Giants on a Hardwood Court - Naismith Created It

    Bill Russell has passed. The great Bill Russell has died. The one who outdid Wilt Chamberlain almost every time it happened. The one who dominated all other competitors more often than not. 

    The Greeks had mythic gods, the Chinese have their ancient and modern heroes, as do the Hindus of India. Every culture has their legends and foils. Russell was a Celtic basketball hero and champion, creator and enforcer of a leather ball-based sport that has now become a world-wide phenomenon. It is popular and followed in most continents and countries of the world.

    We now have a panoply of legends and mythic hardwood warriors across the decades of the last century. Steph Curry, Kevin Durrant, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Michael Jordan.

I repeat: Michael Jordan. Magic Johnson, Isaih Thomas, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, other Celtics, like Bob Cousy and K.C. Jones, and John Havlicek.

   Russell won 11. And he coached a couple of them at the end. A giant among his peers, and a huge contributor to his community and his race.

    He won in San Francisco in a lesser-known college. Twice. And the Olympics.

    He became a giant of the craft, as he was gifted in stature, but he did more with it than most. He was surrounded by others that complimented that greatness.

    The Celts and the Lakers now vie for the most championships all-time. Most of the Celtics' ones belong to him, Mr. Russell, even with great successors Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, Bill McHale, Robert Parrish. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Ray Allen got one.

    Bill Russell stands atop them all.

    A champion of champions.

    A god among athletic gods.

    There will be others. But none like him.