If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em

Wayne Embry of the Cincinnati Royals went up for a shot, only to find the outstretched hand of Bill Russell ready to swat the ball away. Embry later joined Russell and the Celtics for two seasons from 1966 to 1968. Embry, who would also be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, said Russell was “‘man enough to put away some of his stubbornness and pride,’ and reach out to his teammates in formulating a winning game plan.”