Bill Russell

William Felton Bill Russell was a legendary American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association NBA from 1956 to 1969 widely regarded as one of the greatest in NBA history Born on February 12 1934 in Monroe Louisiana Russells impact on the game goes beyond statistics He played the center position for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969 winning an astonishing 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons Renowned for his defensive prowess leadership and shotblocking abilities Russell was a fivetime NBA Most Valuable Player and a 12time NBA AllStar After retiring as a player he transitioned to coaching becoming the NBAs first African American head coach Russell continued to influence the game leaving an indelible mark on basketball both on and off the court