Honey Russell
1st Boston Celtics Head Coach | BAA Coach | Basketball Hall of Famer
Honey Russell was born on May 31, 1902, in Brooklyn, New York. He had a long professional basketball career before moving into coaching.
Russell became the first head coach in Boston Celtics history when the franchise debuted in the Basketball Association of America in 1946.
He coached Boston for two seasons, finishing with a 42-66 regular-season record and leading the Celtics to their first playoff appearance in 1948.
Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1964. Coach Russell passed away on November 15, 1973, at the age of 71.
- Overall Coaching Record: 42-66
Coaching Career
Honey Russell became the first head coach of the Boston Celtics for the franchise’s inaugural 1946-1947 BAA season.
Boston finished Russell’s first season with a 22-38 record, placing fifth in the Eastern Division and missing the playoffs.
The Celtics improved to 20-28 in 1947-1948 and finished third in the Eastern Division. Boston reached the playoffs for the first time but lost to the Chicago Stags in the BAA Quarterfinals, 2 games to 1.
Russell left the Celtics after the season and was replaced by Alvin “Doggie” Julian.
Notable Players Coached
- Ed Sadowski
- 1948 All-BAA selection
- Averaged 19.4 points per game for Boston in 1947-1948
- Connie Simmons
- 1955 NBA Champion
- Played 10 seasons in the BAA/NBA