Ranking the top-10 NBA players of all time...
4. Bill Russell
13 seasons (1956-1969)
Rings: 11
MVPs: 5
NBA Finals record (series): 11-1
Playoff record: 107-58 (.648)
Playoff stats: 16.2 PPG (43.0% FG) | 24.9 RPG | 4.7 APG
Regular season games played: 963
Stats: 15.1 PPG (44.0% FG) | 22.5 RPG | 4.3 APG
Other Accolades
- 11x All-NBA
- All-Defensive (1968-69)
- 12x All-Star
- 4x Rebound Champ
Complex's Angel Diaz on Russell:
"Not only is he the greatest winner in all of American sports, Russell is also both the smartest and best defensive player to ever pick up a basketball. Like Kareem’s skyhook, Bill’s knack for keeping balls in play after a block is a lost art as players would rather swat it into the stands and flex on their opponent instead of making the right play. His signature play of tapping the ball to a teammate helped him invent the fast break. Blocks and steals weren’t tallied back then, but there are researchers that claim Russell averaged anywhere between 8-12 blocks per game."
"Not only did Russell win 11 NBA titles, the last two were as player-coach and he’s undefeated in Game 7s, going 10-0 when it’s win or go home time. ... The only player in history to come close to matching his winning is Michael Jordan. Players don’t choose the era they play in, all we can do is look at who dominated it. ... There’s a reason why the Finals MVP award is named after him. He was truly ahead of his time."
But who ranks above Russell as the third-greatest NBA player of all time? Find out below.