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Bryon Russell

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Bryon Russell
Personal information
Born (1970-12-31) December 31, 1970 (age 53)
San Bernardino, California
NationalityUSA
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
CollegeLong Beach State
NBA draft1993: 2nd round, 45th overall
Selected by the Utah Jazz
Playing career1993–2006
PositionShooting guard / Small forward
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at NBA.com
Stats Edit this at Wikidata at Basketball-Reference.com

Bryon Demetrise Russell (born December 31, 1970 in San Bernardino, California) is an American basketball player. During a 12 season NBA career that spanned most of the 1990s and into 2005, he played for the Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers and was a key member of the Utah Jazz, including helping Utah to back-to-back NBA finals appearances in 1997 and 1998. He was also a part of the Seattle SuperSonics roster for a brief time but never appeared in a game for them.

Russell, although known for hard-nosed defense, is most remembered for an unsuccessful defensive play. Near the end of Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, he was assigned the task of defending Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls' final possession. Russell slipped as Jordan made an illegal push off, though no foul was called. [1] Jordan sank the shot that would win the Bulls the game and the championship in his last NBA Finals appearance.Russell would later become teammates with Jordan on the Washington Wizards.


Some observers believe that Jordan pushed off Russell, though no foul was called.[2] Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News argued, "That was one of Jordan's pet moves that he could get away with and other players couldn't - just as other players knew what illegal moves they could use, depending on the officials."[3]

Russell had also defended against Jordan in game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals, when Jordan sank his only Finals buzzer-beater shot. Russell would later become teammates with Jordan on the Washington Wizards.

Russell had his best season with the Jazz in the 1999–2000 season, when he averaged 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. From 1997 to 2000, he played in every regular season game.

According to NBA.com, Russell is attempting an NBA comeback. He has spent time playing basketball vigorously in recreation centers and gyms near his Calabasas home in California. He most recently played for the L.A. Lightning of the International Basketball League.[4]

Michael Jordan mentioned Russell in his Hall of Fame induction speech, recalling that Russell had once boasted that he could defend him. "From this day forward, if I ever see him in shorts, I’m coming at him," said Jordan. In response, Russell told Yahoo Sports, "I’ll play his ass right now. This is a call-out for him to come play me. He can come out here in his private jet and come play. He’s got millions of dollars. He can pay for the jet. He can meet me at the Recreation Center in Calabasas."[5]

References

  1. ^ Kerber, Fred. Former NBA Ref Blasts Officiating, New York Post, August 17, 2007, accessed March 24, 2008.
  2. ^ Kerber, Fred. Former NBA Ref Blasts Officiating, New York Post, August 17, 2007, accessed March 24, 2008.
  3. ^ Mitch Lawrence. "They foul up: Refs' faults could use fixing, but don't call it conspiracy". New York Daily News. June 15, 2008. 63.
  4. ^ http://www.lalightning.net/players.htm
  5. ^ Russell to Jordan: Game on. Retrieved on September 14, 2009.
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  • Greatest NBA clutch shots
  • "Crying Foul". SportingNews.com. 14 March 2005. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)


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