BOSTON (KNX) — Bill Russell, one of the greatest players in NBA history and a pioneer in civil rights, died Sunday at 88.
News of his passing was confirmed by his family in a statement. It did not give the cause of death, but Russell was not well enough to present the NBA Finals MVP trophy in June.
One of the greatest champions in the history of professional sports, Russell won 11 titles in a 13-year career spent exclusively with the Boston Celtics. In 2005, the NBA named the Finals MVP Trophy after Russell.
During his illustrious career, Russell averaged 15.1 points per game and 22.5 rebounds. Russell won the NBA MVP Award on five occasions while making 12 All-Star and 11 All-NBA teams.
Before the 2021-22 NBA season, the league named Russell to their 75th-anniversary team, which aimed to encompass the 75 greatest players in the history of the league.
President Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
The most prolific winner in NBA history, Russell marched with Martin Luther King Jr., stood with Muhammad Ali and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. The centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 championships in 13 years, Russell earned his last two NBA titles as a player-coach — the first Black coach in any major U.S. sport.
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