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Despite the new rule, he can still time his moves and make those startling, high-leaping tap-ins with ease. On defense he drives his opponents wild. They find it almost impossible to get a shot away without Bill blocking it on the way up. On the occasions when the ball does get past him, Bill gets back to the backboard so fast that more often than not he still gets his hand in front of the rim to spoil a score. With four crack teammates and a well-manned bench to spell them, Bill Russell and the Dons are riding a 33-game winning streak, are well on their way to another national championship.
The pros, of course, are already breathing down Bill's neck. But those fat checks will not be his for a couple of more seasons. Bill Russell was the only college guest at President Eisenhower's conference with the country's leading athletes last summer, and he promised Ike he would stay an amateur until after the Olympics. If he gets to Australia, he plans on doing more than play basketball. He can already high-jump 6 ft. 7½ in., and run the 440 in 49.6. He figures to combine those talents and train for the 400-meter hurdles. "I'd have an advantage over the other boys," he explained to the U.S.F. track coach. "They have to jump over the hurdles. All I have to do is walk over them."