Bill Russell Doc From ‘MLK/FBI’ Director Sam Pollard In Works At Netflix; Larry Gordon, Ross Greenburg & Mike Richardson Producing Film On NBA Legend

Matt Grobar
·2 min read
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Award-winning director Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI, Citizen Ashe) is helming an untitled doc about the life and legacy of NBA legend Bill Russell for Netflix, the streamer announced today.

The upcoming film from High Five Productions, LLC is billed as the definitive bio-doc on Russell, the greatest champion in the history of American sports, and a true Civil Rights icon. From the humblest of beginnings, Russell went on to lead each and every one of his basketball teams to Championships—notching two California State High School Championships, two back-to-back NCAA titles with the San Francisco Dons, a Gold Medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, and 11 championship titles in his 13-year career as a Boston Celtic (his last two as the first Black Head Coach in NBA history, while still playing for the Celtics). Russell’s story is innately and uniquely intertwined with the 75-year history of the NBA, and the story of America’s last eight decades.

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Russell is a five-time NBA MVP and 12-time All-Star who played as a center for the Celtics from 1956 to 1969. He and the NHL’s Henri Richard share the record for the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league.

Russell has been inducted over the course of his life to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as well as the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame. President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.

Pollard’s doc will feature exclusive interviews with Russell as well as access to his sprawling personal archives. Larry Gordon (Field of Dreams, Die Hard) is producing alongside Ross Greenburg (Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, Miracle) and Mike Richardson (Hellboy, The Umbrella Academy).

Pollard is represented by Cinetic Media; Gordon by Brecheen Feldman Breimer; Greenburg by Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks; and Richardson by WME and attorney Keith Fleer.

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