On this day in Boston Celtics history, legendary coach and general manager Red Auerbach announced iconic Boston big man Bill Russell would replace him as head coach.
Earlier in the season, Auerbach revealed the 1965-66 NBA season would be his last as head coach, and after losing Game 1 of the 1966 NBA Finals, the Celtics luminary revealed Russell would succeed him. The Louisiana native would become the first Black head coach of any major professional sports team in North America — never mind just basketball — and Boston went on to win the 1966 NBA championship.
Auerbach stayed on as the team’s general manager until late in the 1980s and remained involved in team affairs until he passed away in 2006.
