Russell, Bill 1934-

BASKETBALL PLAYER

A Collegiate Winner.

Bill Russell came into the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a proven winner. He had played in just one losing game in his entire career at the University of San Francisco (USF). His team had won two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships in 1955 and 1956. After his sophomore year (his first as a varsity basketball player) at USF, the NCAA widened the foul lane from six to twelve feet. This rule change was widely assumed to be as a direct result of Russell's overwhelming rebounding skill: the narrow lane allowed him to control the boards completely. Russell also led the 1956 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in Melbourne.

Dominance in the NBA.

Throughout his NBA career Russell dominated the game and pioneered advances in rebounding and defense. His Boston Celtics team won eleven championships in his thirteen years as a player, a basketball...

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