Ranking the top 50 players in NBA history…

4. Bill Russell

There aren’t enough superlatives to describe Russell. He’s the greatest and most prolific winner the NBA has ever seen, not to mention the great Boston Celtics player ever. He also has a strong argument for being the best defensive big man in league history.

Drafted No. 2 overall by the St. Louis Hawks in 1956 (traded to Celtics) out of the University of San Francisco, where he won two NCAA titles, Russell played 13 seasons for Boston (1956-1969), averaging 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds (!) and 4.3 assists per game for his career.

An 11-time champion (1957, 1959-1966, 1968-1969), Russell also won five NBA MVPs (1958, 1961-1963, 1965) and was named to 12 All-Star teams.

He led the league in rebounds five times, an impressive accom

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