How Bill Russell reassured his Celtics team before the 1969 NBA Finals Game 7: ‘I don’t care what happens’
When the 1969 NBA Finals reached its final stage after six intense battles, both rivals—the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics—faced a crucial “do or die” game.
Amid the pressure, Bill Russell, player-coach for the latter franchise, had a unique outlook. Before the game, “Russ” reassured his team that losing wasn’t the end of the world. Instead, the NBA legend emphasized that their future was secure, regardless of the outcome.
“It sounds all corny to talk like that, but I told these guys before the game, ‘I don’t care what happens; I wouldn’t
trade you guys for any guys in the world,'” Russell shared afterward.
The pressure was on
During that year, the less dominant C’s than usual entered the postseason as the fourth seed in the East. Nevertheless, they reached the NBA Finals, where, just before Game 7, they faced their most pressured moment of the season.
If the Boston team now fell short, they would have risked finishing the season empty-handed after performing well against all the odds. Additionally, an unsuccessful outcome could have jeopardized the future of some Celtics on the team. Every front office knows the window to win a championship is small, and even Finals players aren’t guaranteed safety.
The players on the Boston roster knew what was at stake, and some likely felt a bit anxious. However, Russell was there to support them, and after the leader’s reassuring pre-game speech, they stepped onto the court feeling ready for the challenge
“Russ” was a true leader
The Boston team responded well to the speech of their player-coach since 1966 and ultimately secured a thrilling 108-106 victory against the Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain-led Lakers. Afterwards, the C’s celebrated their 11th championship title.
Who knows? The outcome might have been quite different without the five-time MVP “Russ” rallying the troops beforehand. However, this is the key advantage of having such a strong leader in your corner.
This leadership quality was evident time and time again in Russell’s storied 13-year tenure with the team, which started after he was selected second overall pick in the 1956 Draft. Along with his impressive skills as a dominant 6’10” center, this trait helped the late Louisiana native become the player with the most rings in NBA history.
Another example of his leadership came during the same post-game interview. When asked about the immense respect he had earned after winning yet another ring, the iconic number 6 humbly redirected that praise to his “great” teammates, saying, “I just can’t say enough about the guys.”
It was only fitting that instead of celebrating the title victory in what would be his last NBA game alone, “Russ” then shared the microphone with then-Celtics forward John Havlicek. Standing arm in arm, the franchise legends wrapped up the interview together.
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