NBA Legend Bill Russell Dies Aged 88
31 Jul 2022
NBA and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell has passed away at age 88.
The most decorated basketball player of all time, Russell died peacefully on Sunday morning with his wife Jeannine by his side as stated in the announcement.
A Hall of Famer, five-time Most Valuable Player and 12-time All-Star, Russell in 1980 was voted the greatest player in the NBA history by basketball writers.
The 11-time NBA champion’s impact went further than just the court with Russell being recognised for breaking down racial barriers in the US.
He became the first Black head coach in any major American professional sports league in 1966 taking charge of the Boston Celtics.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that Russell was “the greatest champion in all of team sports.”
“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.”