Bill Russell's legendary career, by the numbers

There is no greater champion than Bill Russell.

Russell, who died Sunday at the age of 88, won 11 NBA titles, two NCAA championships and an Olympic gold medal during his career as the defensive force and the centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty of the 1960s.

Here's a look at the numbers behind Russell's Hall of Fame career, his battles against fellow legend Wilt Chamberlain and how Russell revolutionized how NBA defense was played.

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The Celtics were beyond fortunate to draft Russell out of San Francisco in 1956 — they built a dynasty around the rangy center, and dominated the sport until his retirement in 1969.

«Success is a result of consistent practice of winning skills and actions,» Russell once said. «There is nothing miraculous about the process. There is no luck involved.»

Wilt Chamberlain entered the NBA for the 1959-60 season and began an epic 10-year rivalry with Russell. Counting the regular season and the playoffs, Russell's Celtics were 86-57 against Wilt Chamberlain's teams for a .600 winning percentage.

«We were forced to play against the Celtics 11 to 13 times during the regular season,» Chamberlain said. «And if you think that wasn't enough, then we had another seven games against them in the playoffs, if it went seven games. So I had a chance to see William Felton Russell much more than I wanted to.»

Former Celtics coach and president Red Auerbach said it best: «Russell single-handedly revolutionized this game simply because he made defense so important.»

While Russell contributed significantly on offense, his identity was tied to his defensive performance. He led the league in defensive win shares in 11 of his 13 seasons,