Cazzie Russell Biography

Cazzie Lee Russell was born on June 7, 1944, and is an American former professional basketball player and coach. The New York Knicks selected Russell with the first overall pick in the 1966 NBA draft. During his junior year in 1961–62, Russell was named the Chicago Sun-Times Boys' Player of the Year. In a key game, Russell scored 24 points and was the second leading scorer in the tournament. Russell and Bill Buntin led Michigan to three consecutive Big Ten titles beginning in 1964 and to Final Four appearances in 1964 and 1965. In 1965, Michigan defeated Princeton 93–76 in the semifinals, with Russell scoring 28 points and Bill Bradley scoring 29. In 1966, Russell averaged 30.8 points per game and was named the College Basketball Player of the Year by the Associated Press.