What made Bill Russell so great? Was Russell a pioneer, a genius, or both? Why did he mean so much to the 1960s? Why did he walk away after his 11th title and never look back? And why wouldn’t he forgive the city of Boston? In 2012, Bill Simmons flew to Seattle and spent two days with the greatest winner in sports history, hoping to find these answers and more. It ended up being the highlight of his career.

      
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The Genius of Bill Russell | Book of Basketball 2.0

Bill Simmons’s new podcast breaks down the NBA's most important games, players, and teams, extending and reinventing his New York Times no. 1 bestselling book from 2009. Playing off the NBA’s dramatic changes during the past decade, Bill uses new commentary and fresh interviews with players and top media members to determine how the league has evolved and where it’s headed.Produced by Bill Simmons and Kyle Crichton Music by Jackson Lowe Lyrics and vocals by Tic Tac and Melatonin

Sports

The faces of the modern NBA take on many shapes, sizes, and brands, but have a few things in common: more money and influence than any of their predecessors. In the face of this increased responsibility, will they continue the club? And if so, who’s coming next? In the series finale, Jackie takes a look at how far the league has come, and where it might be headed.

Host: Jackie MacMullan
Producers: Bobby Wagner, Noah Malale, Jonathan Kermah, Isaac Lee and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Scott Somerville
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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8. Modern Icons | Icons Club

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are one of the most successful—and combustible—duos in NBA history. Their contrasting styles led to tension in the locker room, but dominance on the court. And in the end, each of them changed the rules of the Icons Club forever, just maybe not in the way you’d expect.

Host: Jackie MacMullan
Producers: Bobby Wagner, Kaya McMullen, Noah Malale, Jonathan Kermah, Isaac Lee, Justin Verrier, and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Scott Somerville
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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7. Shaq and Kobe | Icons Club

Some players have unassailable Icons Club resumes–MVPs, championships, iconic playoff moments–but find themselves on the outside, looking in. In this episode, Jackie lays out the criteria for becoming a club member, and examines a few of the most enigmatic stars.

Host: Jackie MacMullan
Producers: Bobby Wagner, Noah Malale, Jonathan Kermah, Isaac Lee, Justin Verrier and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Scott Somerville
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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6. The Enigmas | Icons Club

The Dream Team was an unprecedented experiment for the Icons Club—an opportunity for the game’s best players to form bonds and swap notes. It also gave the NBA a chance to show off its best players to the world, and the league did not miss.

Host: Jackie MacMullan
Producers: Bobby Wagner, Noah Malale, Jonathan Kermah, Isaac Lee, Justin Verrier and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Scott Somerville
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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5. The Dream Team | Icons Club

Michael Jordan built his career—and his billion-dollar brand—by going it alone. But Jordan himself explains how he pulled from Dr. J’s business acumen and Magic’s charisma to chart his flight, and even offered pointers to certain Icons who followed in his footsteps.

Host: Jackie MacMullan
Producers: Bobby Wagner, Noah Malale, Jonathan Kermah, Isaac Lee, Justin Verrier and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Scott Somerville
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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The Genius of Bill Russell | Book of Basketball 2.0

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