“It is with a very heavy heart that we would like to pass on to all of Bill’s friends, fans and followers; Bill Russell, the most prolific hitter in American sports history, died peacefully today at the age of 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 glimpse of the unmatched streak of pure team accomplishments to come: two-time NCAA champion; captain of a gold medal winning US Olympic team. 11-time NBA champion. and at the helm for two NBA championships as the first black head coach of any North American professional sports team. Along the way, Bill won a number of individual awards that are unprecedented in that they were not mentioned by him. In 2009, the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was renamed by the two-time Hall of Famer as the “Bill Russell Finals Most Valuable Player Award.” But for all the victories, Bill’s understanding of struggle is what illuminated his life. From boycotting a 1961 exhibition game to exposing long-tolerated discrimination, to leading Mississippi’s first comprehensive basketball camp in the fiery aftermath of Medgar Evans’ assassination, to decades of activism finally recognized by receiving the Presidential Medal of Honor of freedom. Bill called out injustice with an unrelenting honesty intent on disrupting the status quo and a powerful example that, though never humble in intent, will forever inspire teamwork, selflessness, and thoughtful change. Bill’s wife Jeannine and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Maybe you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us, or remember his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind how those moments unfolded. And we hope each of us will find a new way to act or speak with Bill’s uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principles. This would be a final and lasting victory for our beloved #6.” Born in Louisiana in 1934, Russell was not initially considered a top basketball prospect. His first scholarship offer came from the University of San Francisco, a school not known for its basketball prowess, but one that Russell was able to lead to back-to-back national championships in 1955 and 1956. In addition to basketball, Russell was a track star in San Francisco, primarily competing in the high jump. He won an Olympic gold medal in basketball as captain of Team USA in 1956 before turning pro. Despite his collegiate excellence, Russell was not the first pick in the 1956 NBA draft. That honor went to Duquesne wing Si Green. That left Russell available at No. 2, where the St. Louis Hawks drafted. However, circumstances worked in Russell’s favor. The son of Boston Celtics star Ed Macauley was being treated for spinal meningitis in St. Louis, so he asked the team to send him there as a favor. They did, and Boston landed the No. 2 pick in exchange for Macauley and fellow Hall-of-Famer Cliff Hagan. The deal didn’t exactly blow up in St. Louis’ face. Although they lost the 1957 Finals to Boston, the Hawks came back to win it all in a 1958 rematch with the Celtics. But that would be the last championship they would ever win. Russell won 10 more, including the next eight in a row. The trade was just as important to Russell as it was to the Celtics. “If I had been drafted by St. Louis, I wouldn’t be in the NBA,” Russell said in an interview with NBATV. “St. Louis was overwhelmingly racist.” Unfortunately, Russell faced racism throughout his life in the South and throughout his career in Boston, becoming one of the most socially conscious athletes in American history. He attended Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech in person and was one of many black athletes and leaders who attended the 1967 Cleveland Summit to support Muhammad Ali. In 1966, Russell became the first black coach in American sports history when he replaced Red Auerbach in Boston. He maintained his role as the team’s primary center while coaching the team on its way to its last two championships. Russell left the Celtics as soon as his career ended. He then worked as a television broadcaster before returning to coaching with the Seattle Supersonics. He went four games under .500 in four seasons in Seattle before being fired. He would coach one more season with the Sacramento Kings a decade later, but otherwise stayed largely out of the public eye for the next few decades, living out of his home in Washington. But he appeared more regularly in public in his later years, often honored for his notable achievements as a player and activist. In 2009, the NBA renamed the Finals MVP award after Russell, and he attended the 2009 Finals to present the trophy to Kobe Bryant in person. He would do it several more times, but this one held special significance for Bryant, given the friendship they had forged. When Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020, Russell wrote an emotional post on social media remembering the legend. Bryant may have played for the rival Lakers, but Russell often made himself available to modern players looking for advice. Many sought him out, because above all else Russell was on the court, he was the sport’s greatest winner. He only lost two playoff series in his entire career. He never once lost a game that takes all the winners. Not in college. Not at the Olympics. Not in the NBA. He won all 21 such games he played. Russell came up big when it mattered most, both on and off the court, and will always be remembered for that.
