Celtics Countdown #1: Why Bill Russell Is the Greatest Celtic Ever (And It's Not Close)
Steve wraps up his all time Celtics countdown with the only name that could finish it: Bill Russell. Eleven championships in 13 seasons, five MVPs, and a number retired by the entire NBA. Steve breaks down how Red Auerbach maneuvered past Rochester and St. Louis to land Russell in the 1956 draft, the legendary battles with Wilt Chamberlain, the 1968 comeback against Philadelphia, and the stunning 1969 title run that left Jack Kent Cooke's celebration balloons stuck in the Forum rafters. Plus, Russell's courage as a civil rights voice, his complicated relationship with the city of Boston, and Steve's personal memories of watching his favorite athlete of all time.
Timestamps
00:00 Welcome to Celtic Chalk Talk and the Peach Basket network
01:00 Why Bill Russell is the number one Celtic of all time
01:30 The résumé: 11 titles, five MVPs, 12 All Star nods
02:00 Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain for All NBA honors
02:45 Rebounding titles and the NBA anniversary teams
03:00 Number 6 retired league wide, Sportsman of the Year, NCAA titles and Olympic gold
03:45 Why the Celtics needed a big man next to Bob Cousy
04:00 How Red Auerbach landed Russell: Rochester, Ben Kerner and the Ed Macauley trade
05:00 Tom Heinsohn, K.C. Jones and a draft class with three Hall of Famers
05:30 First Black head coach in major pro sports and a title as player coach
06:00 1967: Philadelphia ends the streak and "Boston is dead"
06:30 1968: Rallying from 3 to 1 down against Wilt and the Sixers
07:00 Listening to Game 7 on the radio and Wilt's trade to the Lakers
07:30 1969: A fourth place team makes a run
08:00 Beating the Knicks and facing Baylor, West and Chamberlain
09:00 Sam Jones' bouncing game winner
09:15 Game 7 at the Forum and the balloons that never dropped
10:00 Russell the civil rights leader and standing with Muhammad Ali
10:30 Russell's bitterness toward Boston and the private jersey retirement
11:15 Playing for his teammates and the Celtics brotherhood
11:45 Memories: the big block on Archie Clark
12:30 Memories: Russell answers Wilt's dunk in the 1969 Finals
13:15 The 1958 ankle injury that cost a possible 10 straight titles
14:15 Final thoughts, the countdown concludes, and training camp preview next week
01:00 Why Bill Russell is the number one Celtic of all time
01:30 The résumé: 11 titles, five MVPs, 12 All Star nods
02:00 Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain for All NBA honors
02:45 Rebounding titles and the NBA anniversary teams
03:00 Number 6 retired league wide, Sportsman of the Year, NCAA titles and Olympic gold
03:45 Why the Celtics needed a big man next to Bob Cousy
04:00 How Red Auerbach landed Russell: Rochester, Ben Kerner and the Ed Macauley trade
05:00 Tom Heinsohn, K.C. Jones and a draft class with three Hall of Famers
05:30 First Black head coach in major pro sports and a title as player coach
06:00 1967: Philadelphia ends the streak and "Boston is dead"
06:30 1968: Rallying from 3 to 1 down against Wilt and the Sixers
07:00 Listening to Game 7 on the radio and Wilt's trade to the Lakers
07:30 1969: A fourth place team makes a run
08:00 Beating the Knicks and facing Baylor, West and Chamberlain
09:00 Sam Jones' bouncing game winner
09:15 Game 7 at the Forum and the balloons that never dropped
10:00 Russell the civil rights leader and standing with Muhammad Ali
10:30 Russell's bitterness toward Boston and the private jersey retirement
11:15 Playing for his teammates and the Celtics brotherhood
11:45 Memories: the big block on Archie Clark
12:30 Memories: Russell answers Wilt's dunk in the 1969 Finals
13:15 The 1958 ankle injury that cost a possible 10 straight titles
14:15 Final thoughts, the countdown concludes, and training camp preview next week
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