NBA Photography Legend Breaks Down Capturing Bill Russell’s Iconic 11 Rings Picture

Bill Russell is one of the most recognizable figures in NBA history. Some consider him one of the greatest to ever play, and if you’re into winning, it’s hard to dispute. The Boston Celtics legend was the epitome of winning, capturing 11 titles in just 13 seasons. His success even spawned one of the most iconic photos in sports.

Most sports fans know what photo we’re talking about. It’s a close-up of Russell’s face, as he smiles and clutches his hands to his cheeks. On each finger sits a ring, with, of course, one of those fingers holding two rings. 

The photo is synonymous with success and immediately encapsulates the dominance that Russell displayed. And who better to talk to about the behind-the-scenes of the photo than its photographer, Nat Butler. He recently joined a podcast to discuss what went into the iconic image

“It was kind of a no-brainer. How do you signify somebody who wins 11 championships, you know? So, it was the 10 fingers, 11 rings,” Butler said on WSC Sports. 

Russell also took another photo where he held each of the rings in both of his hands as he looked up toward the camera. They were taken almost immediately after he won his 11th title in 1969. 

However, Butler later shared that they had to jump through some hoops to get the photo to work. 

“The crazy story was that he didn’t get a ring for every championship back in those days… We had to borrow rings from some of his teammates and some of the front office people,” Butler shared. 

As crazy as it may sound, the practice of giving out rings for winning a championship was not as consistent as it is today, so Russell did not have 11 physical rings in his possession.  It’s become a tradition now. Back in the day, though, it wasn’t yet recognized as the customary norm. 

So, yes, Russell had to borrow other people’s rings to make the photo work. But what did he get instead of rings in the years that the Celtics won the title? 

“After he got a couple of rings, they would give other gifts… One year, they got cufflinks, they got a watch. There was a rumor that one year, they got a Zenith TV,” he said. 

What a strange time the 1960s were for basketball. Could you imagine if, after the championship today, Adam Silver handed the winning team cufflinks at the beginning of the next season? We know formal attire was in back then, but that’s an absurd reward for winning it all.

All in all, it’s an interesting backstory on an iconic photo. But the NBA really dropped the ball by making Russell have to ask his teammates and front office members for rings to make it work. It’s a good thing that it won’t ever happen again, though, just in case we ever see another dominant player attain too many rings to wear. Kudos to Butler for thinking outside the box.