Bill Russell and Jerry West were the cornerstones of the intense Boston Celtics - LA Lakers rivalry in the 1960s. Even though ‘Bill The Hil’’s’ Celtics defeated ‘The Logo’ in all the six encounters they had in the NBA Finals, it would’ve been convenient for them to have animosity between them. However, in reality, things were quite the opposite - Russell held such a profound admiration for West as a player and a human being that he wrote a note stating how his desire was to only see him happy.
Bill had the ultimate respect for Jerry
Back in the day, it was tough for even the greatest players to impose their will against the mighty Celtics, yet West made his presence felt against them since his sophomore year, that too on the biggest stage. In the 1962 NBA Finals, Jerry and Elgin Baylor averaged a staggering 71.7 points per game combined. However, Russell’s 27 rebounds per game average proved to have more impact in leading Boston to the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Thereafter, the Lakers were evidently the second team to Boston in the ‘63 and ‘65 Finals. However, in the ‘66 championship round, West not only forced a Game 7 after his team trailed 3-1 but also averaged 33.9 points per game on 51.5% shooting from the field. But, once again, it was Bill whose astounding 170 total rebounds, along with his overall impact in that series, propelled the Celtics past the victory line.
In Russell’s farewell season, his Celtics faced off against West’s Lakers in the championship round for the last time. And even though the 6’3” point guard averaged 37.9 points per game, including a 42-point triple-double, it was the Celtics who beat them in a nail-biting finish.
Typically, when a player’s hard-fought efforts are consistently outclassed, they are bound to birth bitterness against his opponents. Yet for Russell and West, admiration and respect for one another ran deep. So much so that the Celtics legend once expressed his sincere wish to see the 14-time All-Star ‘happy’ in his life.
"The greatest honor a man can have is the respect and friendship of his peers. You have that more than any man I know," Russell's message to West read. "If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy."
Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"
Russell never shied away from giving West the flowers he deserved
Although Bill was the primary reason the Lakers didn’t win as many championships as their fans had hoped, he didn’t hesitate to label West a ‘champion’ after witnessing the undersized point guard being named the Finals MVP in 1969 for his outstanding efforts. Similarly, the Lakers PG reciprocated the love towards Russell by calling him the ‘greatest winner’ who had a ‘regal-like effect’ on the games.
It’s safe to say that these two legends might have never shared the same side of the court, but they surely held more respect for each other than many modern-day NBA teammates do.
Related: “The game was made for him” - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gushes over Jerry West nailing the front office role
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