When you watch this video, you’ll hear Bill Russell tell you his athletic bona fides: he ran hurdles and was one of the top three high jumpers in the world. He says he could run a 400 “in the 40’s” and that he could get his eyes above the rim and could touch the top of the backboard.
We were curious about that so we got a basic framework: if he was 6-10, his standing reach was somewhere between 9 and 9-3. The top of the backboard is 13 feet off the ground, so that means that his vertical was roughly between 45 and 48 inches.
By any standard, clearly he was indeed a world-class athlete.
But as imposing as all that is, he had a secret weapon. Well, okay, two secret weapons.
The first was how smart he was because Russell studied the game in a way that few ever have.
And second, he had what we think is a rare ability.
Players are taught to keep their arms up but most players swing their arms to gather momentum as they jump.
Russell didn’t have to do that. He could jump with his arms fully over his head. We’re not sure any other big man has done that in quite the same way.
That’s an immense advantage. Chamberlain had to gather himself. Shaquille O’Neal had to gather himself. Robert Parish had to gather himself.
The closest guy we can think of in this respect is Tim Duncan and though the Big Fundamental also kept his hands up, he’s not all that close either.
You wonder if it was something innate, like Bob Cousy’s gaunt facial structure allowing him superb peripheral vision or Manu Ginobli’s unusual knees allowing him to move in ways that most people cannot? Or was it just something he practiced and perfected?
Whatever it was, add that to a vertical somewhere around 4 feet and a mind like Russell had and it was an unbeatable combination.