Fun Trivia : Bill Russell

Structure Sub-topic of: NBA Players L-R Quizzes Interesting Questions, Facts and Information There are a total of 10 general entries.

Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

Bill Russell

In which state, known for its Mardi Gras celebration, was Bill Russell born in 1934?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


Louisiana. Russell was born in West Monroe, Louisiana. His early life was hardly a "Mardi Gras". Russell and his family were forced to deal repeatedly with racism and discrimination. In 1942, the Russell family moved to Oakland, California, where Bill discovered the sport of basketball.



Bill Russell was a star center during his collegiate days in California. Which college, nicknamed the Dons, did Russell attend?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


San Francisco. Russell attended the University of San Francisco and led the Dons to NCAA Division I basketball titles in 1955 (against LaSalle) and 1956 (versus Iowa). His coach at USF was Phil Woolpert, and one of his teammates was K.C. Jones. Russell and Jones would reunite during the Boston Celtics glory years. UCLA is known as the Bruins, Southern California is nicknamed the Trojans, and Cal-Northridge is known as the Matadors.



In 1956, Bill Russell helped the U.S. basketball team to win an Olympic gold medal. In which city were the 1956 Olympic Games held?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


Melbourne. Russell was a prominent member of the 1956 U.S. Olympic basketball team which won the gold medal in Australia. Gerald Tucker was the coach of this squad which easily outclassed its opponents. London hosted the 1948 Olympic Games, Helsinki was the host in 1952, and Rome hosted the Olympics in 1960.



Bill Russell was a track and field athlete in college. In which event did Russell consider competing in during the 1956 Olympics?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


High jump. In addition to playing basketball, Russell was a track and field star for the university. He was good at the 400-yard dash, and he excelled at the high jump. In 1956, Russell was ranked among the 10 best high jumpers in the world. He considered entering this event in the 1956 Olympics, but he decided to play hoops with the U.S. Olympic baskteball team instead.



Which NBA franchise selected Bill Russell as the second overall pick in the 1956 draft?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


St. Louis Hawks. Red Auerbach, the Boston Celtics coach, craved Russell's defensive ability, so Auerbach made a deal with the Hawks. In exchange for Russell, Auerbach traded veteran center Ed Macauley and rookie Cliff Hagan to St. Louis. With the addition of Bill Russell, the Celtics were set to make NBA history. A dynasty was born.



Which uniform number did Bill Russell wear throughout his career with the Boston Celtics?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


6. Russell's number 6 and rival center Wilt Chamberlain's number 13 became two of the most recognizable uniforms in American professional sports during the 1960s. Russell's number six uniform was retired by the Celtics in 1972. Bob Cousy wore number 14 for Boston, Tommy Heinsohn was number 15, and Sam Jones wore number 24.



With which team did Bill Russell finish his NBA coaching career during the 1987-88 season?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


Sacramento Kings. After leaving the Boston Celtics following the 1969 season, Russell coached the Seattle Supersonics from 1973 to 1977. His last NBA coaching experience occurred with the Sacramento Kings in the beginning of the 1987-88 season. Russell didn't have much success with the Kings. Sacramento had an abysmal record of 17-41 when Russell departed. Overall, Russell had a record of 341 victories and 290 defeats during his coaching career, with two NBA titles.



In 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced an award which would be named after Bill Russell. Which player receives this award each season?

Bill Russell: Pride of the Celtics


The NBA Finals MVP. In order to honor the amazing playoff record of Russell, the NBA introduced the "Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award" in 2009. This award is presented annually to the Most Valuable Player in the NBA Finals. The first recipient of the Bill Russell Trophy was Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.