Even without the title of the doc being “Bill Russell: Legend,” there’s no denying that NBA icon Bill Russell is an absolute legend in the minds of sports fans around the world. As a player, he won five MVP trophies and 11 NBA Championships. Then, he transitioned into the role of coach, where he earned two championships. Oh, did I mention he was also playing at that time, as well?
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And as seen in the trailer for “Bill Russell: Legend,” there’s so much more to the story of one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Not only did he have a ton of success on the court, but he also was a famous humanitarian and activist, having marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. and leading boycotts against the NBA for its practices decades ago.
The film is directed by acclaimed filmmaker, Sam Pollard. Previously, Pollard directed docs such as “Sammy Davis: I Gotta Be Me,” “MLK/FBI,” and “Mr. Soul.” He also earned an Oscar nomination as the producer on Spike Lee’s doc, “Four Little Girls,” which was released in 1998. So, even if you’re not a fan of NBA basketball, you might want to check out ‘Legend,’ as Pollard is one of the best doc filmmakers working today.
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“Bill Russell: Legend” is set to debut on Netflix on February 8. You can watch the first trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
The remarkable life and legacy of an NBA superstar and civil rights icon is captured in the documentary Bill Russell: Legend. This two-part film from award-winning director Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI, Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power) features the last interview with Bill prior to his passing in 2022 as well as access to his sprawling personal archives. On the court, Russell went on to lead each and every one of his basketball teams to championships — two back-to-back NCAA titles, a gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, and 11 championship titles in his thirteen-year career as a Boston Celtic (his last two as the first Black head coach in NBA history). Off the court Russell was a force in the fight for human rights — marching with Martin Luther King Jr., leading boycotts in the NBA over racist practices and speaking out against segregation — efforts which earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Narrated by actors Jeffrey Wright and Corey Stoll and featuring exclusive interviews with the icon’s family and friends as well as Steph Curry, Chris Paul, “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird, Jim Brown and more, Bill Russell: Legend illuminates the ways in which Russell stood tall in every sense of the word.