Celtics legend and 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell dies at 88
- Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell died on Sunday at age 88.
- His family confirmed his death and celebrated his athleticism and social justice activism on Twitter.
The family of NBA legend Bill Russell announced that he died on Sunday. He was 88.
His family shared the news on Russell's official Twitter page Sunday afternoon. In the post, Russell's loved ones praised his athleticism and his personal triumphs in social activism.
"It is with a very heavy heart we would like to pass along to all of Bill's friends, fans, & followers," the statement reads. "Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in American sports history, passed away peacefully today at age 88, with his wife, Jeannine, by his side. Arrangements for his memorial service will be announced soon."
"Bill's two state championships in high school offered a glimmer of the incomparable run of pure team accomplishment to come: twice an NCAA champion; captain of a gold-medal winning US Olympic team; 11 times an NBA champion; and at the helm for two NBA championships as the first black head coach of any North American professional sports team."
The statement also noted that Russell once boycotted a 1961 exhibition game to highlight discrimination and spearheaded Mississippi's first integrated basketball camp. His activism later earned him a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 by then-President Barack Obama.
"Bill's wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you'll 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," the statement continued.
During his time with the Boston Celtics, Russell won 11 championships and played with the team for 13 seasons. The Boston Globe reported that Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975 as a player and again in September 2021 as a coach.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement to ESPN that Russell is "the greatest champion in all of team sports."
"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," Silver's statement continued.
Hall of Famer Isaiah Thomas paid tribute to Russell on Twitter, writing: "Rest in peace Bill Russell you were everything we all aspired to be, your winning spirit will live forever my friend. Thank you for your words of wisdom."
In a separate Twitter post, sports journalist Stephen A. Smith called Russell the "greatest champion we've ever known."
"BILL RUSSELL. An activist, a pioneer, a humanitarian. He made the world better for us all," Smith added.