11-time NBA champion Russell dies at 88

2022-08-01 14:16

11-time NBA champion Russell dies at 88


Words of condolences can be seen all over USA Basketball today, as officials confirmed in a statement that Bill Russell, the greatest legend in American sports history, passed away peacefully at home today at the age of 88. All walks of life in the American sports world, including league presidents, teams, associations, stars, etc., issued a statement with a heavy heart and thanked him for his contributions to the basketball world.


Russell was born in 1934, a time when racial discrimination was deeply rooted in his birthplace, and it was also known as an innate slave status. After Russell's family moved to Oakland, basketball had become popular at that time, and Russell was also affected after that, and showed that he has amazingly gifted athletic ability. Russell was drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round in 1956. He represented the Boston Celtics and achieved many milestones for the team and himself, being selected as a 12-time All-Star, 5-time MVP, etc. The team won 11 league championships in 13 seasons and was the first player in prehistory to win 11 championship rings.


Russell is also the originator of blocked shots in the basketball game and the most influential center player in basketball history. He popularized shot blocking as a defensive pioneer and laid the foundation for future league players to defend in the penalty area. The championship MVP award is still based on him. name. Russell, meanwhile, is also the player with the most titles on the Montreal Canadiens' North American professional team. He is also the first black coach in North American professional sports history, and won two league championships when he was the head coach of the Celtics. Russell was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame twice as a player and coach.


It's worth mentioning that Russell is more than just a basketball player. He also contributed to issues of racial inequality, and he was a leader in what became the civil rights movement in the United States in the 1960s, advocating for the civil rights movement. Russell also criticized the league's disparity in the number of black players when he was with the Celtics. At that time, there was a restaurant that refused to let blacks on the team come to eat, and Russell boycotted the game there. He also refused to attend his Hall of Fame induction in 1975, saying it was an insult to all black players who had not been inducted before him.


Russell is one of the few players who can speak out on this controversial topic. He is a pioneer in advancing the development of the interracial era. In 2011, Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest mission honor in sports and the country. Two years later, the team state Boston also made a statue of him. The league's top president, Adam Silver, also issued a league statement, expressing that Russell is an important part of the league and that his values of equality, respect and inclusion go beyond basketball and are deeply imprinted in the league. The social equality and civil rights he advocates are an important legacy for the future of the league, the team and its players, and his unwavering belief has made all people in the league treated fairly. In addition, Michael Jordan, chairman and legend of the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, and the National Basketball Coaches Association all mourned the passing of the great man on social media today.