ToddTT wrote:11 championships in 13 years playing. Unreal.

I use that to dilute Jordans 6 titles in 15 years of playing. Or the 6 in 8 years.
Its not a knock on his GOATness, but that if rings are the measure Russell’s are incredible!
He also has two NCAA chips. Takes great players to win chips. I don’t know who Russell played with at UCF but Jordan had Sam perkins and James Worth.

What Russell had to endure socially in that time was far cry from what star players experience now. Russell was before my era but the more I learn about them and What Auerbach did to promote winning and the social aspect gives me massive respect for them. Bill Russell was the First black head coach and he won a chip as player/coach. Auerback granted him that but the 1969 team that won did it as improbable given the age of the group.

His post playing career as a coach did not pan out so well and personally I did not care for his on air personalit as an announcer.
His greatness was on the court and the character needed to achieve that in that era. Thats why him and Kareem are my GOATS.
Maybe if Jordan was faced with what they did in that era he he might have risen up to that level. But the times did not call for that.

Bill Russell was before my time but I've watched a ton of games and highlights over the years and the guy was clearly one of the alpha males of his era. He was just an elite athlete with a relentless motor, super smart and just a winner.