‘Bill Russell: Legend’ Netflix Review - An Insightful Look into the Legendary Life of NBA Champion!

Bill Russell: Legend is a new documentary released on Netflix in 2023. The documentary is about the famous NBA champion Bill Russell. The documentary series has two episodes each having a run time of more than an hour and a half. The documentary is sort of segregated into two parts among these two episodes. It is directed by Sam Pollard and has a sentimental vibe throughout the series.

Bill Russell: Legend shows us the life of Bill Russell on and off the court. The documentary includes interviews and lots of personally archived footage which delivers us the raw life of the legend. Bill Russell is known as a legend and probably the greatest winner of all time in American sports history. However, Russell is much more than all the titles he has won in his 13-year-old career. He was a civil rights activist who showed the outside world what he believes in and he never wavered away from showing this side of his.

The documentary is narrated by Corey Stoll and Jeffrey Wright. This documentary will be highly enjoyable for everyone who has loved him in the court. The viewers will be easily drawn to his story which is nothing less than anything wonderful. Russell was very intellectually curious from a very young age. He even has a high artistic sense and his parents always encouraged him to work harder and stay truthful. Russell was backed by these core values which contributed to him becoming a legendary basketball player.

The documentary is accompanied by his past interviews, contests, etc. Throughout the series, we get to see how he played a part in fighting for the rights of black people. He and his family were faced with racism, but he never backed down from any fights and always stood up for the rights of his fellow people and himself. He was called out for acting arrogant, cold, and unfriendly. The documentary proves what Russell believed and how he thought of himself as nothing more than someone who knows his game well. He was defined by his principles and never felt answerable to anyone or anything outside the court. He was misunderstood many times but he just tried to portray his true self all the time.

Undoubtedly, he is one of the greatest players. But along with his great wins and impressive career, his friends and former NBA players describe him as a smart man above everything. Russel, unfortunately, passed away on July 31st, 2022 at the age of 88. This documentary, therefore, is sort of a tribute to the legendary life he lived. The documentary also features the last interview the legend gave before his death in July.

Not only his life is inspiring but it is also exciting in many ways. The way he fought for equality between different races tells us a lot about his personality more than being a sportsperson. The documentary gives a detailed view into the brutal but sad truth about America and its racism history. Russell was deeply affected by this and the documentary shows how America has had a history of such events in past as well as the present. Russell also talks about his wins, his losses, his career, and his early life in the documentary. Interviews from his family and friends just make it easier for the audience to understand what kind of person Russell was. Overall, the documentary gives us a detailed look into Bill Russell’s personal and professional life.

This documentary is certainly a must-watch for anyone who is a fan of sports personalities or documentaries in general. This is an inspiring and positive documentary and the viewers will have an amazing three hours watching this.

Final Score – [8/10]
Reviewed by - Poornima Balsu
Follow @BalsuPoornima on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times