The Dandy Dons: Bill Russell, K. C. Jones, Phil Woolpert, and One of College Basketball's Greatest and Most Innovative Teams

5. A School He'd Never Heard Of

“I was determined to make the most of it.” —Bill Russell on his scholarship to usf It is not surprising that a young African American who was raised in the flatlands of Oakland and who attended a predominately black school might not have heard of usf. Russell said that before he came to usf he felt like he was a captive of his ghetto life in Oakland. “You know, it was only twelve miles from my home to the usf campus, but there was a whole world in between that I didn’t even know existed,” he said. To Russell, the City by the Bay was an exotic land. “The [San Francisco–Oakland] Bay Bridge spanned a cultural gap so wide that the two sides had a language barrier,” he said. “I used to joke that I never knew the word ‘mother’ could be used by itself until I got to San Francisco.” Russell saw usf as his chance to go to college. He thought before meeting Hal DeJulio that he would either go to junior FIVE A School He’d Never Heard Of 30 A School He’d Never Heard Of college, which was free in California, or go into the army “and get it over with.” But he had taken the physical and was classified 4-f because of his height. “To me, San Francisco was my one chance. The one chance I’d ever get.” DeJulio said that when he met with Russell, he told him, “From what I saw, I think you can be an All-American basketball player and go into the pros and make more money than you’ve ever seen.” Russell was shocked. No one had ever talked to him in such an encouraging way. He hadn’t thought anyone cared. DeJulio told Russell he would arrange a workout with coach Phil Woolpert. When DeJulio hung up the phone he said, “I called [Woolpert], and he damn near died. But I was going with Russell all the way. You’ve got to have a little guts.” Russell was surprised by the attention he was getting. He didn’t think he was good enough to play college ball. But it was the only scholarship he was offered, and he took it because he knew he couldn’t have gone to college any other way. In those days less than 2 percent of African Americans attended college. If Woolpert offered him a scholarship, it would consist of tuition and room and board but no spending money the first year. And he would be required to wait tables and wash dishes. “We had nothing to offer a high school boy in a competitive bidding situation,” Woolpert said. “Our only inducement was a sincere approach that the boy would get an excellent college education and that he would be able to play on what we hoped would be an excellent basketball team.” A few days later Russell crossed the Bay Bridge to work out for Woolpert. He had never been to San Francisco and became lost. When he found the campus, he couldn’t find the gym because the school didn’t have a gym of its own. When Russell arrived he was frustrated and nervous. “I don’t remember anything about that workout except that I ran and jumped without the ball a lot,” Russell said. After the workout Woolpert thanked him and was A School He’d Never Heard Of 31 noncommittal. But he did ask Russell to take the entrance exam just in case he was offered a scholarship. Woolpert clearly remembered that day years later. “My God, the first time I did see him at a workout, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Woolpert said. “He could jump—oh, how he could jump—but he was so ungainly. Still, there was something about Bill then that you just couldn’t ignore. He had this rare, wonderful confidence in himself.” Russell told Woolpert and freshman coach Ross Guidice, “Gentlemen, I want you to know that I am going to be the University of San Francisco’s next All-American.” Woolpert remembered that moment. “He was as fiercely competitive, as proud as any athlete as ever appeared in any sport.” Years later Russell said, “That was mostly bravado. I never really felt I was any good until my junior year.” A future teammate and lifelong friend was on hand to watch...