Boston Celtic Great Bill Russell

The National Basketball Association recently announced that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award will now be known as the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award. There can be no greater person to name this award after than Bill Russell. Bill Russell was one the greatest players to ever play professional basketball and one of the greatest teammates in basketball history.

During Russell’s thirteen year career he won 11 NBA Championships while playing with the Boston Celtics. As a rookie center in 1957, Russell helped the Celtics win their first NBA title in 1957. This began a string of ten straight NBA finals appearances for the Celtics in which the team won eight Championships.

After legendary Celtic coach Red Auerbach retired after the 1966 Championship season, Russell took over the coaching duties as a player. In that moment, Russell became the first African American coach in NBA history. Russell as a player coach led the Celtics to the NBA Championship in 1968 and 1969.

Bill Russell was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1975. Russell retried winning the league most valuable player award five times and being named an All-Star twelve times. After retiring, Russell coached for several NBA teams including the Sacramento Kings. Russell was named to All NBA 50^th Anniversary Team in 1996.

Russell is not remembered as a great offensive player but is remembered for changing the NBA game for the better. Bill Russell changed the way basketball was played by his defense. Russell dominated the game with his rebounding and blocked shots. In fact, Bill Russell still holds the NBA record for most rebounds in a game at 51. Russell changed the way teams played offense and prepared to play the Celtics.

More importantly, Russell was known at the consummate team player who always put the team first. Russell himself wrote, “To me, one of the most beautiful things to see is a group of men coordinating their efforts toward a common goal, alternately subordinating and asserting themselves to achieve real teamwork in action. I tried to do that, we all tried to do that, on the Celtics. I think we succeeded."

It is Russell’s belief in the team concept that makes him the perfect choice to name the NBA Finals Championship MVP award after. With his name on the trophy, it will remind the player receiving the award that even though he is receiving a personal accolade, the team comes first.