Bill Russell is a professional basketball player from America. He used to play as a center for the Boston Celtics. Having a long-time career as a professional basketball player and coach, it is no surprise that Bill Russell net worth is reckoned to be $10 million.
| Summary Table | |
| Stage Name | Bill Russell |
| Legal Name | William Felton Russell |
| Date of Birth | February 12, 1934 |
| Gender | Male |
| Height | 6’9″ (2.07 m) |
| Net Worth | $10 million |
| Salary/earning/income per year | Around $100.000 |
| Profession | Basketball Player & Coach |
| Nationality | American |
Read further to know more about Bill Russell net worth and his odyssey as one of the legendary sports players in history.
Get To Know Bill Russell
- Legal Name & Stage Name: The basketball player’s legal name is William Felton Russell. However, he is popularly known as Bill Russell.
- Date of Birth: Bill Russell was born on February 12, 1934, in Monroe Louisiana.
- Gender & Height: Russell is a male basketball player with a height of 2.07 m.
- Nationality: He is an American.
- What is Bill Russell Best Known for? The American basketball player is best known as one of the sport’s legendary players and the first outstanding defensive center in the history of the NBA.
Beginning of Bill Russell
Bill Russell’s parents are Charles Russell and Katie Russell. Growing up in a poverty household and racist neighborhood, he often received unpleasant treatment. Sadly, his suffering did not end there because later on, Russell lost his mother at age 12.
- Education
He attended McClymonds High School where he met his basketball coach, George Powles, and learned to play basketball at the beginning. After graduating from high school, he received a scholarship from the University of San Fransisco and increase his basketball skills under training by Coach Phil Woolpert. Subsequently, he joined the USF team and became the highlight of the university basketball team.
- Personal life
Bill Russell marital status is unmarried at this point. That being said, he was married to three different women previously. In 1956, he tied the knot with Rose Swisher and had three kids. Long story short, they divorced 17 years later. In 1977, he married another lady named Dorothy Anstett, a former Miss USA, and ended the relationship in 3 years. His latest marriage was with his third-wife named Marilyn Nault that lasted until her last breath in 2009.
Bill Russell’s Career
William Felton Russell career in basketball started to take off after he joined his university team. It was proven by his capability to led the team to NCAA Championships for two years. Thereafter, he became famous for his shot-blocking skills and strong defense.
Bill Russell as player
After the exposure he gained during his basketball career at the USF, Russell was named by John Wooden as “the greatest defensive man I’ve ever seen”. In 1956, Russell became the captain of the US national basketball team before being chosen by the Boston Celtics to play his first NBA in 1957. He keeps playing for the Celtics and many games.
The Celtics player was able to obtain an NBA Finals record of 40 rebounds in Game 2. Further, he was counted as one of the greatest players in the history of American basketball because not only did he play for Boston Celtics for 13 seasons, he also was chosen three times to the All-NBA First Teams and won 5 regular season MVP. Based on these accolades, The NBA has highlighted the defensive savvy Bill Russell, alongside other iconic legends who gained popularity during the 80s and 90s like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird.
Bill Russell as coach
After 13 seasons passed with the Celtics, Russell continued Red Auerbach’s work as a coach he became the first African American NBA coach in history. Further, he continued his career as a coach for other teams called Seattle SuperSonics and Sacramento Kings. In 1988, he ended his work as a coach in a short period. However, his work as a coach added to Bill Russell net worth in total. Every effort, hard work, and struggle during his journey create Bill Russell as we know him today. By the same token, Barack Obama presented him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
Bill Russell Net Worth
Bill Russell net worth in the basketball industry is reckoned to be $10 million.
- Businesses
Unfortunately, we could not find any information about Bill Russell net worth or wealth from businesses. Despite that, there is interesting information that the legendary basketball player is also an honorable philanthropist. Turns out, in 2021, he put a collection of his personal memorabilia to be auctioned, including one of the most classic jerseys to ever exist.
- Real estate
Although there is no official report about Bill Russell total net worth from another mansion or house he plausibly had, it was mentioned last year that he wanted to sell his home on Mercer Island, Washington, for $2.6 million.
- How much Bill Russell make per year?
Despite the fact that he is no longer working in the basketball industry, it was informed that Bill Russell net worth per year is calculated roughly around $100.000.
Throughout his career since the late 50s, he became one of the first highest-paid figures in NBA history. His contract in 1956 allowed him to gain an income of around $24.000. In 1965, Bill Russell net worth increased because he received a higher salary of $100.001, which is equal to $600.000 in 2020. Later, when he became Celtics’ coach, he earned an annual income of $25.000. Regardless, there is no official record about Bill Russell net worth from other sources besides what we discussed in the article.
Bill Russell net worth mainly came from his work as a professional basketball player and coach.
Is Bill Russell Still On?
Regardless of the fact that Bill Russell has been retired from his work as a basketball player and coach since a few decades ago, he is still being talked about by the general public for his achievements and legacies.
- What is Bill Russell doing now?
Russel is living his life as gracefully as ever after years of work hard and perseverance. It was reported from his social media that the healthy 87-year-old man was doing a road trip from Boston to Seattle back in December 2021.