There were 8 to 14 teams in the NBA during Bill Russell’s playing career, depending on the season.

Quick Scoop

Bill Russell played from the 1956–57 season through 1968–69, a period when the NBA was still relatively small and growing. The league expanded several times while he was dominating with the Boston Celtics.

How many teams were in the NBA when Bill Russell played?

Here’s the season‑by‑season picture of league size during Russell’s career:

  • 1956–57: 8 teams (his rookie year).
  • Late 1950s–early 1960s: The league stayed at 8 teams for several years.
  • Mid‑1960s: Expansion began, pushing the number into double digits (10–12 teams).
  • 1968–69: By his final season, the NBA had 14 teams.

So if someone asks “how many teams were in the NBA when Bill Russell played,” the cleanest snapshot is:

  • Early Russell era: 8‑team league.
  • End of Russell era: 14‑team league.

He won 11 championships across those 13 seasons, in a league that was much smaller, more compact, and faced the same opponents far more often than today’s 30‑team NBA.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.