Why I believe Bill Russell would've been just as good in today's NBA

[Warspite]

Well playing today he isnt going to smoke a pack a day.

Will he still be the coach of the team? If he is then I can see him playing 42mpg.

This guy was coach of the year and Finals MVP in the same season. I think he can adapt to the 2020s. What is kind of interesting is that today's game looks more and more like 60s NBA. I know the young people believe the sport is linear but in many ways it is cyclical.

If you put the 3pt line at the elbow the 1960s players play very similar to today. Rebound run down to the line, swing it around vs a zone and chuck up shot.

Its 1980s YMCA pick-up basketball. I think a ton of players I played with and against in rec leagues from 85-99 would be right at home playing by today's NBA rules.

[LockoutSeason]

Today’s league is too sophisticated for any ‘60s player. Bill Russell was good for his era but we should just leave it at that.

[FrodoBaggins]

I do think Russell would be elite today but idk if it would be seen as the universal MVP as he was. Like his team, coaches and opponents may know but absolutely no chance the public would accept it.
Honestly it depends how well he defends the perimeter.

He's definitely not going to win the championship or the MVP every year. One is a team accomplishment and the other is a narrative-based award that doesn't always tell us who the most impactful player is. I understand the public and media might be hesitant to award a defense-slanted guy but this isn't as great of a concern for me because I'm higher on his offense per my arguments in this thread.

In many ways he’s a 6’9 Draymond.
We’ve seen 16 Draymond and 13/14 Noah get MVP votes as playmaking defensive anchors.

I think a 6'9" Draymond sells him quite short, even just on the issue of size.

Draymond measured in at 6'5.75" barefoot height while Russell was listed between 6'10" and 6'9.5" with an official measurement of 6'9.75" using the NBA Draft combine method of rounding to the nearest quarter-inch. Same height as Deandre Jordan and Andre Drummond. Same general height range as guys like DeMarcus Cousins, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, Anthony Davis, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Patrick Ewing.

So, about a 4" difference in height between Green and Russell. However, as we know, standing reach is the true measure of how functionally tall a basketball player is.

Draymond's standing reach adjusted for 1.25" shoes was 8'8.5". Bill's is estimated to be in the 9'5" to 9'7" range. We're talking about an 8.5" to 10.5" difference between the two. Then you have to consider the difference in jumping ability. 28" standing vertical and 33" max vertical for Draymond.

Being an Olympic-level pre-Fosbury high jumper, the height of Bill's max vertical jump was more similar to guys like Dwight Howard, Andrew Wiggins, and Jeremy Evans. He was reported to have touched the top of the backboard. Not hard to believe given his jumping pedigree (ranked #2 in the US and #7 in the world for high jump according to Track and Field News in 1956).

Dwight Howard: 9'3.5" standing reach; 38.5" max vertical; 12'6" max reach
Jeremy Evans: 9'0" standing reach; 45.0" max vertical; 12'9" max reach
Andrew Wiggins: 8'11" standing reach; 44.0" max vertical; 12'7" max reach
Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu: 9'3.5" standing reach; 47.5" max vertical; 13'3" max reach
Bill Russell: 9'5" to 9'7" standing reach; 38.5" to 44" max vertical; 12'7.5" to 13'3" max reach

vs.

Draymond Green: 8'8.5" standing reach; 33.0" max vertical; 11'5.5" max reach

And that's just the maximum jumping height. Bill was arguably the quickest leaper ever; David Robinson is the only comparison for big men.

When you add it all up, there's a 4" difference in height, a 3" to 3.5" difference in wingspan, an 8.5" to 10.5" difference in standing reach, a 5.5" to 11" difference in max vertical, and a 14" to 21.5" difference in max reach. Also probably 20-30 pounds of weight difference considering Bill was 215-240 pounds without lifting weights during his career. Would be in the 250-265 range today.

Bill Russell's size and vertical advantage over Draymond Green:

- +4" height
- +20-30 pounds
- +3 to 3.5" wingspan
- +8.5 to 10.5" standing reach
- +5.5 to 11" max vertical
- +14 to 21.5" max reach

That considerable advantage in size and vertical presence makes Bill a far more potent finisher on offense and paint and rim protector on defense. Not to mention, Bill is quicker and faster to go along with his superior power.

Where they're physically comparable is general agility and flexibility: change of direction, lateral movement, and flexibility in the ankles and hips. They both move fluidly while performing basketball-specific movements like backpedaling, flipping the hips, sliding, and recovering. Bill just has way more horsepower which allows him to do those things quicker.

Russell is just far bigger and way more athletic. He's like Draymond Green's defense, ball handling, passing, and basketball IQ in the body of Deandre Jordan, with a mix of Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson's athleticism.