18. Louisiana: Bill Russell (Monroe)
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Russell’s family moved to California during the Great Migration. He led the University of San Francisco to back-to-back NCAA championships before being drafted into the NBA. As the defensive anchor of the Boston Celtics dynasty, Russell completely revolutionized how basketball was played. He is the ultimate winner in the history of North American team sports, claiming 11 NBA championships in a 13-year career, alongside five league MVPs.