Who’s the G.O.A.T.?

I EXPECT a lot of violent reactions from many hoops followers but my take is that Bill Russell is the all-time greatest player in the history of the American pro league National Basketball Association.

You may have picked Michael Jordan as the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) in NBA history with six championship rings and fans probably have been greatly influenced by the glitz lights of scientific technology during the 1980s and 1990s and the powerful social media in current times to highlight his offensive wizardry (not to say that’s he not a good defender as well) and his ability to will his team to victory.

Then again, nobody really started talking how great MJ is . . . until he secured his first NBA title ring with the Chicago Bulls in 1991 in his seventh pro season out of the University of North Carolina notwithstanding his various individual accomplishments before that.

And GOAT discussions became louder but only after His Airness and his Bulls again reached the mountain top in the next two seasons for his first of two title “three-peats.” Following a brief, forgettable 1.5-year flirtation with major-league baseball, Jordan “unretired” to propel the Bulls to another three-year championship reign in 1996, 1997 and 1998.

That’s when Jordan heard the GOAT talks roared the loudest as those involved in the sport (media, co-athletes, coaches and fans) elevated the current Charlotte Hornets owner’s status in the NBA’s Mount Rushmore list as the world’s greatest player ever.

It follows then championships won is a major factor when evaluating the GOAT.

For those who have a contrary opinion, the respect is there. At the end of the day, we can always agree to disagree.

As for Russell, his defensive accomplishments – shot-blocking (no stats documented until the 1973-74 season when he was five years into retirement) and rebounding (22.5 boards per game) – far outweigh his offensive contributions (still pretty cool with averages of 15.1 points and 4.3 assists in 963 regular appearances) during a illustrious 13-year tenure from 1956-57 to 1968-69. He and Jordan snared five Most Valuable Player trophies each, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA-record six.

Russell even had better numbers in the playoffs where all the marbles are at stake. In 165 postseason contests, the goateed 6-10 center posted per-game clips of 16.2 ppg, 24.9 rpg and 4.7 apg.

And before some people tend to forget, Russell won 11 NBA titles with the Boston Celtics in 12 Finals trips. No other player has ever won more than that (Celts teammate Sam Jones collected 10).

Try this at home: You go to a well in your backyard. Strike it a dozen times and the well produces water 11 times.

Ain’t that great?

Any doubts as to who is the NBA’s Greatest Player of All Time? Russell’s claim to the distinction was validated when the NBA started naming the Finals MVP hardware in his honor a few years ago.

It could have well been the Michael Jordan Finals MVP trophy; but this wasn’t so.

It was named the Bill Russell Final MVP trophy.

And by the way, I am not a leprechaun apologist. I have been a Los Angeles Lakers follower since Abdul-Jabbar moved out of the gloomy weather in Milwaukee in June 1975 to join the bright lights of Hollywood.

Russell as the GOAT? Approve (after thinking).