Willis Reed vs Bill Russell
Willis Reed and Bill Russell were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 5 seasons. On the floor, Willis Reed was the higher-volume scorer (18.7 points per game to 15.1); Willis Reed was the more efficient scorer (52.3% true shooting to 47.1%); Bill Russell created more for others (4.3 assists per game to 1.8). Bill Russell holds the edge on accolades — 5 MVPs, 11 championships and the #5 all-time ranking to Willis Reed's #29.
Career averages
| Willis Reed | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 18.7 | Points / game | 15.1 |
| 12.9 | Rebounds / game | 22.5 |
| 1.8 | Assists / game | 4.3 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 47.6% | Field goal % | 44.0% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 74.8% | Free throw % | 56.1% |
| 52.3% | True shooting % | 47.1% |
| 650 | Games played | 963 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Willis Reed's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Bill Russell's era.
Playoff averages
| Willis Reed | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 17.4 | Points / game | 16.2 |
| 10.3 | Rebounds / game | 24.9 |
| 1.9 | Assists / game | 4.7 |
| 0.0 | Steals / game | 0.0 |
| 0.0 | Blocks / game | 0.0 |
| 46.1% | Field goal % | 42.7% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 0.0% |
| 75.1% | Free throw % | 59.9% |
| 78 | Playoff games | 165 |
Accolades
| Willis Reed | Stat | Bill Russell |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MVP awards | 5 |
| 2 | Finals MVP | 0 |
| 2 | Championships | 11 |
| 7 | All-Star selections | 12 |
| 1 | All-NBA 1st Team | 3 |
| #29 | All-time GOAT rank | #5 |
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