Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russellis an American retired professional basketball player. Russell played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Associationfrom 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty, winning eleven NBA championships during his thirteen-year career. Along with Henri Richard of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens, Russell holds the record for the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth12 February 1934
CityWest Monroe, LA
CountryUnited States of America
Heart in champions has to do with the depth of our motivation and how well your mind and body react to pressure - that is, being able to do what you do best under maximum pain and stress.
What distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he goes on to the court, his presence dominates the atmosphere.
Remember that basketball is a game of habits. If you make the other guy deviate from his habits, you've got him
After I played him for the first time, I said 'Let's see. He's four or five inches taller. He's 40 or 50 pounds heavier. His vertical leap is at least as good as mine. He can get up and down the floor as well as I can. And he's smart. The real problem with all this is I have to show up.
I've been fortunate to meet and work with a lot of really smart people. The thing that strikes me most about them is how they continue to explore and learn every day. I have tried to apply that approach in my modest career as well.
To me, the most important part of winning is joy. You can win without joy, but winning that’s joyless is like eating in a four-star restaurant when you’re not hungry. Joy is a current of energy in your body, like chlorophyll or sunlight, that fills you up and makes you naturally want to do your best.
My most prized possession was my library card from the Oakland Public Library.
If a guy pays you five dollars, you give him seven dollars worth of work.
You got to have the killer instinct. If you do not have it, forget about basketball and go into social psychology or something. If you sometimes wonder if you've got it, you ain't got it. No pussycats, please.
Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.
If Shakespeare can compare all of life to a stage, maybe it's not odd to believe that part of the play can take place on a basketball court.
The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot.
If you really have integrity, there are very few people who can insult you, or honor you.
To love someone is nothing, to be loved by someone is something, to love someone who loves you is everything