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ESPN staff
A civil rights pioneer and an NBA legend (count the rings; there are 11!), this eternal champion exemplifies the extraordinary. That’s why Bill Russell is the 2019 recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYS (July 10 at 8 p.m. ET, ABC). But did you know he …
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… could very nearly fly? Russell was the No. 7 high jumper in the world and a shoo-in for the ’56 Olympics before deciding to compete in hoops!
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… boycotted an exhibition in 1961 along with the other black Celtics players, protesting racist treatment in Lexington, Kentucky?
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… marched on Washington in 1963 with MLK, calling it the “greatest thrill and proudest moment” of his life?
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… won two titles as a player-coach with the Celtics-and was the first black coach in NBA history?
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… collected 25 or more rebounds in 340 games over his career? That’s only happened in 13 other games in Celtics history!
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… played on a broken right foot and left elbow while leading another Celtics championship run in ’66?
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… was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2011?