Making the Case - Bill Russell

[@DavidScotton]

Me: I don't think he's going to convince me this time. Clayton: You play to win the game. Me: Damn, that's convincing.

[@siyamehlo7726]

Brooo, I was sold.

[@EMLL1KESAELP]

@@S4V4010 not sure if a troll or just straight up dumb and didn't watch the vid

[@dailynathan7091]

@@S4V4010 There are plenty of players especially in todays era that are playing for the money, or the fame, what basketball brings. Not because they care and want to win. I like stats but you only have to look at wilt for a player with insane numbers who has 2 championships to Bills 11. He's not my GOAT either but you don't win that much by accident.

[@tacomaliciouso]

@@dailynathan7091 Wilt can be bill russell with 11 rings on the 60s "if" he also has great coach and 7 hofers in his team, But Bill russell will not be wilt with insane numbers. Just my opinion Wilt>Russell in 60s era goat debate

[@shreyaspillai1450]

@@tacomaliciouso I completely respect the opinion but I believe that reason is quite wrong Wilt couldn't be Bill he said it himself when he was asked if he went to Boston instead of the Warriors would Boston have achieved greater success to which he honestly replied no, stating that in terms of making a team better bill was far better at it than he was and the impeccable offence and defence that Boston ran wouldn't happen as he would take scoring upon himself

[@vampjincco6500]

I’m here after his passing. What a legend. We love you Bill.

[@ethandew1768]

Same, R.I.P to one of the most underrated G.O.A.T

[@pikachureynolds1110]

@@ethandew1768 and there has been disrespect everywhere. Some clown earlier said put Javale Mcgee in the same Era and he'd win 11 championships too. SMH

[@BlackRoyalty144]

@@pikachureynolds1110 That's the disrespect of this era. This era has the absolute worst fans in sports History. I have Bill Russell #3 on my list. Jordan Russell Jabbar only 3 Players with Atleast 5 or more MVPs and 5 or more Titles only 3. I have him his flowers while alive an I hope people do this with Kareem West BigO all 3 are older an all 3 were the best of their era's we can't diminish them for their era's it's not fair to basketball.

[@Inktownicon]

@@BlackRoyalty144 it’s sad that people don’t care about the history of the game anymore I like to learn about older players in all the sports I’m into but it seems like people only care about right now

[@loydkline]

Bill Russell's very underrated on offense

[@nathanielmorris6579]

My favorite part of Russel’s game is the way he blocks shots. He doesn’t care about swatting the ball into the 3rd row, he hits it gently into his teammates’ hands. It really epitomizes his mentality, winning over flash and stats.

[@vernonleewarren280]

Agreed. You think these young kids today would learn from someone like him. It was always about just winning not being on sports center and poking your chest out

[@Yeesh69]

@@vernonleewarren280 The thing is, if they all play like that, they can't sell their image financially. Today's all about that marketing. You gotta make the bag

[@vernonleewarren280]

@@Yeesh69 I hear you but I'm from the old school. It's all about winning. You win and all that will take care of it's self.

[@Cbrunning849]

Tyson Chandler was one of those guys that did something similar. Instead of going for the rebound he would spike the ball towards one of his guys. They didn't know how to track it stats wise for a while haha.

[@syncmonism]

If they had recorded blocked shots in his day, many more people would be singing his praises (and Wilt too for that matter)

[@sandoncrowder7839]

“Growing up, when we ran a fastbreak we would call it a “Boston” - Isiah Thomas

[@gandydancer9710]

Auerbach and Cousey had the Celtics playing that way before Russell. Russell was, however, crucial to making it as successful as it was.

[@lloydkline1518]

@@gandydancer9710 Bill Russell;;; King or pioneer outlet pass off rebound!.;; how many nba championship red auerback had before Bill Russell?????

[@lloydkline1518]

Bill russell & 1960 boston celtics invented showtime fastbreak offense

[@lloydkline1518]

Willis reed & ny knick never beat bill russell in the playoff series 1969

[@gandydancer9710]

@@lloydkline1518 In ten seaons before Russell Auerbach had three in which his winning percentage was higher than his first seaon with Russell.

[@JonPITBZN]

"Was Bill Russell an awe-inspiring specimen?" Yes! 6'10" and one of the fastest players in the game. Quick. Great leaper. Could guard all 5 positions. Sounds like an incredible athlete to me.

[@GodzillaFreak]

Bill Russell was one of the top high jumpers in the world in the 50s. He was an athletic monster

[@rogeliochavez40]

YESSS! I actually think BR is a top 10 athlete of all time in the NBA, he's underrated in that aspect

[@JonPITBZN]

@@rogeliochavez40 Now you made me think. I have no idea who I would rank as the Top 10 athletes in NBA history. #1 is EASY. Everything after #1 is HARD.

[@rogeliochavez40]

@@JonPITBZN I think the Top 3 is easy: Wilt, Lebron and MJ, ten Shaq, Zion, Giannis and Nate Robinson have a place. After that it gets insanely difficult, I've seen profiles of Jerry West that make him look more athletic than Westbrook so, who knows

[@GoldVibranium]

The fact he can guard a PG in space makes him elite in any era

[@garretnarjes782]

You forgot something really crucial in your video. The Finals MVP was renamed the Bill Russell trophy. The award didn't exist in his era, but now every finals MVP is in essence being compared to Bill Russell. When winning matters the most, Bill Russell is the yardstick used to measure all other basketball players. Sidenote: Russell also won a gold medal at the Olympics. The US team was dominate, with an average point spread of 53 points. Russell lead the team in scoring.

[@michaelbarnes2617]

Say that last sentence again....

[@russwalker4017]

That last sentence I didn't expect really

[@NovackGeorgeTT1971]

@@michaelbarnes2617 When winning matters the most, Bill Russell is the yardstick used to measure all other basketball players.

[@Tormund_BeyondTheWall]

Great point.

[@geordiejones5618]

He won 14 titles in 15 championship competitions in 15 years. Just a winner at every level.

[@georgegermanakos6944]

Bill Russell was an athletic freak tho. The man could've gone to the olympics for high jump at 6' 10"

[@AwkwardJapaneseKid]

The vid of him jumping over his defender near the free throw line is nuts

[@calumbrown5850]

I read he was the second-best high jumper in the USA at one point, centres in the 60s are built more like today like Giannis who are quick and athletic

[@jaridatkinson4907]

Thank you sir I'm surprised he didn't mention that

[@carter7752]

George Germanakos wilt to but he was 7’1

[@syncmonism]

Russell was super athletic

[@iwishiwaschrismacavoy8116]

I would love to see a poll of who your viewers think the GOAT is once you've finished the series.

[@Adyman182]

It would just be MJ in 1st, LeBron in 2nd, and likely Kareem in 3rd.

[@mojohvncho5418]

A.K. I agree

[@MrYoYoBoBoChaddyInsaneZhangII]

I got Duncan and Russell as my top 2 because of these videos, I used to be Jordan Lebron Kareem. Of course, the Jordan and Lebron videos aren’t out yet so we’ll see, but I respect Duncan’s and Russell’s leadership and teamfirst mentality, and I definitely have a soft spot for elite defense.

[@liamryan7239]

A.K. Russell gets a massive boost from this vid. So does Duncan and Bird. I think it may be the first poll in a long time that doesn’t look like that top three.

[@SeanD19]

Probably would change mine to Jordan LBJ and Duncan

[@gabriels8653]

“He didn’t dominate the sport, He conquered it” I absolutely love that

[@skynyrdjesus]

I can't believe he's gone. He felt like an immovable, eternal part of the universe, everyone's grandfather. Rest in piece sir

[@earningzekrom4173]

RIP legend

[@aladdinsmith-bt4qr]

Man you are breaking me down

[@williecollier678]

I agree wholeheartedly with you and I lived in that time 😊

[@burner1303]

Seeing all those clips of him diving for loose balls makes you understand why his teammates loved him.

[@bobthabuilda1525]

It was more than just that, though. In addition to doing the dirty work on the court, Bill also went out of way to make his teammates comfortable to just be themselves. There's a story about a player who was a good shooter, but was kicked off his previous team for being a bad rebounder. Sensing his anxiety, Bill made a point to tell him that all he had to do when a shot went up was box out his man, Bill would take care of the rest. This relieved the player of the extra responsibility and gave him permission to just play his game. From what I can tell, Bill was also a "lead by example" kinda guy vs being preachy. He didn't seem to give his white teammates shit if they wanted to play in racist towns, but he himself refused. There's a bunch of stuff like that that made Bill beloved. He wasn't talented in a basketball sense in the same way Wilt was, but he was unparalleled as a leader.

[@73Trident]

@@bobthabuilda1525 The player you're talking about is Don Nelson.

[@bobthabuilda1525]

@@73Trident I know, I just hate calling out someone by name for something like that. I know it's weird, just how I am.

[@BrianMolstad]

Russell once said that "The Celtics excelled at doing a lot of small things that, of themselves, seem unimportant. But you put them all together and that is what wins championships."

[@FoulTarnished47]

I think this video slightly understates bill Russels athleticism. The guy was a borderling olympic level high jumper and had insane cardio and strength for his size. He didnt exactly look massively imposing but especially for the era the guy was a beast.

[@christiansmithvlogs]

He once said, “I could get my eyes above the rim, and I could touch the top of the back board.” Yeah-he’s athletic.

[@jonathanbein5559]

I think he at one point held a world high jump record. That is more than borderline olympic.

[@Jc-ly6pe]

Crowley does a good job but he still lacks knowledge especially when going back into past eras not once did he mention rules which DRASTICALLY changed the game

[@Johnadams20760]

not borderline olympic level. bill actaully had a tie or just slightly a hair under the american who who won the gold medal in the high jump in the olympics, but he didn't wind up going on the team for whatever reason. he would have got a told or silver medal in high jump. Wilt would have placed 11th place in the high jumpi n the olympics that year based on his winning height. they were both olympic level athletes

[@cubfan]

His rebounding numbers are only matched by Wilt. His MVP total is only approached by Kareem, and MJ. His defensive win shares are a faint shimmer far out on the horizon for Tim Duncan, who played 7 more seasons than Russell. His 55 straight wins in college are surpassed only by Lew Alcindor (a.k.a. Kareem). Finally, he stands alone as basketball's greatest champion with 11 titles. None of the other greatest players, are even remotely close. Had the finals MVP award existed, there is zero doubt Russell would own more than anyone. That's why the Finals MVP trophy bears his name today. Simply put, Bill Russell was the most dominant player to every play basketball. No one in any era ever had his level of success. Including college, Russell won 13 titles in 15 years. This represents the greatest stretch of sustained dominance by any player in any sport. Bill Russell is the GOAT.

[@littlebritofmark702]

Didnt know you were into basketball, lol. A bit weird seeing you here.

[@willsmath]

Well said cub, your comment is the icing on the cake of this video in terms of convincing me that Bill Russell, a player who I never really knew anything about besides the 11 rings, is probably the GOAT

[@jakkeday1]

Ok so the coach doesn't matter and the other players don't matter? What a load of hogwash! Russell just had a much better team! He was great but when Wilt faced him with a decent coach and decent teammates - Russell and the Celtics got destroyed. Russell might have been the best leader but that doesn't make him the greatest player.

[@mr.research4811]

@@jakkeday1 He wasn't insisting that Russell was the best player, he was just making a strong enough case here as he possibly could for it. True, Auerbach, Walter Brown, and Russell's surrounding personnel does matter equally, if not more so. And even Wilt himself said if he was on the Celtics during that time instead of Russ, they might not have won as many rings, because Wilt being such a biblically overpowering offensive force he might've taken Cousy's, Hondo's, Heinshon's, Sam Jones, Frank Ramsey, Willie Naulls, Sharman, offense away. Do I think Wilt would've had more rings if he was with Boston instead of Russ? I KNOW he would've. 10 or 11? No, but at least 6, maybe 8. And Russ WAS a better scorer than many want to believe. There's only 2 players(I think) to average 20pts-20reb during playoffs while leading their team to a title in the same season. Who are they? Russ & Wilt of course, and Russ is the only one to do so consecutively(62-63) As Wilt of all people said: "Russ was perfect for that team" Furthermore: this may sound impossible for many of you to believe, and not to disparage anyone else, but other than Wilt, who holds the most individual records in NBA history? Believe it or not, it's actually BILL RUSSELL!(I looked it up thoroughly recently, so trust me, I know).

[@jakkeday1]

@@mr.research4811 Yes he was! He categorically stated that Russell is the GOAT!!. Wilt's stats speak for themself! - Averaging 50points a game for a whole season! - Averaging a 22pt, 32reb, 10ast triple double against Russell and the Celtics in a 5 game winning series en route to the 1967 title - even in Russell's dreams that could never happen. In that series, Russell averaged 14 points and shot 37% from the field! Wilt averaged more points, rebounds and assists. In fact at various points in his career he led the league in at least one of those categories! A center, leading the whole league in assists (averaging 8.6) - the mind boggles!!! Winning is about team collective talent and coaching. The Celtics were the most dominant team in the history of sports franchises. Russell Wasa key part of that but make no mistake, that Team was superior to all others. Russell was a great player but Wilt was in another universe!!!

[@Moersfreak]

I had to come back and rewatch this today after Bill's passing. I am certainly convinced that he was the GOAT, the ultimate winner.

[@LilHarvey]

horrible take

[@cesarespinoza8110]

@@LilHarvey mj is the goat 🤓

[@LilHarvey]

@@cesarespinoza8110 did i ask?

[@cesarespinoza8110]

@Heini Grudziadz ?

[@coreythomas3633]

​@@LilHarvey 😅😅😅 stupid take

[@bensagal-morris8072]

Russell is the player that if I was in the NBA I’d want to model myself after. Selflessness, sacrifice and leadership off the charts. I think Clayton’s heart was a little soft the day he wrote this. You can tell he respects the hell out of Russell and maybe he epitomizes what makes this sport so great. If you didn’t tear up at the last 3 minutes idk what you’re made of.

[@jchen8902]

But who wouldn't? He wasn't just a great basketball player. He was a great man. We all love basketball, and Russell likely did more than any of us, but at the end of the day he saw something bigger than the sport - or maybe something inherent to the sport itself - and that is the will and lives of people. Bill Russell was not a king, but a pioneer.

[@eamonwheatland4437]

Can't for the next two videos on Kwame Brown and Brian Scalabrine

[@Booster37]

How dare you mention Kwame Brown in the same breath as Scalabrine?

[@dudec3]

Get ready cuz the next one's gonna be on Michael Olowakandi.

[@potowar]

ooof, that white mamba video gonna be great, like the time he did a a 960 dunk from the 3 point line

[@merckmaguddayao6814]

The should be such "Making the Case" series. Include Brian Cardinal Anthony Bennett, Jud Buchler, and maybe Matt Bonner.

[@kashxavi1997]

Pretty sure he's doing a vid on Big shot Bob, 7 time NBA champion

[@hirshja]

As a Celtics fan, I always grew up with the idea that Russel was one of the best to ever play the game, but I never had a solid understanding of why. You’ve explained exactly what makes him so great in a way that it seems most Bostonians aren’t capable of.

[@yourhairline830]

“bostonains”

[@S4V4010]

Apparently averaging 15 ppg on 44 pct shooting is “great” lmaooo

[@Tyler-xd5ns]

@@S4V4010 did you even watch the video

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@S4V4010 Wilt FT in the NBA Finals = 124/326, a 38% shooter. Once again, imagine how many close games in the Finals Wilt's bricking cost him?

[@S4V4010]

@@casualfandestroyer2503 Bill was carried by his teammates

[@mcblahflooper94]

12:48 might be the most telling and succinct point towards Bill's team-oriented, winning mindset. Going 10-0 on your Game 7s is fucking anomalistic.

[@michaelbarnes2617]

10-0 on Game 7s, another GOAT stat smh

[@liamryan7239]

He found a way

[@mikebevibevi]

Imagine never even seeing a finals game 7...

[@geordiejones5618]

Only Bill and Lebron have won multiple Finals game 7s (Bill 5-0 Lebron 2-0)

[@liamryan7239]

Mike Bevi Who didn’t? Bill saw 5. 5 of his 10 game 7’s were in the finals. Most of the others were against Wilt.

[@jackdonna8833]

This is legitimately the most well researched, detailed, entertaining, best series about anything I have ever watched

[@waltadote]

Facts!

[@willbowden6897]

RIP to the greatest champion in the history of team sports, both on and off the court. 11 NBA titles Olympic Gold medal 2 NCAA titles 2 California High School titles Civil rights icon You will be greatly missed

[@MalikTaylor-v8h]

How you forget 5 MVPs

[@Erb_____88]

Clayton coming in clutch. He’s the true goat

[@e-rab_malibu34]

Yeah you ain’t lying I’ve been searching almost daily to see if he made another “making the case” video

[@carmacksanderson3937]

@@e-rab_malibu34 That's been me, too! I love this series so much

[@michaelbarnes2617]

Correct

[@mybirthnameful]

Damn, Kareem holding nothing back in his wilt letter

[@intrepidnick2939]

Yeah it’s crazy coming from a shy and reserved player. That really says a lot.

[@bdeezy1794]

Or any white person. The 2 time scoring champ and 1 time rebounding leader got his legacy greatly prolonged and somewhat set to another level of heights by magic johnson.

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@bdeezy1794 Wilt had Jerry west at his peak from 1969-1972. In a era where many of the elite players were in the ABA

[@magst734]

@@casualfandestroyer2503 wilt was old by then. And had a terrible knee injury that made him miss 75% of the regular season. Pretty sure tore his meniscus

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@magst734 68 and 69 he choked before getting hurt in 1970

[@barrosbarros270]

Clayton, this series is so good that you have me changing my GOAT after every episode. I never considered how racism in america could've affected Russell's play. But now thinking about it, it makes all of his accomplishments that much more impressive.

[@MisterDoctorEsquire]

If you liked this and want more Bill Russell content you should check out a tv special Bill Simmons filmed on bill russell back in 2013, call 'Mr. Russell's House'. Its on youtube here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opSYqJywr7uJeZo It goes into painting the picture about bill russell on and off the court and how he was at times one of the most important figures in the history of the civil rights movement.

[@jaycosper8048]

Yea I can't imagine playing at a championship level after having my house broken into, trophies broken and my bed being defecated in. Imagine going to work after that happens. Im in awe

[@jchen8902]

​@@jaycosper8048 Bill Russell is marked in history as a legend, sports icon and role model. He was the true definition of greatness. The criminals who vandalized his home lived less-than-mediocre lives, and will be lost to history, having made no true contribution to the journey humanity is taking together.

[@austinclubb2093]

Yo for some reason that last shot of Russell had me tearing up a bit. Extremely well done.

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

Austin clubb that always makes me tear up

[@DibbzTV]

He knew he had nothing else to give to the game that he loved. Hit me hard too out of nowhere and had some tears.

[@tomasgonzalez970]

Jxmyhighroller and mike korzemba: who is this guy??? Clayton: im you, but better

[@_Against_All_Odds_]

This was the best argument for Russell I've ever seen. Definitely have to rethink my list now.

[@liamryan7239]

The most impressive thing is that the Celtics only won 39 games right before he got there and only won 34 right after he left.

[@jeremyleveille1532]

@@liamryan7239 also during 9 games Russell missed to injury during his career the Celtics went 0-9

[@razkable]

russell was the tim duncan of his era...shaq was the wilt ...

[@TH-ph9br]

@@razkable You got that backwards.

[@eyebelieve3]

I feel you. After watching the whole series Im finding it difficult to decide between Russell, Kareem and Jordan.

[@jaridatkinson4907]

He's so criminally underrated it's crazy

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

People talk about regular season stats but won’t bring up his finals and playoffs performances when it mattered

[@lloydkline1518]

Especially on offense

[@spitzkopflarry8301]

Can't even believe that Wilt didn't even attempt a FG for a whole half. Wow

[@burner1303]

That's one of the best defensive stats I've ever heard

[@vernonleewarren280]

I know that's crazy but his playoff numbers aren't very good. Especially in crucial games

[@henrybuchan4688]

@@vernonleewarren280 10-0 in game sevens is a pretty good number.

[@namesurname7172]

@@henrybuchan4688 What about that game 7 against the Knicks in the Finals?

[@namesurname7172]

@@henrybuchan4688 Or the 1962 playoffs.

[@TTFMjock]

Bill Russel was in fact, an incredible athlete.

[@ericchapdelaine886]

Thanks for this video Clayton. My dad raised me with no question Bill Russell is the greatest ever. Making this video gave me a moment back in time with my dad. Forever thank you

[@rossisbetterthanu]

"You play the game to win" is actually fax Russell might just be the goat

[@jaycosper8048]

Big facts 2 state titles 2 national titles 11 world titles 1 Olympic gold w 0 losses. So much more

[@ArcadianGenesis]

Bill Russell is one of the most intriguing players in history to me, along with George Mikan. If there was a Last Dance-style documentary about those guys, I would love that. But this video is the next best thing :)

[@TheIcemanthomas]

Mikan is a guy who needs a lot more coverage and respect. This game wouldn’t have survived without his impact on the game. Bob Pettit is another under appreciated great.

[@RLSmith-jt8qj]

@@TheIcemanthomas they widened the lane the 1st time because of mikan

[@trevorhorn551]

Legitimately crying. Damn.

[@NovackGeorgeTT1971]

EXACTLY....! and in the context of BLM too.

[@nostalgicbliss5547]

The end with the music was well done

[@kentuckyfriedchildren5385]

@@NovackGeorgeTT1971 civil rights not blm

[@bensagal-morris8072]

@@kentuckyfriedchildren5385 BLM is a civil rights movement. It’s linked.

[@Drknight1212]

The “but I believe…” made me think of Aang the Last Airbender intro. RIP Bill “Lord of the Rings” Russell

[@albertkirtlandjr6735]

Beautiful! The way you capture Russell's "intangibles" and his ultimate Platonic approach to team is magnificent. I was almost tearing up watching Russell stand there at a loss for words in that final post game interview. For the love of the game.

[@gokuubssj4]

have never clicked a video so fast in my life

[@johnknowssports5624]

Bill Russell was the 1st to “Control” the game (on both ends of the court); a rebound and outlet pass that led to a fast break bucket; a blocked shot that led to a bucket; an assist that led to a bucket; a steal that stopped a possession. 5 time MVP, 15 ppg, 22 rebounds per game, 6 blocked shots per game and 4.3 assists per game...and 11 NBA Championships (in 13 seasons) That’s GOAT 🐐 material

[@johnnyblingg]

Where did you get the blocked shots stars from?

[@Beofware]

@@johnnyblingg His arse. Lol But I would bet money it was close to that in reality.

[@otisgt]

The Rich Logis Show no way. If defense is so much harder, why is DPOY almost always a second tier player? Also, Kareem was a great defender. Russell was horrible at offense. He was a good passer for a big man, but his offensive efficiency was awful. He shot 44%. Have you watched him play? I’ve watched some of his film, not just highlights. He was not good. Defense alone doesn’t make you a GOAT. He’s just Rudy gobert or deandre Jordan in an era when big man were everything. I give him credit for winning, but that comes in the form of being a 5-10 best center. Any realistic person would take Kareem, Shaq, Hakeem, Robinson, and wilt over him. All of those guys were great on both ends of the floor, even if they were worse defensively.

[@cesarr5006]

True dominate!

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@otisgt from 1959 to 1963 bill Russell averaged 20.2 PPG with 26.6 rebounds and 4.4 assist (50 playoff/finals games) 5 straight titles 3 straight mvps easily the most dominant playoff/finals streak in nba history

[@dariusmcclain5584]

Didn't expect to be on the verge of tears watching this video, but that whole bit on the stories sports are able to tell, and the lessons they teach us in turn, almost got me there. EDIT: Coming back to this video two years later to pay respects to one of the GOATs Rest in Power, Bill 🙏

[@markr6812]

Don’t forget in 1968 - 1969 Boston titles, Bill Russell was playing coach and they won back-to-back titles!

[@RogueStar97]

Came back to this video after I heard that he passed away today, and I'm once again blown away by not only the career but the life of Bill Russell. He means so much to the sport that we love. Thank you for a great tribute to him

[@sportingminds3311]

This is the best one yet! Thank you so much, Russell’s worth really hasn’t been properly analyzed or appreciated. I hope that the NBA is able to collect and restore as much footage about this era as possible. That way people can really go and analyze for themselves how great the players were.

[@blood9903]

russell was an olympic leaper (height and distance). to say he wasn't an athletic freak is a little incorrect.

[@ryancolangelo9585]

before i watch this video i just wanna say i’ve seen all the others in this series and it needs to be said that your work is untouchable, your attention to detail and in depth analysis show you truly put the time in for these videos and i appreciate keep up the good work my guy

[@NovackGeorgeTT1971]

IF there were KZbin awards this series deserves trophies.

[@smf1280]

Old school Tim Duncan! Leadership, hard work, and being a great teammate. You normally have to have a guy like that to win a championship. But to do it that many times, it's insane!

[@davidjudah4578]

Perhaps I’m a bit nostalgic after the passing of Mr. Russell. However this is your most beautiful making the case tribute. Thank you for doing this.

[@Klontruppe]

2:35 - oh my, I have used that exact quote when talking about why I believe Bill Russell is the greatest to ever do it. Though one thing you did not mention in the Wilt vs. Russell topic is that Russell's defence sunk Chamberlain's EFG% by five percent whenever they played in the post-season. To put that into perspective, that's the difference between 2016 regular season Stephen Curry and 2016 post-season Stephen Curry. Bill Russell's defence was the equivalent of a severe MCL injury. And I disagree about the fact that 8 teams are any sort of knock that would need to be justified with "it was just his era". Maybe when comparing against LeBron James, who actually played in a NBA where the majority of the 30 teams have access to at least some great talent. But if you look at the 27-29 teams that played in the league when Jordan was winning his titles, you could've contracted at least ten of them without losing *anything* of value.

[@otisgt]

There being only 8 teams is absolutely an argument. It concentrates the best talent and easily opens up the opportunity for one team to be much better. Right now there are a few good players on every nearly team along with role players. Then only a few teams have superstars. Eight 12 man teams would mean the 96 best players. The 96th best player would be around Kyle kuzma, Marcus Morris, Duncan Robinson level according to a few rankings online. So the typical 3rd or 4th next players on a team. That makes sense. You’re cutting 3/4 of the league. There’s typically around 10-15 superstars. All that has to happen is for one team to get several superstars and all stars. If one team had Steph, KD, Luka, Kawhi, AD, Kyrie, butler, KAT, and Booker, it wouldn’t matter that Giannis, Lebron, Harden, dame, jokic, etc are out there. They wouldn’t make teams even close to as good. And with a team that stacked, no ones numbers would be stellar. Same thing happened with the warriors when they got KD. Everyone’s numbers were worse, but they were by far the best team when everyone was on the court. You could still have the best player on a stacked team, but you wouldn’t use number of wins as a reason why one guy is the best, especially if the production is spread across the team.

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@otisgt no dummy everyone had a good team back than.. hawks had 4-5 HOF lakers had Elgin and west two of the best 7 players of the first 35 years of nba history 76ers had wilt Greer Walker Cunningham gallery of stars

[@otisgt]

@@casualfandestroyer2503 did you even read my whole post, dummy? It wouldn’t matter if you had Giannis and lebron if the other team had Steph, KD, Luka, Kawhi, AD, and Kyrie. The point isn’t that the Celtics had ALL the good players. It’s that they had significantly more. Realistically that can only happen to this degree in a small league.

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@otisgt Russell played with four members of the NBA's Top 50 at 50 (Havlicek(won 5 rings without Havlicek) , Cousy(another 5 titles without Cousy) , Sharman(7 titles without Sharman) , and Sam Jones( didn’t become a starter or have a big role with the team until Sharman retired in in 1961) Wilt played with six members (Baylor(3 seasons and averaged 24/10 his first two seasons with Wilt), West( 5 seasons ) Greer 4 seasons) Cunningham (3 seasons ), Arizin ( 3 seasons) and Thurmond 2 seasons).And Russell's teammates from 1957 to 1969 were selected to twenty-six All-Star games, while Wilt's teammates from 1960 to 1973 were selected to twenty-four while being on the same team as Wilt.Let's never mention the supporting-cast card again with Russell and Chamberlain. Thank you

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@otisgt that’s right coward don’t reply stay down

[@swageyamatobiyolo8068]

Okay, but this video is an actual masterpiece. I wasn't convinced coming in, but hell was I convinced leaving it

[@E_Snappy]

Your videos are incredible man. Refreshing knowing that someone out there is still open minded enough to respect the OGs of the game and to take them serious enough to develop a case like this one. One of my favorite channels on KZbin right now!

[@gaelm3731]

The quality of this "Making the Case" serie is absolutely outstanding.

[@aleksandre7730]

I always come back to this series, while some may see it as video series debating who’s the GOAT( which it literally is and Clayton does it masterfully), I see this series as a passion project and love letter to the sport through appreciating it’s pioneers and trailblazers. The entirety of this video is poetry, but the last few minutes is the most beautiful tribute to the great Bill Russell. Thank you Clayton

[@mhhmmhhm3301]

Number 6 should be retired by every team to show respect for this Legend.

[@brucescott4261]

mhhm mhhm ...It has happen last month.

[@christophercolumbus6474]

This is the most in-depth video about Bill Russell. I’m so glad I got to learn about Russell and how he’s probably the greatest winner of all time. Put some respect on this man’s name.

[@catherinelynnfraser2001]

He was a great man, a player coach, a winner and a hero and an example for all men of all races.

[@oldschoolruler]

'Probably'? Nobody has as many rings as Russell, PERIOD. 11/13 IS the standard.

[@christophercolumbus6474]

@@oldschoolruler I say probably because people would scream 6-0. Never lost. But yes, I agree with you

[@oldschoolruler]

@@christophercolumbus6474 Correction, 11-1 in the Finals, 11/13 is his career fraction. MJ is what? 6/14??? 6-0? How about 8...in a row? Russell won coming in, won going out...played with a completely different team in 1969, than in 1957...AND he was head coach the last 2. His accomplishments are so overwhelming as to be almost unbelievable. Most casual, immature, non players can't even comprehend his true greatness. You're right...some are heavily addicted to that 'red' Kool-Aid.

[@brucescott4261]

@@oldschoolruler ..."Non!" Wow, that takes me back! These kids today don't even know what that word means! LOL! Thanks for the memory! Well appreciated, indeed!

[@LifeAndWrestling]

Saw this episode before wanted to see it again. The Great Bill Russell has left us but he will never be forgotten.

[@junaidshahzad6803]

Had to come back here after the news. Rest easy Champ

[@misterscottintheway]

Let me tell you I did NOT expect to cry at 9am on a Friday watching a video about a guy I never saw play. Kudos sir. A very good essay.

[@WOWsusano]

5:38 So Paul Pierce IS the Goat. I knew it.

[@burner1303]

my man pooped his pants to win a championship

[@IgorPCabral]

Let the Truth be told!

[@dabarnes12]

Nobody got to the front of the rim, drained the 3, and hit the elbow fadeaway better than the truth!

[@eyebelieve3]

@@dabarnes12 His nickname is so ironic cos he talks alot of shite! :D

[@yeeyeehaircut796]

@@eyebelieve3 how long did it take you to come up with that?

[@thewheelsonthelabus]

By my count, there is one person that has a substantial claim as the GOAT. It's Clayton

[@dodihassan6176]

Zack Labus who’s Clayton?

[@mitchdavis3182]

Dodi Hassan the guy who made the video...

[@lukeithink6369]

I’ve been waiting for this

[@imdeidara1431]

How the f you commented 17 hrs ago and the vid is uploaded 6 mins ago

[@JDubs1464]

How tf

[@newseazy]

@@imdeidara1431 He's a patron of this channel

[@lloydkline1518]

Bill Russell very underrated NBA basketball player

[@VegasUte]

I think a lot of "moderns" underestimate Russell's athleticism. He was a near Olympic level high jumper and solid quarter-miler at USF as a member of their T&F team. (Search YT for "Bill Russell jumps over guy.") But as Clayton says "You play to win the game." 2 NCAA Titles, The 1956 Olympic Gold Medal, and those 11 NBA titles... Dang that is a lot of winning.

[@JohnathanClark15]

11/13 years as a Champion. The Art of Defense. #RIP #BillRussell

[@N8veJay]

Bill Russell would absolutely kill it in the 80s, 90s, 00s and yes... even the 10s...

[@razkable]

from what I saw bill was the ben wallace joakim noah prime marcus camby dikembe mutombo dennis rodman type big man hybrid of his era just from a skill set stand point and looking at his fg% thats the type of player he would be today sadly...its just facts...its not like he was shooting 55% in an era of 36% shooters..he was shooting 41-42% all the time and even under 40% one season for a center...he was not this scoring dominant player so in today's nba he would be far from a goat ..he may be slightly better than those guys but you get my point...he would be like 13 ppg 14 rebs 4 assists and 3 blocks 1.2 steals at his peak ...a rich man's prime hassan whiteside bam adebayo hybrid kind of player...its just facts...he was not some go to scorer and players today are not under 6'4 feet on average like they were in the 60's and they don't shoto two handed set shots so he would not get that many rebs ....he was 5 inches taller than the average player and could jump higher than most players of that era not worry about big man shooting so he could stay near the rim and there was no 3 in the lane or key rule so he could just stand in front of the rim all night ..of course he could get 8-9 blocks a night and 23-24 rebs...people don't understand the rules back then ..there was no 3 point shot...it just was a easier game for giants like walt pettit russell wilt lucas lanier kareem mikan cowens unseld walton thurmond mcginnis mcadoo and reed...the game was easy for them at their size to dominate at that time for over 30 years...the rules made it so big men could just use their size on both ends to impact a game both stats and just from a style kind of way...if i have a big man at the rim you can't score at the rim or stop him when we need a bucket..that changes everything...its what makes the 75 warriors title so impressive to not have that for sure big man inside and still win a title is something very few teams had done pre mj...even the 79 sonics had sikma and the 89 pistons had the frontline of laimbeer rodman salley edwards and mahorn so they were pretty strong up front...theres a reason you needed strong front line players to win titles for like 45 years in the nba...

[@professionalcurrysexual]

I definitely don’t think he would be as good but I could see him being a Ben Wallace x Yao Ming hybrid. He would still be a hall of famer

[@N8veJay]

@@professionalcurrysexual that’s good enough 🏀 plus he’s an excellent teammate and with the consistent nutrients that helps athletes today and him studying how the game has progressed, I see him more as a Rudy Gobert defensive stopper w/ Andre Drummond rebound instincts with Duncan’s passing unless he’s wants to go w/ a Jokic passing game w/ a Gobert defense but not as good of a scorer as Jokic 🏀

[@N8veJay]

@@razkable I wouldn’t say he would be better than Lebron/KD/Steph or Duncan/Kobe/Shaq, but in the 2010’s I can see him still finishing 1st team Centers possibly 5x and lead a team to 1 ring... even in the 2000’s w/ Shaq, Dwight & Yao being his main competition to ball against

[@professionalcurrysexual]

N8ve Jay yeah actually I agree with yours more. Based on the way the game is played now he wouldn’t be as dominant but I could definitely see him taking on a Rudy Gobert role

[@bhuni]

Winning over everything. Goat.

[@zylohphone6758]

I guess you have robert horry over tmac, yao, AI and melo right?

[@bhuni]

@@zylohphone6758 best player on the winning team.

[@tomashin2000]

@@zylohphone6758 Or he's implying that being the main man on a winning team while having worse stats is better than being the main man on a team that wins less while having insane stats. Would you take Westbrook over Curry for example?

[@joshmcgrady9427]

Zyloh SZN If you listened to the commentary at all you’d know this is a ridiculous and overused claim. Horry was never the best or second best player on any of his championship teams. Yes he won, but like Bill’s teammates he was elevated to a good role player by Bill. This “horry won 7 tho” statement is in my opinion the laziest cliché in all of basketball

[@Booster37]

@@zylohphone6758 Come on. Winning is why they play, but titles aren't the only thing that matters. We all know this.

[@reuelray]

Used to watch Bill and Wilt on TV and always read the newspaper articles mostly from The Washington Post. One article had a picture of Russell being yelled at by Wilt and it said something like:. 'Bill turned his deaf ear towards Wilt so he couldn't hear him yelling". Bill was smaller than Wilt but as a left-hander his dominant hand would line up against the right-handed Wilt. Lightning fast quick with explosive jumping ability; (saw a video clip of Bill jumping over one player to block the shot of another player) as well as smart, he played Wilt better than anyone. Offensively as a lefty, quick agile, with the aforementioned explosive leaping ability, don't think he couldn't score 30 points a game if he wanted to which he did sometimes when he needed to. He could also go Coast to Coast, and could pass. He was pre-magic Johnson. Don't understand why nobody even though they see the video tapes don't understand that. Athletically and skilled wise Wilt and Bill were equals. The difference was Wilt was obsessed with individual stats, Bill was obsessed with team stats. I'm not going to say Bill always had better teams and or coaches than Wilt. Wilt's Philadelphia teams with the likes of Hal Greer etc and especially the LA teams were just as talented. Red who I used to see smoking his cigar and watching us playing DC streetball, was not much of a strategist. When a huddle was called he would always quiz his players about what was going on and told them to make whatever adjustments needed to be made. That's why Bill was made coach after Red retired because he was already coaching out there when he was playing. I kind of remember one game Wilt had five fouls. He either pulled himself out of the game or basically stop playing defense to keep his streak alive of never fouling out of a game. The newspapers used to eat him up. Who's the greatest basketball player? Bill: Two High School championships. Two college championships. An Olympic champion. 11 professional championships. Probably championships in junior high, elementary, maybe community teams. Wilt: three Philadelphia inner City High school championships, two overall City championships. Led Kansas to the 57 championship game. Two NBA championships and somewhere around 70 plus NBA records set, including 50-25 for a whole season plus the 100 point game. Bill has team accomplishments that will never be broken. Wilt has individual accomplishments that will never be broken. So the greatest is a two-headed entity; they both are with the taller head taking the nod as 'INDIVIDUALLY GREATER'.🤷🏿‍♂️

[@ariconsul]

Now I'm completely convinced Bill Russell was the GOAT and will continue to be completely convinced -- until the next Clayton GOAT video.

[@jamesboone8997]

from 23:31 to the end of this video is one of the greatest moments in content creation and it nearly had me in tears. Great job Clayton!

[@TheIcemanthomas]

The way I play... my team wins- Bill Russell

[@razkable]

if not for injuries he could be 12/13 in rings

[@oldschoolruler]

@@razkable injury...singular. Severely sprained ankle, and they were up 2-0 when it happened. Boston couldn't win without him. That would have made him 12-0 in the Finals. In 1967 they lost to Philly in the ECF. Imagine...he won 12 of 13 Eastern Conference Finals.

[@yingghit97]

Contrary to popular belief Bill Russell was in fact a freak athlete, there is film of him jumping over another player from the ft line into a lay up!

[@gibsonfoster1050]

This and tim Duncan’s are my favorite so for, these are amazing please keep it up

[@bcashworld7971]

What a breathtaking video; the ending really stuck the landing for me. To make a compelling piece that can be so informative yet emotional is an incredible feat. Bravo to you and bravo to Bill Russell as not only a basketball player but the human being as well.

[@lonesomelou4188]

THIS is the best tribute to mighty Bill I've ever seen. This New Hampshire youngster found a real-life hero in Bill Russell. You did right by him with this vid. I salute you. I used to decorate my white sneakers with #6 and Bill's name with a ballpoint pen. It's good for a little kid to have heros. I'm glad he was mine.

[@DibbzTV]

That ending got the hell out of me. It was almost like he knew it was a great moment, but has nothing else to give. Legendary man.

[@jaxonmills5078]

Watching this again today. Truly beautiful ending. Rip to a legend.

[@mattatack2the25]

I love how you tie in the story of sports. All these athletes give their audience a narrative to root for, hate, or admire. I think that's why the GOAT discussion can get so heated. People are comparing their heroes. You capture that well in these videos. I almost tear up at every one of them.

[@lionking909]

Came back today after hearing of his passing RIP to one of the goats and the best winner of them all

[@kennyschachat]

Here's another mind boggling accomplishment that is hard to wrap our heads around: Russell’s teams played in 21 winner-take-all games (in the NCAA tournament or Olympics, or the final game of an NBA playoff series) and his team was 21-0 in those games.

[@Bu11yMagu1re]

Pretty sure its actually 1 off and its 22-0

[@TomahawkTrollstin]

Man, each one of these has me rethinking my all-time top 10! Love your work

[@gurjassinghbatra5758]

Everything else apart, that introduction is dope!

[@gutsdw]

I will say this since he has passed away, There will never *ever* be another winner like Bill Russell. Only athletes like Joey Chestnut could come close. He will always be immortalized with the Bill Russell Award (Finals MVP) Thank you for your contributions, Russ 🍀

[@BasedChe]

There's something about this video, that's just absolutely amazing

[@razkable]

the fact kids on youtube try to diminish bill russell is why this video is important..to remind them of the dominance and disadvantages bill played with for his era...people legit putting kobe magic wilt shaq duncan or bird over bill need to watch this video...its hard to put them over him it really is ....hes at worst 4th all time probably higher

[@youcantcme2]

That video at the end hits harder than ever. Rest easy Bill.

[@classicrockbeagle]

According to Wilt, the difference between him and Russ. With Wilt, his teammates had to feed him. Russell fed his teammates. Requiescant in pace

[@smokeyaaahhh3836]

Thought I would watch this again after his passing. Rest in peace Bill Russel. The greatest to ever do it.

[@lloyddaking6024]

Returning to this video just a day after his passing. We’ve lost one of the few humans in history deemed by the masses as LEGEND. The greatest winner. The greatest champion. The greatest persevering athlete of his time. Bill Russell embodied the meaning behind the word WIN. Rest In Power to a monumental force of will. 🕊

[@alexpat3205]

Watching this shortly after his passing. Crazy how much impact he had on the game. RIP

[@TheJetsfan1221]

that fact that u make so emotional with each of these is absurd..... best series ON KZbin

[@SomeBF]

RIP to the Platonic idea of Basketball

[@ryan82scott]

I love that, after retirement, there wasn't some awkward comeback attempt. Reportedly, he only played a game of one on one (against one of his sons, I think), won, and that was it. Knowing when to move on is an underrated virtue.

[@will.is.sabre27]

Beautiful writing man, I love these videos. You make really strong cases for every player you've done thus far and it's provided me with lots of perspective about historical players I wasn't able to watch. Personally I really value the players like Russel and Duncan that center their teammates and leadership. I can see Curry and Bron having a similar but modern verion of the Wilt vs russell debate

[@GeneralAlexander89]

It’s worth noting , that Boston didn’t win any titles before him , and they had HOFers present. Also, they didn’t win in 58 because he injured his foot against The Hawks, missing games 4&5 of the finals and playing minimally in game 6. - Petit Dropped 50 and grabbed 19 boards. - Only player to win his first and last year. Truly impressive. You know with all the great improvements across the board , I just don’t see many with this mentality. It’s quite rare. Shows how special Russell is. I would say Duncan is a new age version of him. But was more of a force offensively in his prime. Unselfish and a great leader. Truly connecting with his teammates the same way Russell did. - Excellent video, I haven’t seen them all, but the level of objectivity, consistency and context provided is awesome. Love the presentation, and I agree that there should be a pole after people have viewed them all, on who the Goat is.

[@bonzobonanza]

I always loved watching this video a lot because Bill Russell always captivated me. 11 rings in 13 seasons is a legendary feat that won't likely be surpassed. There will never be a player quite like *him* . Rest in Peace, number 6. 💚

[@AppalachianDiscovery]

Welp, guess I’ll have to wait another month for the next “making the case” video. 😂

[@johnsalois5915]

Thanks for the Russell video! He is my favorite player of all-time. These videos are really well done and really fair. Russell was the greatest defender ever. Probably the greatest rebounder, and the greatest leader. GOAT

[@mr.fantastic7756]

That ending made me cry, absolutely beautiful 🙏

[@intrepidnick2939]

I was wondering what this salty discharge coming out of my eyes was...

[@ollythompson2608]

Wow, truly fantastic video. So well made, and gave me chills at the end. As a NBA fan from the UK I’m always trying to increase my knowledge of basketball and this well and truly did that. Once again fantastic video, think I’m going to watch the rest of them back to back!

[@matthewhaynes6667]

Came back to this after hearing the news, RIP Goat

[@xavieriniguez3374]

Such an amazing video!! Keep up what you're doing truly underrated content!!!

[@Sqkwid]

I haven’t watched this yet but I’m already excited

[@mojohvncho5418]

We need a time machine just to see Russell and Wilt play

[@thoughtsuponatime847]

3:23 How can you say this? Russell was an Olympic level high jumper. Ranked #7 in the world, #2 in the USA. Dude could jump out of the gym.

[@billygoatbaa3350]

Clayton you literally make the best videos. I have watch this video many times, and every time you get to the part where you talk about the racial Injustice and everything that Bill Russell had to go through, I literally start to cry. Although I never got to meet Phil wrestling person, I have seen him speak, and I've heard players who are younger than him, talk about how he would reach out to them and help them after bad game, or issues they were having in their life. I believe he was a truly great and compassionate man who cared about people. On a side note, he definitely belongs in the conversation of the greatest of all time. If you want a blueprint for a great basketball player, look up Bill Russell. If you want a blueprint for a great human being, look at Bill Russell!

[@user-ei2eb9xf4y]

❤