How Many Championships Does Bill Russell Have During His Career?

When it comes to the NBA tournament, we can’t help but mention Bill Russell. This black center is a phenomenon of the league. His reign lasted for 13 seasons on the court. If you’re wondering how many championships does bill russell have won, this article by Scott Fujita is for you. Let’s explore together!

How Many Championships Does Bill Russell Have?

With 11 championship rings, Bill Russell has won the most NBA championships. Even more impressive is that he achieved such achievements in just 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics.

The years that Bill Russell won NBA championships are 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969. Bill Russell has been with the Boston Celtics throughout his career.

Related: Who has the most NBA rings

The Career Snapshot Of Bill Russell

How many NBA championships does Bill Russell have?

Career Stats: 15.1 PPG, 22.8 RPG, 4.3 APG, 5x MVP, 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 4x Rebounding Champ

Bill Russell’s career is one of the most iconic in history of the NBA. There were only two seasons he entered without winning the NBA championships. In it, there was a season when Bill Russell had an injury at the NBA finals.

Bill Russell also made his mark on his final season as head coach. This feat is impressive in an era when the most successful player in the league is his team’s head coach.

In terms of rebounds, Bill Russell is just behind his opponent, Wilt Chamberlain. However, he played four seasons ahead of Bill Russell. Scoring has never been essential for Bill Russell as he already has Hall of Famers teammates.

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11 Title Years Of Bill Russell

1. 1956-57: The First Championship

In the first season of his career, Bill Russell got off to a perfect start. He has dedicated himself and shown himself to be a valuable center for the Boston Celtics. With an average of 24.4 rebounds per game, Bill Russell wowed audiences.

The NBA finals with the St. Louis Hawks are incredibly thrilling. The two teams had to compete for points one by one. In the end, the Boston Celtics were the winners with a score of 4-3.

In 1957, Tommy Heinsohn was also the recipient of the title of Rookie of the Year. Although Bill Russell’s performance was excellent, he only played half the season with the team. Maybe that’s why he failed this title.

2. 1959-1966 – The Streak: Eight Consecutive Seasons

While 1958 was a year to forget for the Boston Celtics, Bill Russell still won the first MVP award of his career. However, unfortunately, he suffered an injury before the NBA finals.

• 1958-59 Season

Bill Russell’s 1958-59 campaign was a strong comeback. He has led the Boston Celtics to a record 52 consecutive games.

The opponent they faced was the Minneapolis Lakers. Along with the excellence of Bill Russell and his teammates, including Bob Cousy, K.C. Jones, and Tommy Heinsohn, victory was swift. In this series, Bill Russell has averaged 30 RPG.

• 1959-60 Season

In the 1959-60 season, the Boston Celtics continued to build their empire with 59 consecutive wins. This season is also the time for a new element, Wilt Chamberlain. He is Bill Russell’s arch-rival later on.

This season’s final continues to be the confrontation between the Boston Celtics and the St. Louis Hawks. And the score again was the same as in the 1956-57 season.

• 1960-61 Season

The 1960-61 Celtics had another strong season, winning 57 games in the regular season. Russell scored 18 points and 24 rebounds, helping him win his second MVP trophy. Boston Celtics win over St. Louis Hawks – again – helped Bill Russell get his fourth career title.

• 1961-62 Season

In this season, the Boston Celtics welcome another opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers. Bill Russell showed his explosiveness with 23 PPG and 27 RPG average. In-game 7, he exploded with 40 rebounds.

• 1962-63 Season

This season is a rematch between the two teams, but the winner is still the Boston Celtics. Bob Cousy – Hall of Famer point guard of the Boston Celtics – has decided to retire after this season. Bill Russell has matured and is sharper. He played stronger to keep up with the LA Lakers’ attack.

• 1963-64 Season

This season, the Boston Celtics welcome a new star. The future Hall of Famer John Havlicek joined the team through the NBA draft. It is also the time when Bill Russell met Wilt Chamberlain. The Boston Celtics went on to have an easy win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

• 1964-65 Season

In 1965, Bill Russell again defeated Wilt Chamberlain with the Philadelphia 76ers. In addition, the Boston Celtics continued to meet the LA Lakers and won 4-1 against a potent lineup.

• 1965-66 Season

Everyone will succumb to old age, and Bill Russell is no exception. However, he still achieved another title against the LA Lakers.

3. The Last Two Championships

After a failed 1966-67 season as head coach, Bill Russell is back. He beat the Lakers in six games to claim his 10th title. Bill Russell’s last title was in 1969. At this point, the Boston Celtics beat the Lakers. However, due to old age as well as racial tensions, Bill Russell retired.

List Of NBA Players With The Most NBA Championships

As a rule, the team that wins the NBA league championship will have championship rings as a reward. All team members, including staff, will have their rings.

Although championship rings are about individual achievements, they also contribute to the strength of the team. This list is the best proof of that.

Along with 17 NBA championships in NBA history, the Boston Celtics have shown their dominance with the league. As a result, the Boston Celtics players are also the top performers on this list.

1. Bill Russell: 11 NBA championships

Bill Russell

Bill Russell is the basketball player with the most championships in NBA history – 11 titles. Thanks to his excellent defensive ability, the Boston Celtics center has made his name in the past.

Bill Russell’s blocks are what made him stand in the ranks of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, after four years since he retired, the NBA has only incorporated blocks per game into player performance.

2. Sam Jones: 10 NBA championships

Sam Jones

Sam Jones is second on the list with 10 NBA championships. He also devoted his career to the Boston Celtics. Sam Jones’ championship years are 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969.

3. Tommy Heinsohn: 8 NBA championships

Tommy Heinsohn

Another face of the Boston Celtics – Tommy Heinsohn. He has had 8 NBA championships with the team. Tommy Heinsohn’s championship years are: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965.

4. K.C. Jones: 8 NBA championships

K.C. Jones

Next place is K.C. Jones, with 8 NBA championships. He achieved them in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 with the Boston Celtics. 

K.C. Jones and Tom Heinsohn have pretty similar careers. They are not only identical in several championship rings but also careers. Both had a stint as head coaches for the Boston Celtics. Heinsohn led the team to two other titles in 1972 and 1974, while Jones did so in 1984 and 1986.

5. Tom “Satch” Sanders: 8 NBA championships

Satch Sanders

1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 were the years that Tom Sanders won the NBA championships. And not surprisingly, he’s also in the Boston Celtics.

6. John Havlicek: 8 NBA championships

John Havlicek

We had to expand the rankings by more than ten positions because, otherwise, nine of them would be members of the Boston Celtics. And here is another person. John Havlicek won the NBA championship for eight years: 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976.

7. Robert Horry: 7 NBA championships

Robert Horry

Finally, someone other than the Boston Celtics. Robert Horry has entered the list of basketball players with the most NBA titles in history with seven titles.

He achieved them by competing for three different teams:

• Two titles with the Houston Rockets (1994, 1995).
• Three titles with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001, 2002).
• Two titles with the San Antonio Spurs (2005, 2007).

Robert Horry is also one of the rare players to have won the championship in three different teams.

8. Frank Ramsey: 7 NBA championships

Frank Ramsey

Along with the Boston Celtics, Frank Ramsey has seven titles. He achieved in the years: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964.

9. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 6 NBA championships

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has had 6 NBA championships with two teams. One title with the Milwaukee Bucks (1971) and five titles with the Los Angeles Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988).

10. Bob Cousy: 6 NBA championships

Bob Cousy

Continue to be a Boston Celtics player. Bob Cousy has won this title in the years: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963.

11. Michael Jordan: 6 NBA championships

Michael Jordan

The GOAT, Michael Jordan, is a legend of the Chicago Bulls. He has won 6 titles in the years: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998.

12. Scottie Pippen: 6 NBA championships

Scottie Pippen

Scottie Pippen has won six NBA titles, all with the Chicago Bulls: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998.

13. Jim Loscutoff: 6 NBA championships

Jim Loscutoff

With the Boston Celtics, Jim Loscutoff won the title in the years: 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964.

Final Thoughts

With a total of 11 NBA championships, Bill Russell fully deserves to be one of the legendary players of the NBA. Until now, the record that he achieved is still challenging to shake. Despite the years that have passed, his legendary achievements and performances are still an inspiration for many basketball lovers later.