Even before the opening tipoff at Boston Celtics games, Bill Russell evoked domination. Other players ran onto the court for their introductions, but he walked on, slightly stooped.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d look at everybody disdainfully, like a sleepy dragon who can\u2019t be bothered to scare off another would-be hero,\u201d he recalled. \u201cI wanted my look to say, \u2018Hey, the king\u2019s here tonight.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n
Russell\u2019s awesome rebounding triggered a Celtic fast break that overwhelmed the rest of the N.B.A. His quickness and his uncanny ability to block shots transformed the center position, once a spot for slow and hulking types, and changed the face of pro basketball.<\/p>\n
Russell, who propelled the Celtics to 11 N.B.A. championships, the final two when he became the first Black head coach in a major American sports league, died on Sunday. He was 88….<\/p>\n
When Russell was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, Red Auerbach, who orchestrated his arrival as a Celtic and coached him on nine championship teams, called him \u201cthe single most devastating force in the history of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n