Bill Russell, the 11-time champion and Hall of Fame icon of the Boston Celtics, who used that fame to further the civil rights cause in the United States during the turbulent 1960s, has died at the age of 88.
This was the announcement posted on Bill Russell’s Twitter account.
“Bill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics – including a record 11 championships and five MVP awards – only begin to tell the story of Bill’s immense impact on our league and broader society.
“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league. At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps. Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. For nearly 35 years since Bill completed his trailblazing career as the league’s first Black head coach, we were fortunate to see him at every major NBA event, including the NBA Finals, where he presented the Bill Russell Trophy to the Finals MVP.
“I cherished my friendship with Bill and was thrilled when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I often called him basketball’s Babe Ruth for how he transcended time. Bill was the ultimate winner and consummate teammate, and his influence on the NBA will be felt forever. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Jeannine, his family and his many friends.”
Russell has to be at the heart of any conversation for the greatest player of all time — an 11-time NBA champion who was the anchor and core of a Boston Celtics team that dominated an era. He was a defensive force that changed the game with his shot blocking — nobody had done that aggressively or above the rim before Russell arrived on the scene — and his intensity as a competitor was legendary. That competitive focus led Russell to be a five-time MVP, an 11-time All-NBA player, a 12-time All-Star, a Hall of Famer, and maybe the greatest Celtic ever.
Yet his basketball accomplishments were not as important as what he did off the court.
Russell battled racism, in basketball and America, his entire career. It started…