Celtics legend and 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell died Sunday at the age of 88.
His dominance with the Boston franchise, a stretch that included 11 titles in 13 years, is unparalleled in professional sports. For all of his accolades on the court, Russell will perhaps be remembered even more for his civil rights activism.
His three-year stint as a player-coach for the Celtics made him the first Black coach in North American professional sports and the first to capture a championship.
On Sunday afternoon, the Celtics released a statement remembering the life of their franchise icon.
“To 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. Bill was a champion unlike any other in the history of team sports—an 11-time NBA champion, including winning eight consecutive titles, a five-time MVP, an Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA’s first Black head coach.
“Bill Russell’s 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.”
