Bill Russell
Two-Time NBA Champion as Head Coach | First Black NBA Head Coach | Hall of Fame Player and Coach
William Felton Russell was born February 12, 1934, in Monroe, Louisiana. One of basketball’s defining defensive stars, he won 11 NBA championships as a Boston Celtics player and became the NBA’s first Black head coach in 1966.
Russell served as a player-coach for Boston’s 1968 and 1969 championships before returning to NBA coaching with the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1970s and the Sacramento Kings in the 1980s.
His NBA regular-season head-coaching record was 341-290 across 631 games. The Hall of Fame honored him as a player in 1975 and as a coach in 2021.
Russell died on July 31, 2022, at age 88.
- Overall Coaching Record: 341-290
Coaching Career
Russell took over from Red Auerbach in 1966 while remaining Boston’s starting center, making history as the first Black head coach in the NBA and in a major U.S. professional sports league.
His first team went 60-21 but lost to Philadelphia in the 1967 Eastern Division finals, ending Boston’s eight-title streak.
The Celtics responded by winning championships in both 1968 and 1969, defeating Los Angeles in each Finals. Russell retired as a player and coach after the 1969 title with a 162-83 regular-season mark.
Notable Players Coached
- John Havlicek
- Hall of Fame Celtics forward and 1974 Finals MVP
- Sam Jones
- Hall of Fame guard and ten-time NBA champion
- Don Nelson
- Longtime NBA forward and future Hall of Fame coach
Russell returned to the sideline in 1973 to lead the Seattle SuperSonics. His first Seattle team went 36-46.
He produced back-to-back 43-39 seasons in 1974-75 and 1975-76 and guided Seattle into the playoffs in both years, the franchise’s first two postseason berths.
Russell left following a 40-42 season in 1976-77. His four Seattle seasons totaled 162 wins and 166 losses.
Notable Players Coached
- Spencer Haywood
- Hall of Fame forward and former scoring standout
- Fred Brown
- Longtime Seattle guard and 1979 NBA champion
- Slick Watts
- Fan-favorite Seattle point guard and assists leader
Russell accepted a third NBA head-coaching assignment with Sacramento for 1987-88.
He went 17-41 over 58 games before moving away from the coaching post. His Sacramento stint brought his full NBA head-coaching career to 341-290.
Notable Players Coached
- Reggie Theus
- Two-time NBA All-Star guard
- Mike Woodson
- Veteran NBA scoring guard
- Kenny Smith
- Rookie guard who later won two NBA championships with Houston