Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell passed away peacefully on Sunday at the age of 88.
Russellโs death was announced on his official Twitter account. The cause and location were not disclosed.
A five-time NBA MVP and 12-time All-Star, Russell won 11 NBA titles as a player with the Boston Celtics. He also was the first black head coach in North American professional sports history and helped the club win two more titles.
A member of the NBAโs 25th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams, Russell also was well known for his commitment to social justice.
โTo be the greatest champion in your sport, to revolutionize the way the game is played, and to be a societal leader all at once seems unthinkable, but that is who Bill Russell was,โ the Celtics said in a statement on social media.
โBill Russellโs DNA is woven through every element of the Celtics organization, from the relentless pursuit of excellence, to the celebration of team rewards over individual glory, to a commitment to social justice and civil rights off the court. Our thoughts are with his family as we mourn his passing and celebrate his enormous legacy in basketball, Boston, and beyond.โ
Russell averaged 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds over 13 seasons (1956-69) with the Celtics. He was first inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1975, then again as a coach in 2021.
His No. 6 jersey is retired by the Celtics.
โBut for all the winning, Billโs understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life,โ read a statement from Russellโs Twitter account. โFrom boycotting a 1961 exhibition game to unmask too-long-tolerated discrimination, to leading Mississippiโs first integrated basketball camp in the combustible wake of Medgar Eversโ assassination, to decades of activism ultimately recognized by his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, Bill called out injustice with an unforgiving candor that he intended would disrupt the status quo, and with a powerful example that, though never his humble intention, will forever inspire teamwork, selflessness and thoughtful change.
โBillโs wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps youโll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us, or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind how those moments unfolded. And we hope each of us can find a new way to act or speak up with Billโs uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principle. That would be one last, and lasting thing, for our beloved #6.โ
The news of Russellโs passing was posted on the video board at Fenway Park on Sunday as the Boston Red Sox hosted the Milwaukee Brewers. A moment of silence followed.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver praised Russell for persevering through โunthinkable adversityโ as a preeminent Black athlete of his time.
โBill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports,โ Silver said in a statement. โThe countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics โ including a record 11 championships and five MVP awards โ only begin to tell the story of Billโs immense impact on our league and broader society.
โBill 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.โ
Fellow Celtics legend Bob Cousy, who turns 94 on Aug. 9, played seven seasons with Russell and they won six titles together.
โRussell goes down as the best winner ever in American team sports,โ Cousy told the Boston Globe. โThatโs pretty significant and thatโs never going to change. He fought the good fight, obviously, on the floor, but he fought the good fight off the floor, fighting racism all his life. Sticking his tongue out at the opponent. Thatโs not easy to do.
โPeople give up things to take a stand, and Russell simply never cared. Jocks generally worry about their image after theyโve had a successful career and theyโre all very careful as to what they say and how they approach every issue. Most of them are very circumspect and have people that advise them. Russell just let it flow. He spoke out against racism in every form and Iโm sure heโs happier for that now.โ
Current Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as well as former Boston great Paul Pierce were among those who paid tribute to Russell over social media.
โRest in Peace. thank you for paving the way and inspiring so many,โ Brown wrote on Twitter. โToday is a sad day but also great day to celebrate his legacy and what he stood for.โ
NBA legend Magic Johnson called Russell his idol in a series of tweets Sunday afternoon.
โI looked up to him on the court and off,โ Johnson wrote. โHis success on the court was undeniable; he was (dominant) and great, winning 11 NBA championships. Off the court, Bill Russell paved the way for guys like me. He was one of the first athletes on the front line fighting for social justice, equity, equality, and civil rights. Thatโs why I admired and loved him so much. Over the course of our friendship, he always reminded me about making things better in the Black community.
โThis is a tremendous loss for the entire basketball world.โ
Russell won two NCAA championships at the University of San Francisco and led the team to 55 straight wins. He also led the United States to a gold medal in menโs basketball in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
The school tweeted the following: โRest easy, Bill Russell. Champion. Pioneer. Legend.โ
