NBA great Bill Russell passed away on Sunday at the age of 88, with his wife Jeannine by his side. The family announced his passing in a social media post on his official Twitter account at 10:09AM on July 31, 2022.
The statement included the following sentiments:
"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 family statement said. “And we hope each of us can find a new way to act or speak up with Bill's uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principle. That would be one last, and lasting, win for our beloved #6."
Arrangements for his memorial service will be announced by his family in the coming days.
An NBA legend, icon and pioneer, Russel was a five-time NBA MVP, 11-year NBA Champion and a 12-time NBA All-Star. He is credited as the anchor to the Boston Celtics dynasty as they won 11 championships during his 13 year career with the team. He earned the last two championships as the head coach of the team. Russell was the first Black head coach of any major sport in the U.S. In addition to his accolades on the court, Russell was a Civil Rights activist and marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.An announcement… pic.twitter.com/KMJ7pG4R5Z
— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) July 31, 2022
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One of the most hailed clips of the great Bill Russell:
One of the all-time Bill Russell clips. RIP. pic.twitter.com/D0tKb8q7rg
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) July 31, 2022
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement on behalf of Bill Russell's incredible contributions to the National Basketball League.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver's statement on the passing of Bill Russell. pic.twitter.com/tOJvne0nZl
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 31, 2022
