“Take that damn towel off your head!” – Ex-Sonic recalls getting humiliated by Bill Russell in front of his hometown crowd

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Byron Dean Tolson may not ring a bell to most basketball aficionados. However, the 6-foot-8 power forward is a legit NBA player, suiting up for three seasons with the Seattle Supersonics after getting drafted in the 1974 NBA Draft.

Making it to the NBA is one thing; surviving is another. And the stakes were even higher for the Missouri native since he had to show NBA great and then-Sonics coach Bill Russell that he deserved to be on the basketball floor.

Tolson’s Best Christmas Gift

On December 25, 1974, Tolson shared how he got the best Christmas gift after being included in the official roster of the Sonics. This was after Seattle cut ties with John Brisker, who was shipped out from the team.

Although he was named to the team, Tolson needed to prove he deserved his spot. It was a struggle for the former Arkansas Razorback, who played in only 19 games, averaging 2.3 points and 1.2 rebounds in 4.6 minutes of action.

The big break

Dean had to wait for that opportunity to showcase his talents. This came roughly two months later when the Sonics played the Atlanta Hawks. Russell called on Tolson to replace Tom Burleson, who had just picked up his 5th foul at the time. Thrilled, coach Whiskers reminded the rookie to maintain his focus.

“Hey,” he said, “calm down, son. Take your time. Don’t be in a hurry out there.”

Tolson would not disappoint, helping the Sonics return from a 15-point deficit and win the game 110-108. Tolson ended up being the second-leading scorer of that game with 14 points. Spencer Haywood led Seattle with a game-high 39 points and 6 rebounds.

Russell would see action against the Philadelphia 76ers again, racking up 10 points and 5 rebounds in 18 minutes. Unfortunately, the Sonics lost 114-100. After two credible games, Tolson returned to the bench and hardly got playing time. Dean was left clueless on why he could not make a good impression on Russell.

A forgettable homecoming

Tolson remained hopeful that he could get more playing time at some point. But things only worsened, mainly when the Sonics headed to Kemper Arena to play the Kansas City Kings.

It was a homecoming for Tolson, who knew the hometown crowd wanted to see him in action. Seeing the hometown boy play would have meant a lot, even with the meager minutes.

The crowd chanted, “We want Dean! We want Dean!” per Tolson’s recollection. However, he believed that this was something Russell did not like, a reason why the hometown boy never got a chance to play at all.

In his book, “Power Forward,” Tolson shared the agony he had to undergo at the time. He just sat at the end of the bench with a towel over his head so no one could see him crying. Russell spotted that and yelled at him.

“Tolson, take that damn towel off your head!” Russell said after the Sonnics’ 103-99 win over the Kings.

This left the 80th overall pick devastated, believing Russell knew how important that game was to him. It was so embarrassing for Tolson that he admitted wanting to get out of town after being furious with Russell. The Sonics went on to advance to the playoffs but fell short of making the finals after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the second round.

Although he hardly saw action in the playoffs, Tolson was still rewarded for being on the team. He shared how he got a fat $15,000 bonus after that season, spending it on a brand-new Mercedes-Benz.