Cazzie Russell A Chicago Legend

This is the first of many post about Chicago Urban Legends. Cazzie Russell was from Chicago's Altgeld Gardens housing projects on the far south side. He went to Carver H.S., class of 1962.Where he learned from and played with Tommy Hawkins[Another Chicago Urban Legend].Cazzie stood about 6'6",averaged about 25pts. per game as a senior.A person having a big influence on Cazzie was Larry Hawkins[no relations to Tommy Hawkins or Connie Hawkins!]. Larry was Cazzie's coach and kept him on the straight and narrow.Larry was a great ball player in his own right,can still be found at the University of Chicago helping people. Cazzie was so dynamic he could have went to almost any school in the country at the time. He was being heavily recurited by UCLA,University of Michigan,University Of Cincinnati[which featured the Great Oscar Robertson]who even came to visit Cazzie! Cazzie chose the Uni. Of Michigan, because he felt he would play more there.At the Uni. of Michigan,Cazzie averaged about 24pts. per game,and was a 3-time All American.Cazzie put Uni. of Michigan basketball program on the map!He was the Uni. of Michigan's first Superstar...By the time it was over they built a new arena,Crisler Arena,"The house that Cazzie built".He also was the first to have his number [33]retired at the Uni. of Michigan. Cazzie was the number one draft pick in 1966 by the NBA. Drafted by the New York Knicks.Played his first five seasons for New York. And was part of the 1970 Championship run that featured...Willis Reed,Bill Bradley,and Walt Frazier,which beat the L.A. Lakers and Wilt Chamberlain.Cazzie went on to play 12 seasons in the NBA 1966-1978.Here's to you Cazzie Russell a positive influence on kids back in the day. And Still a positive influence today! One of the great Chicago Urban Legends.