varsity team and bought him a yearlong community center membership. Since Russell's previous experiences with white authority figures were often negative, warm words from Powles reassured him. Frank Robinson ,

17182-433: The team utilized a strong defensive approach to the game, forcing opposing teams to commit many turnovers , which led to many easy points on fast breaks . Russell was an elite help defender who allowed the Celtics to play the "Hey, Bill" defense: whenever a Celtic requested additional defensive help, he would shout "Hey, Bill!" Russell was so quick that he could run over for a quick double team and make it back in time if

17324-517: The trade. In addition to Macauley, who was the Celtics' premier player at the time, he wanted Cliff Hagan , who had been serving in the military for three years and had not yet played for the Celtics. After much debate, Auerbach agreed to give up Hagan and the Hawks made the trade. During that same draft, Boston also drafted guard K. C. Jones , Russell's former USF teammate; in total, the team drafted three future Basketball Hall of Famers in 1956: Russell, Jones, and Heinsohn. The Russell draft-day trade

17466-402: The two-handed tomahawk is a staple of game situations—frequently employed in alley-oops and in offense-rebound put-back dunks. In one common variation, a 360° spin may be completed prior to or simultaneously with the tomahawk. Circa 2009, independent slam dunker Troy McCray pioneered an especially complex variant of the dunk: once the tomahawk motion is complete, instead of slamming the ball in

17608-406: The vast majority of media, his autograph was among the most difficult to secure of any professional athlete of his time. Russell had a cordial relationship with many of his teammates, with the notable exception of Heinsohn, his old rival and fellow rookie. Russell ignored Heinsohn's request for an autograph on behalf of his cousin and openly said to Heinsohn that he deserved half of his $ 300 Rookie of

17750-417: The whole team decided to fend for themselves in a closed college dorm , which was later called an important bonding experience for the group. Decades later, Russell explained that his experiences hardened him against abuse of all kinds, saying: "I never permitted myself to be a victim." Racism shaped his lifelong paradigm as a team player, about which Russell said: "At that time it was never acceptable that

17892-405: The world record for Most Basketball Dunks in a Single Jump: three. While competing in the 2011 NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, McGee jumped with two balls in his possession and dunked each prior to receiving and slamming an alley-oop pass from then teammate John Wall . In the 2016 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Zach LaVine dunked from the free throw line on three occasions: One Hand, Windmill, and Between

18034-478: Was Cousy, who declined the invitation, stating that he did not want to coach his former teammates. Third choice Tom Heinsohn also said no because he did not think he could handle the often surly Russell, whom he proposed as a player-coach. On April 16, 1966, Russell agreed to become head coach of the Celtics, and a public announcement was made two days later. Russell became the first black head coach in NBA history, and he commented to journalists: "I wasn't offered

18176-480: Was a one-on-one slam dunk competition. Former ABA player Darnell "Dr. Dunk" Hillman was named the winner that season. Although he received the winner's $ 15,000 check, Hillman did not receive a trophy until 2017. The Houston Cougars from 1982 to 1984, with Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler , were known as Phi Slama Jama . The national champion 1982 North Carolina Tar Heels also featured two notable dunkers: James Worthy and Michael Jordan . Larry Nance won

18318-504: Was born on February 12, 1934, to Charles Russell and Katie Russell in West Monroe, Louisiana . Like many Southern towns and cities of that time, Monroe was segregated and the Russells often struggled with racism in their daily lives. Russell's father was once refused service at a gas station until the staff had taken care of all the white customers first. When he attempted to leave and find

18460-617: Was carried out across five different levels of basketball (NBA, EuroBasket, the Slovenian 1st Division, and two minor leagues). Overall the study showed that slam dunks were a very effective way of scoring in the game of basketball, particularly in the NBA, which had the highest dunk percentage in the study. Joe Fortenberry , playing for the McPherson Globe Refiners, dunked the ball in 1936 in Madison Square Garden . The feat

18602-442: Was dunking regularly during games. Yet defenders viewed the execution of a slam dunk as a personal affront that deserved retribution; thus defenders often intimidated offensive players and thwarted the move. Kurland's rival big man George Mikan noted "We used to dunk in pregame practice, not in the game." Satch Sanders , a career Boston Celtic from 1960 to 1973, said: "in the old days, [defenders] would run under you when you were in

18744-688: Was held in November and December in Melbourne , Australia. Avery Brundage , head of the International Olympic Committee , argued that Russell had already signed a professional contract and was no longer an amateur (as nominally required at the time), but Russell prevailed. He had the option to skip the tournament and play a full season for the Celtics, but he was determined to play in the Olympics. He later commented that he would have participated in

18886-471: Was immortalized by Arthur Daley , Pulitzer Prize winning sports writer for The New York Times in an article in March 1936. He wrote that Joe Fortenberry and his teammate, Willard Schmidt , instead of shooting up for a layup, leaped up and "pitch[ed] the ball downward into the hoop, much like a cafeteria customer dunking a roll in coffee". During the 1940s, 7-foot center and Olympic gold medalist Bob Kurland

19028-405: Was in high school. Of Russell the college basketball player, Mikan said: "Let's face it, he's the best ever. He's so good, he scares you." Russell's older brother was playwright Charlie L. Russell . During his early years Russell struggled to develop his skills as a basketball player. Although he was a good runner and jumper and had large hands, he did not understand the game and was cut from

19170-596: Was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame a second time in recognition of his coaching career. Shortly after his death in 2022, the NBA retired Russell's #6 jersey league-wide, making him the only player in NBA history to receive that honor, as well as the third person in North American major professional sports to have their jersey number retired league-wide, behind Jackie Robinson and Wayne Gretzky . William Felton Russell

19312-479: Was later called one of the most important trades in the history of North American sports. Due to his Olympic commitment, Russell could not join the Celtics for the 1956–57 NBA season until December. The 1956–57 Boston Celtics season saw the debut of a starting lineup made up of five future Hall-of-Famers: center Russell, forwards Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey , and guards Bill Sharman and Bob Cousy . Russell's first Celtics game came on December 22, 1956, against

19454-415: Was of him, being coach of an organization in which blacks and whites coexisted in harmony. In the 1967–68 NBA season , the 34-year-old Russell averaged 12.5 points per game and 18.6 rebounds per game, the latter of which was good enough for the third-highest average in the league. In the Eastern Division finals of the 1968 NBA playoffs , the Philadelphia 76ers had the better record than Boston and were

19596-409: Was often defended by Celtics backup center Wayne Embry , the press speculated that Russell was worn down. Prior to Game 5, no NBA team had ever come back from a 3–1 deficit. The Celtics rallied back, winning Game 5 122–104 and Game 6 114–106, powered by a spirited Havlicek and helped by a terrible Sixers shooting slump. In Game 7, 15,202 Philadelphia fans witnessed a home-team 100–96 defeat, making it

19738-562: Was over, they had a Northern California banquet, and they picked another center as Player of the Year in Northern California. Well, that let me know that if I were to accept these as the final judges of my career I would die a bitter old man." He is said to have made a conscious decision to put the team first and foremost, and not worry about individual achievements. On the court, Russell's experiences were far more pleasant. He led USF to NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956 , including

19880-542: Was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 1955, averaging 20.7 points per game and 20.3 rebounds per game . Besides basketball, Russell represented USF in track and field events. He was a standout in the high jump and according to Track & Field News was ranked the seventh-best high-jumper in the world in 1956, his graduation year, despite not competing in Olympic high-jump competition. That year, Russell won high jump titles at

20022-422: Was the catalyst for the 1956 NCAA rule change which requires that a shooter maintain both feet behind the line during a free-throw attempt. An inbounds pass over the backboard was also banned because of Chamberlain. Offensive goaltending, also called basket interference, was introduced as a rule in 1956 after Bill Russell had exploited it at San Francisco and Chamberlain was soon to enter college play. While at

20164-566: Was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career. Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. At the University of San Francisco, Russell led the San Francisco Dons to consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956 . He was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player , and captained the gold medal-winning U.S. national basketball team at

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