'I played on the greatest team in the world' - Bill Russell's bold claim after winning his first NCAA championship in 1955

Bill Russell's legacy as arguably the greatest winner in sports history is deeply tied to his tenure with the Boston Celtics. However, surprisingly, it wasn't his time on the Celtics that the 6'10" center deemed as being part of the greatest team ever. Instead, he felt that honor belonged to his sophomore year team at the University of San Francisco when he won his first NCAA championship.

The Dons seemed unstoppable

During the 1954-55 season, "Bill The Hill" became the centerpiece of the Dons' offense, capitalizing on the rising prominence of pick-and-roll and alley-oop basketball. With Russell averaging 21.4 points and 20.5 rebounds per game, and two other Dons players also averaging points in double digits, their dominance seemed unstoppable. Moreover, a 24-game winning streak to enter the championship game justified their supremacy. However, in that final clash, the Dons faced the defending champions—La Selle, who had entered the contest on a 12-game winning streak.

In the title game, though San Francisco took an 11-point lead by halftime, they were still on their toes considering how La Selle possessed Tom Gola, who was averaging 24.2 points per game that campaign. With the reigning champs showing signs of stirring a comeback, KC Jones rose to the occasion, making sure Gola was contained to 6-of-15 shooting from the field. Consequently, it was Russell and Co. who managed to secure a comfortable 14-point triumph. While Bill scored 23 points, it was Jones who led the game in scoring with 24 points and 12 rebounds.

After the game, the five-time MVP was so overjoyed that he boldly proclaimed this was the "greatest team" ever.

"I played on the greatest team in the world," Russell said after the win. "We defeated the best team we ever played against."

Russell and Jones scripted more history

The following year, Russell and Jones led the Dons to another NCAA title, further cementing their dominance in collegiate basketball. Their success extended to the professional level, as the pair won eight consecutive NBA championships after the 6'1" point guard joined the league in 1958. 

Additionally, the dynamic duo eventually became two of only eight players in history to achieve the rare trifecta of an NCAA championship, an NBA title, and an Olympic gold medal (which they won together in the 1965 Olympic Games in Australia).

While some may contend that Russell had plenty of Hall of Fame teammates by his side, KC would go down in history as one of the most underappreciated players who played a huge role in his winning at the collegiate and professional levels and arguably helped Russell become the legendary winner that everyone will always remember.