“Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.” Bill Russel, a basketball superstar and Hall of Famer, stated this famous quote that influenced many lives. He went from a poor child, physically and mentally, to a basketball superstar, winning 11 NBA championships. Bill Russell is the face of perseverance because he was the first African American superstar player in the Basketball Hall of Fame, faced many illnesses and racism as a player, and was part of the Civil Rights Movement. To begin with, Bill Russell was the first African American superstar player in the basketball Hall of Fame. He is considered the best inspiration for future generations of basketball players. Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships/seasons in 13 total seasons he played in the sport. He had so many feats while also being discriminated against by many haters across the country. After Bill Russell retired from being a player, he went on to become the first dark-skinned coach to work for the NBA. This proves his dedication to working for the NBA and his passion for basketball. …show more content…
In addition, growing up he had poor health and caught a lot of illnesses very quickly. This made it hard for him to learn his favorite sport. Bill Russell was mostly sick because his family fell into poverty, providing no medication when he was young. Nevertheless, he overcame those illnesses and fell in love with one of the most famous sports in the world. However, his poor health was not the only thing he challenged growing up. He also experienced many racist people growing up, even when he was a superstar. Bill Russell was called many names by his haters, but this just encouraged him to train harder and prove his haters wrong. Conquering these obstacles life would throw at him made him one of the best basketball players of all