In the dictionary next to the definition of champion, there should be a picture of Bill Russell.
Before he even entered the NBA, Russell experienced his share of collegiate basketball glory while playing for San Francisco State.
Russell was the defensive core of a team that won 55 games in a row.
Russell was a shot blocking machine during his college career. After batting away 13 shots against the NCAA basketball powerhouse UCLA, legendary coach John Wooden said of Russell, “He is the greatest defensive man I've ever seen.”
And defense does indeed win championships in basketball, as SF State won back to back NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956.
Due to his stellar collegiate career, Bill Russell was an easy choice for captain of the US Olympic Men’s Basketball team in 1956.
His winning ways continued on the world’s biggest stage. The United States squad would go on to defeat the USSR, 89-55 to capture the gold medal.
Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Joe Gill