Legend Bill Russell was a brilliant and talented American basketball player. In today’s article, I will tell you about many important aspects of Bill Russell’s life, including Bill Russell Net Worth, Early Life, Career, Achievements, Personal Life, death, and others.
Of course, fans of Bill Russell are eager to know about his life and amazing career, so hopefully, in today’s article, you will get the information you need. Read this article till the end to learn about Bill Russell,, who made the history of basketball.
Also, read more: Bill Russell Wife: All You Should Know About
Early Life
Bill Russell’s full name is William Felton Russell; he was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. Bill Russell was born into a poverty-stricken family and faced many difficulties and challenges.
Of course, despite the difficulties in his life, Bill Russell gave his full attention to sports, especially basketball, and built a brilliant career. His interest in basketball led him to the heights of success. He attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, where he excelled in basketball and led his team to two consecutive championships.
Basic Information
| Full Name. | William Felton Russell |
| Born | February 12, 1934, Monroe
Louisiana |
| Listed height. | 6 ft 10 inch |
| Listed weight. | 98 kg |
Career
Bill Russell attended the University of San Francisco after high school, where he played basketball and led his school team Dons to two NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956. He also won a gold medal at the Melbourne Olympics in Australia. He began his basketball career at the age of 22 with the NBA.
Bill Russell, who was the greatest and most famous basketball player of all time, also won 11 NBA titles. In his 13-year career, Russell appeared in a record 12 NBA finals. He also played in a record 70 NBA finals games.
Bill Russell is one of only two players in history to have 20,000-plus rebounds in their career. He finished second with 21,629 total rebounds behind Chamberlain (23,924).
Career Information
| High school | McClymonds High
The school ( Oakland, California) |
| College | San Francisco ( 1953,1956) |
| NBA Draft | 1956 / Round:1/
Pick: 2nd Overall |
| Playing Career | 1956- 1969 |
| Position | center |
| Number | 6 |
| Coaching career | 1966 – 1988 |
Boston Celtics coach and general manager Red Auerbach wanted Bill Russell on his team. Bill Russell was an outstanding basketball player who made a great career in the game. Bill Russell’s net worth is a testament to his achievements and illustrious career.
Bill Russell 1956 Olympics
Before starting his professional career, Bill Russell was part of the US Olympic basketball team that participated in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and helped the team win the gold medal. Of course, Bill Russell was a successful man with a brilliant career.
Achievements
Bill Russell was a successful and great personality who earned many names and a lot of money in a few years of his life. Bill Russell had a brilliant professional career that will always be remembered. He had many achievements in his sports career, including playing for the Boston Celtics for 13 years and winning 11 championship trophies.
By winning this championship, he found a high point in his sports career which is still fresh in people’s minds. Bill Russell was undoubtedly a great player known for his exceptional shot-blocking and rebounding. Moreover, he was a good passer who also helped his teammates. Interestingly, Bill Russell was named to the All-Star team 12 times and was also known as a great NBA player.
Personal Life And Marriages
Besides his basketball career, Bill Russell was also very active in other activities and an ardent activist and social justice advocate. He raised his voice for the rights of the citizens and always stood by them to fulfill their demands. However, you can also call Bill Russell a humanitarian and compassionate person.
Bill Russell’s parents were Charles and Katie Russell. Moreover, Bill Russell’s father was a former steelworker and related to trucking jobs by profession, and his mother was a homemaker. He has one sibling named Charlie L. Russell. His brother Charlie L was a noted playwright. He was a Mercer Island, Washington resident for over four decades.
Bill Russell had more than one marriage in his life, which lasted only a few years. You must want to know how many marriages Bill Russell had and which wife was with him in the end. Read on to know all this.
Bill Russell first married his college sweetheart Rose Swisher in 1956 and had three children. Yes, indeed, Bill Russell has two sons and a daughter from his biological relationship with his first wife, his daughter is Karen, and his sons are William KR and Jacob.
Then, due to mutual tension, Bill Russell and Rose separated in 1973. After that, in 1977, Bill Russell married Dorothy Insitt, but this marriage did not last long, and the couple separated in 1980. After that, Russell did not marry for long, and then in 1996, he got married for the third time to Marilyn Nault, which lasted until 2009, and then got divorced.
Bill Russell did not marry for a few more years, but then in the days before his death, he married for the fourth time to Jenin, who remained with him until his death.
Of course, Bill Russell kept his fourth marriage a secret, but then he posted a picture of himself and Janine together on his Instagram account and told people about his marriage. Bill Russell has no biological children from his other wives; he has only three children from his first wife, one of whom, William Jr., died of cancer.
Net worth
Discover the NBA legend Bill Russell’s Net Worth in 2023. Bill Russell was a professional basketball player who dominated the court and impacted the game of basketball. Bill Russell was a famous basketball player in an era when he started playing, and the players’ salaries were much lower than today.
At the time of Bill Russell’s death, Bill Russell’s net worth was estimated to be $10 million, which is a fraction of the salaries of today’s professional players. When Bill Russell entered the league, his first contract was $24,000. That’s far less than the four-year, $50 million contract signed by 2022 first-overall pick Paulo Banchero.
However, it is important to know that by 1950s standards, Bill Russell was the highest-paid player in the NBA of his era. Towards the end of his career, Bill Russell was reported to be earning $100,001 a year, which is about $600,000 for today’s players. In addition, Bill Russell also received $25,000 extra as a player-coach. Furthermore, Bill Russell played a dominant role in his last two championships with the Boston Celtics in 1968 and 1969.
According to the Washington Post, Bill Russell also did not have local endorsement deals. However, he appeared in several national television commercials. Apart from advertising, Bill Russell was also a real estate investor and owned many properties in the United States.
In 2021, he sold his Washington home, which he had owned for over 50 years, for a list price of $2.6 million. Of course, Bill Russell’s 11 championship rings are worth a lot and could certainly fetch a lot of money if his estate were to be auctioned off by his widow. Bill Russell’s Net Worth was the fruit of his life’s hard work.
Bill Russell Death
National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Bill Russell passed away at the age of 88 on Sunday, July 31, 2022. Bill Russell played for the Boston Celtics and led the team to 11 championships in 13 years which was a great achievement. He was the first black coach of a major American sport, leading teams to great success.
He was active in sports and social activities, raising his voice for the protection of human rights and helping people. His family confirmed Bill Russell’s death in a statement on social media. In it, he said that he died near his wife, Janin.
No definite cause of his death has been stated, so his death will be called natural death. Russell has left such a legacy that he will inspire the new generations coming to basketball.
Conclusion
Indeed, Bill Russell was a true basketball player who lives on in people’s minds even after his death, leaving an indelible impression on the minds of his fans. He was a great sportsman and one of the most popular and loved personalities in the outside world, remembered for centuries. Not only was he a great player on the court, but off the court as well, he was a champion of social justice.
FAQs
Who was Bill Russell’s first marriage? And did he have any children?
Bill Russell was first married to his college friend Rose Swisher and had three children.
What is Bill Russell’s daughter’s name and what does she do?
Bill Russell's daughter is Karen, born in 1962, she is an expert in politics and law. She received her law degree from Harvard Law School.
Are all three of Bill Russell’s children alive?
Bill Russell had three children, a daughter and two sons, a daughter named Karen and sons named William Russell Jr. and Jacob Russell. One of his sons, William Russell Jr., died of cancer. Now only two of his children are alive.
Who did Bill Russell marry for the fourth time?
Bill Russell's fourth marriage was to Janine, who was still with him at the time of his death.