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re: Where does Bill Russell rank among the All-Time greatest NBA players?
Posted on 10/23/26 at 2:03 pm to Juan Betanzos
Posted on 10/23/26 at 2:03 pm to Juan Betanzos
Michael Rappaport famously told Earl Monroe he thought Bill Russell was incredibly overrated. Pearl’s response was “and I thought you knew basketball”. I’ll go ahead and align myself with a guy who was in the arena with Russell. But hey, I’m sure you geniuses know better than a scrub like him.
Posted on 10/23/26 at 2:21 pm to JackVincennes
To add some context whoever copied the “plumbers” quote that was LeBron’s BFF JJ Reddick who said it disparaging Bob Cousy. I guess we should take the Bob Petit statue down because he must really suck historically. Russell once played 53 minutes in a Game 7 and scored 30 with 40 rebounds in a 110-107 OT win vs a couple of plumbers named West and Baylor.
Posted on 10/23/26 at 2:50 pm to BuckI
He was too unselfish to be an all-time goat. He was a great passer for a big, a league average shooter, ran the floor well, the ultimate help defender and fast break starter.
Olympic Gold
2 NCAA Titles
11 NBA Titles in 13 seasons
5 regular season MVPs
12 all-stars in 13 seasons
He would probably have at least 7 NBA Finals MVPs if the award NAMED AFTER HIM existed when he played.
Here are his NBA Finals stats:
1957: averaged 13.3 pts, 22.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists
1958: averaged 15 pts, 19.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in his only losing effort
1959: averaged 9.3 pts, 29.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists
1960: averaged 16.7 pts, 24.9 rebounds, and 3 assists
1961: averaged 17.6 pts, 28.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists
1962: averaged 23 pts, 27 rebounds, and 5.7 assists including 30 points and 40 rebounds in game 7
1963: averaged 20 points, 26 rebounds, 5.3 assists
1964: averaged 11.2 pts, 25.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists
1965: averaged 17.8 pts, 25 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on 70.2% shooting
1966: averaged 10.3 pts, 24.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists
1967- only season in his career he didn't make NBA Finals after coaching the Celtics to 60 wins in his first year as player/coach
1968: averaged 17.3 pts, 21.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists
1969: averaged 9.1 pts, 21.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists
Sadly for Russell, the league did not track blocks or award defensive teams or Defensive player of the year in his career.
Statisticians estimate that he averaged 7.3 blocks per game in the NBA Finals in his career including 8 blocks in the clenching game 6 of the 1963 NBA Finals
The all-defense team started in Russell's final season and he ofc made first team All-defense in his last season.
Using modern metrics like defensive win shares, Russell led the NBA in DWS 11 of his 13 seasons including a staggering 16 DWS in 1963-64 which is the highest ever (no other player has a season with even 12 DWS). Russell owns the top 5 DWS seasons of all-time and 7 of the top 10. He would definitely have at least 8 DPOYs (the current record is 4).
It would be hard to deny a guy with who damn near averaged a triple double with blocks for his career, won 8 DPOYs, and 7 Finals MVPs as GOAT but alas...
Olympic Gold
2 NCAA Titles
11 NBA Titles in 13 seasons
5 regular season MVPs
12 all-stars in 13 seasons
He would probably have at least 7 NBA Finals MVPs if the award NAMED AFTER HIM existed when he played.
Here are his NBA Finals stats:
1957: averaged 13.3 pts, 22.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists
1958: averaged 15 pts, 19.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in his only losing effort
1959: averaged 9.3 pts, 29.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists
1960: averaged 16.7 pts, 24.9 rebounds, and 3 assists
1961: averaged 17.6 pts, 28.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists
1962: averaged 23 pts, 27 rebounds, and 5.7 assists including 30 points and 40 rebounds in game 7
1963: averaged 20 points, 26 rebounds, 5.3 assists
1964: averaged 11.2 pts, 25.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists
1965: averaged 17.8 pts, 25 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on 70.2% shooting
1966: averaged 10.3 pts, 24.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists
1967- only season in his career he didn't make NBA Finals after coaching the Celtics to 60 wins in his first year as player/coach
1968: averaged 17.3 pts, 21.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists
1969: averaged 9.1 pts, 21.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists
Sadly for Russell, the league did not track blocks or award defensive teams or Defensive player of the year in his career.
Statisticians estimate that he averaged 7.3 blocks per game in the NBA Finals in his career including 8 blocks in the clenching game 6 of the 1963 NBA Finals
The all-defense team started in Russell's final season and he ofc made first team All-defense in his last season.
Using modern metrics like defensive win shares, Russell led the NBA in DWS 11 of his 13 seasons including a staggering 16 DWS in 1963-64 which is the highest ever (no other player has a season with even 12 DWS). Russell owns the top 5 DWS seasons of all-time and 7 of the top 10. He would definitely have at least 8 DPOYs (the current record is 4).
It would be hard to deny a guy with who damn near averaged a triple double with blocks for his career, won 8 DPOYs, and 7 Finals MVPs as GOAT but alas...
This post was edited on 10/23/26 at 2:54 pm
Posted on 10/23/26 at 3:41 pm to saintsfan92612
He was the original Angel Reese of the NBA
Lefty
Can’t shoot for shite
Rebounding machine
Blocks machine
I have no doubt he’d be winning DPOY in today’s era, but I don’t think he’d be good for anything on offense except boards and dunks
Lefty
Can’t shoot for shite
Rebounding machine
Blocks machine
I have no doubt he’d be winning DPOY in today’s era, but I don’t think he’d be good for anything on offense except boards and dunks
Posted on 10/23/26 at 3:44 pm to BuckI
Idk what spot I'd put him, but he's top 7 of all time. Easily. Here's what I think should be everyone's top 7 in any order:
MJ
Lebron
Russell
Wilt
Kareem
Magic
Bird
The rest.
MJ
Lebron
Russell
Wilt
Kareem
Magic
Bird
The rest.
Posted on 10/23/26 at 5:22 pm to BuckI
Wilt Chamberlain was an absolute athletic freak of nature who could dominate a game and Kareem was a more polished player who defined the modern skillset of a big man.
Russell kind of got lost in the long shadow of those two, despite all of the rings and success. He was a great role player on a dynasty but we don't really know what heights he was capable of taking his game to because he never needed to do more than a role that worked really well. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
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