The Red Auerbach Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Wednesday, August 28th, 2002
While Cousy was an important piece to the puzzle, Auerbach knew that he needed more to make it over the hump. His teams were executing the fast break well during those first few years, but they didn’t have the defensive presence in the middle to stop the opposition. Bill Reinhart knew just the man for job.
William Felton Russell.
Auerbach trusted Reinhart implicitly. When Reinhart told Auerbach that he’d just seen the greatest defensive player who ever lived, Auerbach knew right then who he wanted to propel the Celtics into champions.
The Celtics would need to pull of a trade to get Bill Russell. Although there were some serious concerns that he might be too one-dimensional – offensively challenged in the minds of most scouts at the time – Auerbach knew that Russell would be off the board by the time they selected in the first round. Rochester had the No. 1 pick, but they seemed set with big-man Maurice Stokes. Auerbach wanted to be sure of this before setting his sights on the St. Louis Hawks, which was the team possessing the No. 2 pick. So Auerbach convinced Walter Brown into calling Rochester owner Lester Harrison. Brown and Harrison were on good terms, and Brown inquired as to what Rochester planned on doing with the top pick. For several reasons, it became clear that Rochester would not select Russell. Auerbach then turned his attention to St. Louis.
Auerbach offered “Easy” Ed Macauley for the No. 2 pick. St. Louis countered by asking for Macauley and Cliff Hagan, the 6’-5” University of Kentucky All-American whose rights were owned by the Celtics. Auerbach quickly agreed, and the trade went through.
With Russell at center, the Celtics won the NBA Championship in 1957. They should have won it the following year as well, until a severe ankle sprain during the playoffs sent Russell to the sidelines. In 1959 they won again, launching an astonishing run of eight consecutive NBA Championships. Russell played thirteen seasons for the Celtics, and the team won 11 championships during this stretch. It is, quite simply, the greatest championship run in professional sports history.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
