The Genius of Bill Russell | Bill Simmons’s Book of Basketball 2.0

This is where Bill is unmatched

This is Bill at his best, plain and simple. I hope that he does an update to the Book of Basketball. Rest in Peace, Mr. Russell.

Incredible how old Russell looked in 2013 fighting heart conditions. He almost made it 10 years since that interview!

Great eulogy, Simmons. Best storytelling about Russell that I've listened to or read this week, and finest selection of vids and pics. Nailed it, brother. Fine work.

R.I.P To Bill Russell. The greatest winner in the history of basketball itself. We'll never see a player quite like him again. The personification of a champion both on the court and in life as a civil rights icon. He will be sorely missed.🙏🏾

Simmons has a way with words that speaks into your soul, transports you to his experiences, gives you memories you never had, but somehow, you now have something that will stick with you forever.

RIP Bill Russell... this video hit even harder when at the end of the clip while Kobe is getting his Finals MVP award all of the five people in the middle have already passed on smh... RIP to them all...

We need a book of basketball 2.5, 3.0, 7.2 call it what you want we just want more!

Bill Russell was the one reason I looked forward to the NBA Finals every year. You knew every year he'd be there along side the brass to hand out the Finals MVP. It always felt right, it always seemed official. Because he was the ambassador of the NBA. He was what made the NBA today, and now a giant shadow will be missing forever. With nobody around to fill it.

Amazing tribute to a legend. Well done

Brilliant piece, Bill. Thanks!!! It just cemented my belief that Russell was the best basketball player in NBA history, and to me it's not a close call. Even given that, I believe that what he did off the court dwarfs his basketball achievements. He's been an idol of mine my entire life, and I will miss him dearly.

I was Blessed and fortunate enough to have met the man and introduce him to my 2 sons at a book signing for his book, 'RUSSELL Rules' 11 Lessons on leadership...2001 in downtown DC. There were hundreds of people in line, black, white, old, young... but I was the only one I saw who had his children. He spent a full 5 minutes talking with us...he was so kind, so happy, so funny. As we were about to leave I told him how my sons were both getting into the game and asked if he would offer some pointers. He reflected for a few seconds then said, '1) Do all of your schoolwork and chores. 2) Play as much as you can... He hesitated, then his eyes lit up, and he said 3) And have fun!' As I shook his hand and thanked him for his time, he pulled me close, looked me in the eyes and said, 'Thank YOU for bringing your children.' My kids are grown now but they thank me as well... RIP to one of the greatest men America has ever produced. If he's not the 'goat', there is NO such thing.

Easily one of the best stories told in sports. I hung on to every word Bill said.

Bill, I've been following you since before I started Only Baseball Matters, which you may remember from the early 2000s. This is your best work, by far. I am blown away by this. Congrats!!

This is why my love for Simmons will never wane. The storytelling is unparalleled. RIP Bill Russell!

22:17 all three of them are gone that made me very sad and appreciative all at once

This is very powerful, very beautiful. I've read and have taken in lessons from his great autobiography, Second Wind. After reading the book and studying his game from the clips that are available on YouTube, I've come to believe that he's the greatest NBA player ever, and would dominate any era he played in. Scouting his own team. Brilliant. The reverence Simmons has for Russell is palpable and moving here. What I like best about Simmons' writing is his study of excellence, and the insights culled and shared from that study hasn't been finer than here. In Second Wind, Russell talked about how he dearly loved the eight hour bus rides he took when he began seriously playing basketball, how he'd review in his mind the plays from the game before, and then visualize how he'd execute in the next game. He and K.C. Jones studied how to come up on a player on their blind spots. Russell was a true artist. He also possessed one of the most athletic physiques ever, having been a world class track athlete as well. But, in keeping with his Art of War mindset, he would save that extra burst for when he really needed it, like in his last Finals in 1969. In Game 7, he decided to turn it into a 48 minute sprint, outrunning the eventually gassed Lakers.

Great content here. The fact it took Obama asking Boston to build Russell a statue when he was getting Medal of Honor more then 40 years after he retired as best player on 11🏆! He deserved to be pissed at Boston can anyone really blame him?!?! I had already seen the interview but the way this is put together is GREAT! The only part that is embarrassing here is Hakeem ranked 12th and the usual homerism😅! Such a legend! May he Rest In Peace!

Holy cow, this was sooooo good. Incredible job Bill Simmons!! I learned a lot, thank you!!

This was incredible, thank you Mr. Simmons. Rest in peace to the great Bill Russell.