As the oldest of six siblings on the Westside of Chicago, Russell found that he had a passion for the competitive nature of sports. What started out as a fun pastime on the neighborhood team quickly transitioned into a full basketball journey thanks to a six-inch growth spurt over one summer break. Russell’s new found height left him awkward in stance; short in skill, he was actually cut from his first school basketball tryout.
Standing 6’10 by his freshmen year in high school, Russell remained determined in his passion for the game of basketball. After much practice and strong mentorship from his parents and coach, he was led to a breakout season at Manley High School. Russell and team went on to win two city championships and an Illinois high school state championship title in 1980. Amongst his many achievements during his high school his career, Russell was selected as a representative on the USA Men’s Basketball Team in the Soviet Union in 1978 and awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) as a McDonald’s All-American in 1980.
After high school, Russell moved on to attend Purdue University, continuing his pursuit of a career in basketball. In his first season as a Boilermaker, he set a freshman record with 540 points on the season and led Purdue to an NIT third-place finish and to a 21-11 record. Following his junior year in college, Russell was called first-round, sixth pick to the Golden State Warriors the 1983 NBA Draft.
In later years of his basketball career, Russell continued to play at a professional level in Italy and Spain’s European basketball leagues for over 7 years where he learned to speak the Spanish language fluently. However, this quick rise to fame would come at an un-calculated cost; caught in the midst of his own self-righteousness, suppressed injuries, fighting for love, and being subject to loss under minimal guidance, Russell would grow to reference these life lessons as the pillars of his current day successes.
By overcoming each obstacle that was presented in his path, Russell quickly learned how to observe each challenge with determined perspective, adapt to every unique situation, and overcome the challenge; no matter how great it seemed. His varying life experiences provided him with a valuable skillset that allowed him to observe any situation and effectively intervene through his ability to relate,
and subsequently motivate. Russell equates his many years of success in management roles with Fortune 500 Companies to the honing of these innate skills and latter leadership achievements including leading Kaizen facilitation and Six Sigma- green belt certification. Russell also effectively applied these skills in coaching Mens Division 3 Basketball at Elmhurst College in 1995 for 2 years and leading the Girls AA Basketball team at Trinity High School to a Super-sectional championship in 2006.
Now retired, Russell continues to walk in his purpose as a motivational speaker and ordained minister, where it is his mission to spread the Good News of Christ to individuals across the globe. He does this not only through his speaking engagements but also through mentoring, counseling and a variety of community service efforts, including his position as the board president for the community outreach “ICARE Ministries” that assists the Austin community youth and parents.
Russell also credits the variety of his life experiences for his fun and outgoing personality that allows him to command the attention of diverse audiences around the globe. By combining energetic and humorous stories of his past with heartfelt inspiration and encouragement, he’s able to motivate everyone around him to move forward in life through community and with generosity, kindness, and compassion; his executive presence, leadership and sports expertise has enabled him to strategize and influence individuals and teams, from youth to executive levels.
In his personal time, he enjoys being a loving husband, father, and grandfather and sharing humorous stories about his refined core - Faith, Family & Fishing. This is why you can frequently find him pastoring, speaking at special events, engaging on social media platforms, leading business and sports instructional clinics, giving back to his local community, or just casually out and about making connections with those who need inspiration and encouragement. Remember, no matter where you are in life’s paths, Pastor Russell is excited to meet and journey forward with you!
Cross Talks with Russell Cross
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