GOATvs › NBA Players › Face-off
Bill Russell vs Larry Bird
Which player? Pick one and see how the world splits.
- Bill Russell Boston Celtics · 1934–2022 49% · #10 in the world
- Larry Bird Boston Celtics · 1956– 51% · #8 in the world
What the votes say
Too close to call: the world picks Larry Bird over Bill Russell by just 51% to 49%. Larry Bird is #8 of the 250 NBA players in the world ranking and Bill Russell #10; among the 19 of the Boston Celtics, they are #1 and #2.
Side by side
| Bill Russell | Larry Bird | |
|---|---|---|
| World rank | #10 | #8 |
| Team | Boston Celtics | Boston Celtics |
| Born | 1934 | 1956 |