Happy Birthday, Bill Russell

[JasonEvans]

I mean, how can you not love this video of the best defensive center of all time blowing out 87 freaking candles!!

https://twitter.com/RealBillRussell/...98464722898946

[TywinBlue]

" The Eagle with a beard."

[Bay Area Duke Fan]

I mean, how can you not love this video of the best defensive center of all time blowing out 87 freaking candles!!

https://twitter.com/RealBillRussell/...98464722898946

I'd call Russell the greatest winner in team sports history (even after Brady won his seventh championship).

[Saratoga2]

I'd call Russell the greatest winner in team sports history (even after Brady won his seventh championship).

I had the privilege of watching him play in the Boston Garden. Great player on a great team for so many years.

[SouthernDukie]

I'd call Russell the greatest winner in team sports history (even after Brady won his seventh championship).

Hard to argue with that. I assume people would point to a smaller field of competition in Russell’s day, but even accepting that it would seem 11 championships (from one of the professional sports leagues in America by an undisputed top player on said team) is very impressive.

Happy Birthday, Mr Russell.

[soflabluedevil]

" The Eagle with a beard."

He was the goateed devil to us growing up in LA. Could not beat him. Saw him play, the greatest player ever. The greatest winner ever. Why? Because he was smarter than his opponents and knew how to use his teammates to win.

[Bluedog]

Definitely one of the GOATs.

I do have a story of my one and only interaction with Bill Russell which wasn't positive, although I don't hold it against him or anything. Ran into him on the campus of WashU in St. Louis. He was standing around for about 5 minutes or so, so I figured I'd go up to him, and I asked him if I could take a photo with him. Quickly, a woman popped in (his wife?) and shooed me away/admonished me. Oops. I get they probably get sick of being bothered though, but was trying to be nice. Bill, himself, basically had no reaction and said nothing to me. Later, I googled it and apparently he's notorious for not wanting to sign autographs as he thinks people will turn around and sell it BUT it also says he'd be fine with "getting coffee" with someone for a few minutes. Not sure where a picture is on the scale, but I would have also been fine with a coffee offer! 😃 Regardless, he's obviously a spectacular athlete, winner, teammate and ambassador for the game.