Quotes by Bill Russell

“Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.”

“Durability is part of what makes a great athlete.”

“Whats more important than whos going to be the first black manager is whos going to be the first black sports editor of the New York Times.”

“The idea is not to block every shot. The idea is to make your opponent believe that you might block every shot.”

“The last five or six days, Ive been running. The last two days, Ive been running pretty hard. Everybodys got to be someplace.”

“We have done her injustice since the word go.”

“If its proven in a court of law she was wronged, she can sue for millions because this is defamation of character.”

“I think what has happened to our basketball team, weve been badly distracted. Theyre not reading too many positive things in the paper.”

“The morale and the camaraderie that we had for one another earlier in the year is starting to come under duress because of all the losses. Some of the guys are feeling the pressure now from the last year when they were not successful.”

We learn to make a shell for ourselves when we are young and then spend the rest of our lives hoping for someone to reach inside and touch us. Just touch us—anything more than that would be too much for us to bear.

Commitment separates those who live their dreams from those who live their lives regretting the opportunities they have squandered.

I tried to treat them like me and some of them werent.

Whats more important than whos going to be the first black manager is whos going to be the first black sports editor of the New York Times.

Most people have a harder time letting themselves love than finding someone to love them.

“We learn to make a shell for ourselves when we are young and then spend the rest of our lives hoping for someone to reach inside and touch us. Just touch us—anything more than that would be too much for us to bear.”