Selecting the Boston Celtics All-Time starting lineup
Bill Russell – Center
Bill Russell should definitely be on everyone’s All-Time starting 5 for the Boston Celtics. He spent his entire 13 year career playing for the Celtics, which included 3 years as a “player/coach” near the end of his career.
Russell has achieved and accomplished so much in the NBA that he is in a category of his own. He is the only player in sports history who has won 11 championships in a 13 year span. To put it in more of a perspective, Russell has more championship rings than he does fingers to wear them all on.
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In 13 seasons, Russell averaged 15.1 points, and 22.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 44- percent from the field. It’s worth mentioning that Russell played in a time where there weren’t as many recorded statistics as there are now, such as blocks. But it’s safe to say that Russell was a major problem for opposing players when defending the paint.
Throughout Russell’s amazing career, he was a 5-Time league MVP (1958, 1961-1963, 1969), was named to 12 NBA All-Star teams (1958,1969), three time NBA-All First Team (1959, 1963, 1965), 8-Time NBA-All Second Team (1858, 1960-1962, 1964, 1966-1968), and NBA All-Defensive First Team (1969).
Red Auerbach created a dynasty throughout the late 50’s and throughout the 60’s with Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and Tommy Heinsohn. Russell was responsible for hanging the first 11 championship banners in the rafters of the TD Garden.
Russell ranks 1st all time in total rebounds (21,620), and top 10 all time in games (963), minutes played (40,726), and field goals (5,687). Russell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.
Russell’s No. 6 is retired by the Boston Celtics.
Russell didn’t just make history on the court during his playing days in Boston. Russell was a huge social activist in African American injustices and during the Civil Rights Movement during a hard time in the world of the late 50’s and during the 60’s. In 2011, President Barack Obama presented Russell with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In 2013, the city of Boston made the decision to make a statue of Russell, which is found outside the City Hall in a memorial that has been built to honor great pioneers and innovators that have made an impact on the city.