Perspective: When it mattered most, Bill Russell would never be denied.
, his longtime teammate, once said. “There were times when I’d see someone going in his direction and I’d start towards the other end because I knew the ball was about to be coming that way.”first Black man to coach a major pro sports franchise
Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and the first Black head coach in a major American sports league, died July 31. He was 88. At that point, the Celtics were good but had not won the NBA title. In 1956, they had the sixth draft pick, and Russell was considered a lock to be the No. 1 choice. Auerbach traded two future Hall of Famers — Ed Macauley and the rights to Cliff Hagan — to the St. Louis Hawks to move up to No. 2. But Rochester Royals owner Les Harrison, whose team had the No. 1 pick, told Auerbach he couldn’t trade it because he would be accused in the local media of trying to save money.
After retiring, Russell coached in Seattle and briefly for Sacramento, but he always remained close to the Celtics and Auerbach. When, Russell flew from Seattle to Washington for his wake even though, under orders from Auerbach, there would be no speakers or formal program. In 2009, Russell wrote a book titled “Red and Me.” The subtitle summed up their relationship: “My Coach, My Lifelong Friend.”Auerbach loved to tell Russell stories.
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