Basketball legend -- and so much more -- Bill Russell died yesterday at the age of 88.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, on what Russell meant to the sport and to the fight for justice and civil rights:
Bill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports. The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boson 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.
President Obama, who awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, tweeted:
Today, we lost a giant. As tall as Bill Russell stood, his legacy rises far higher—both as a player and as a person./
Perhaps more than anyone else, Bill knew what it took to win and what it took to lead. On the court, he was the greatest champion in basketball history. Off of it, he was a civil rights trailblazer—marching with Dr. King and standing with Muhammad Ali./
For decades, Bill endured insults and vandalism, but never let it stop him from speaking up for what’s right. I learned so much from the way he played, the way he coached, and the way he lived his life. Michelle and I send our love to Bill’s family, and everyone who admired him.
That's how we'll remember him, too.
In addition to his stellar NBA career, Russell led the University of San Francisco to two straight national championships (1955/56) and a gold medal for the U.S. in the 1956 Olympics.
(Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler, NBAE, via Getty Images)
