“Who better to name this (MVP) prestigious award for than one of the greatest players of all time and the ultimate champion…This award will henceforth be named for Bill Russell,” Stern said.
As a five-time winner of the NBA’S MVP Award and a 12-time All Star Russell was an honest-to-goodness legend in basketball. If titles measure greatness, then with his leadership during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics the team won 11 NBA titles between 1957-69, eight of them in a row.
Russell’s style on the court was all about team over individual. But he was still the kingpin of the Celtics Dynasty. He is often considered the greatest team player in NBA history.
February 9 was a difficult time in Russell’s life. His wife Marilyn had recently passed away. His legendary coach and friend Red Auerbach died the year before. Russell said he accepted the award for his team and for coach Auerbach.
“This is one of my proudest moments in basketball, I dedicated my career to playing, to make sure as often as possible we were always on the positive side of the final score,” he said.
Before joining the Celtics, Bill was named captain of the United States Olympic team for 1956 and led the team to a gold medal campaign. His Olympic appearance forced him to miss the beginning of the basketball season, which also cost him his chance for Rookie of the Year.
Unlike other coaches who tried to bend their players to do what they expected them to do, Auerbach trusted Russell to play his own game. Russell said Auerbach accepted him just as he was and under his guidance Russell flourished.
“I don’t know enough about you,” Auerbach said in the beginning. “But I will take the time to learn and we’ll do this together.”
They were two very different people who met on common ground. Russell said they never really talked as coach and player. They talked to each other as men. Russell called them co-workers. As a coach, as a friend, Auerbach was always concerned about what was best for you, not him, Russell added.
When the two encountered each other in later years they picked up right where they left off.
“I’m only interested in what’s real. I’m not interested in bullshit,” Russell said. “Red felt the same way. So, that’s what we talked about: what was real to us.”
During the final two years of those Celtic championships, Russell became the first African-American coach of a major-league professional team. Boston won two more titles with Russell in the dual role.
On April 22, 2022, Hunt Auctions featured the “Personal Collection of Bill Russell” on the block and items from the collection of Red Auerbach.
Here are some current values.
Bill Russell
Display Standee; life-size, autographed; Russell posed in street clothes; $1,058.
Color Pencil; on board; illustrative piece; by Robert Arthur; circa 1962; 15 inches by 18 inches; $5,405.
Ticket Stub; 1966 NCAA Finals; Glory Road; first five African American Starting Player Lineup; $14,100.
Warm-up Jacket; Russell nameplate in white snapped on back; circa 1960s; $94,000.
Professional Model Jersey; Russell autographed; Boston Celtics; circa 1950-60s; $1,022,250.
