University alum found Russell

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Feb 20, 2008 | by Jeff Faraudo

HAL DEJULIO does not refer to himself as a salesman. "I don't sell insurance," he said. "I help you buy it."

But in 1952, DeJulio did the best sales job of his life.

He convinced a tall, skinny, young basketball player from Oakland that he could be special, and sold coach Phil Woolpert on the idea of giving that player a scholarship to the University of San Francisco.

DeJulio, now 83, once met Wilt Chamberlain, who asked him, "Who are you?"

"I'm the guy who discovered Bill Russell," DeJulio said.

In a rare moment of humility, "Humble Hal" concedes, "I was not a great player." But he did play at old University High in Oakland, located where Children's Hospital now stands. He also played for the Navy while stationed at Treasure Island during World War II, competed against some of the nation's best players in AAU ball, and was a member of USF's 1949 NIT championship team.

DeJulio and University High -- which closed in 1946 -- occupy the No.21 spot on the Bay Area News Group's "Head of the Classes" series, chronicling local high schools that have produced the best athletic talent.

DeJulio proudly accepts the fact that his legacy will be as the man who saw something rare in Russell and made sure those talents did not remain a secret. Russell went on to help USF to consecutive NCAA titles in 1955 and'56, won a gold medal in the Olympics, then captured 11 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics.

DeJulio was working as an unpaid assistant coach at Oakland High after graduating from USF when he caught his first glimpse of Russell, a

6-foot-9 backup center at McClymonds.

"I saw Russell's head rise above the multitudes ... I couldn't believe it," DeJulio recalled.

DeJulio excitedly reported his find to USF's Woolpert, who was skeptical. At the same time, he approached McClymonds coach George Powles -- also a University High grad -- to ask about his young player.

"George, this guy has the greatest potential I've ever seen," DeJulio told him. He asked about Russell's personality, his work habits, his ability to accept coaching. Powles gave Russell thumbs- up on all accounts, and wrote DeJulio a note of introduction.

DeJulio visited Russell at his family's home in West Oakland, and began trying to convince him he could become a great player, someday earn big money and open doors for other African-American athletes. No one else was recruiting Russell, so DeJulio's pitch was fresh.

When DeJulio suggested he might get a scholarship to USF, there was a blank response.

"What's that?" Russell asked.

"It's room, board, books and tuition," DeJulio responded.

"What does that mean?"

"It means food."

"I'll take it," Russell answered.

DeJulio still had to convince Woolpert, but he did so by playing up Russell's potential and suggesting the coach had little to lose.

"I knew once he got him in there and saw him run and jump, he'd see he had a man from Mars -- something he'd never seen," DeJulio said. "He had incredible timing, speed, and he was intelligent right from the start.

"Russell's the greatest basketball player who ever lived."

More than a half-century later, DeJulio and Russell remain close.

"He tells me what he likes about me most is, 'I can trust you.' And he does," DeJulio said.

Why not? After all, DeJulio pegged Russell correctly from the beginning.