The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/432566
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? over these years, I probably should have stayed," Russell noted. "But the timing of it was best for me to leave. There's no doubt, if I would have stayed, we probably would have won the national championship. "With my piece there, we may have had the chance to win the whole thing. I tell those guys all the time — we talk about it, we joke about it." The NBA treated Russell well. He expected to be drafted by the New York Knicks or Los Angeles Lakers, but wound up in a slightly less exotic locale. Cleveland drafted him, and he spent six years with the Cavs, before getting traded to the Knicks. He played three years in New York, the last two of them sidelined by injury, before coming back to Cleveland. After a half-season there, Russell retired with career averages of 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in the NBA. He wound up back in Michigan, working for Detroit Pistons great Dave Bing in his steel company. He now works for the Cavaliers and FOX Sports Ohio, doing pregame, halftime and postgame shows for the organization he served as a player. He also holds that parchment. Rus- sell may be the proudest over that achievement. "It's the best thing I have ever done," he said. ❑ Michigan Accomplishments: Averaged 21.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in two years on the Michigan varsity … Wound up with 1,082 points in his career … As a junior, averaged 23.7 points and 11.1 rebounds a game, leading Michigan to an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament … Earned a Big Ten championship that junior year, with a playoff victory over Indiana for the title. Michigan Memory: "Returning to Michigan to graduate was a big deal for me. By having the five kids, always talking to them about education, how important it is, one day I had a reckoning myself. Even though I had promised my mom some years ago — she passed before I left out of here in '74 — that I was going to finish my degree here." Professional Accomplishments: Scored 8,953 points in his NBA career, seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and three with the New York Knicks … Accumulated 2,696 rebounds, 1,684 assists, 594 steals and 114 blocks over those years … Worked in the steel industry for former Detroit Pistons great Dave Bing … Now serves as an analyst for FOX Sports Ohio, in conjunction with Cleveland Cavaliers games. Education: Returned to Michigan at age 48 to earn a bachelor's degree in sports management and communications. Family: Has five children, including daughters, Alex, Mandisa, Oyin and Saki, and a son, Michael. The Campy Russell File