Legend: Bill Russell, the NBA’s top champion, has died at the age of 88

Bill Russellrecognized as one of the greatest NBA legends and maximum winner of the best basketball league in the world, He passed away this Sunday at the age of 88., as announced by his family. Russell was the pillar of the incredible dynasty that the Boston Celtics built, with 11 titles in 13 seasons between 1956 and 1969, as well as being a coach and fighter for civil rights, in a complex time marked by racism in the United States.

Russell, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player five times and selected for the All-Star Game 12 times, in addition to being the captain of the American team that won Olympic gold in the Games from Melbourne 1956. He was proclaimed in 1980 as the best player in the history of the NBA, after a vote of specialized journalists. Even today, more than half a century after his last crown, Russell remains the game’s greatest winner and a model of sacrifice, dedicated to defensive work to let others score the points. This benefited Wilt Chamberlainfigure of the Los Angeles Lakers and the only player of that same era who overshadowed Russell.

The battles on the court between the two pivots were enormous, duels par excellence in the NBA. Russell led the University of San Francisco to NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956. At Boston, he left an indelible mark as a black athlete in the midst of segregation in that city and the country, as he marched for rights alongside Martin Luther King Jr. In 2011, President Barack Obama conferred on Russell the Medal of Freedom. Two years ago, a statue of Russell was unveiled in Boston’s Town Hall Square.

His family said Russell passed away accompanied by his wife, Jeannine. “Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and her many friends and family want to say thank you for keeping Bill in his prayers. Perhaps they can relive some of the golden moments he gave us, or remember the singular smile from him when he delighted in telling the true story of how those moments unfolded,” the family said. “`And we hope that each of us will be able to find a new way to act or express ourselves with Bill’s uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principle. That would be one last and lasting victory for our beloved #6″. Boston’s jersey with that number was retired three years after his retirement, in 1972.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that Russell was “the supreme champion in all of team sports. Bill represented something much bigger than sports: the values ​​of equality, respect and inclusion that he imprinted in the DNA of our league. At the height of his sports career, he was a strong advocate for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed on to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps. He dodged taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, staying true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.”

Russell’s last two titles, in 1968 and 1969, were also achieved as the first black coach in league history. He was one of the first great activists in American sports, along with figures such as Mohamed Ali or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. With a height of 2.08 meters, Russell played his entire career in the Celtics, with whom he played 12 finals to win 11 titles, the highest figure also for an athlete from a major North American professional league.

Among many other accolades, The NBA gave his name to the MVP trophy that is awarded each year to the best player in the Finals. Other NBA legends and players sent their condolences to one of the league’s great icons. “I am heartbroken by the news of the passing of basketball’s greatest winner, a legend, Hall of Famer, mentor and friend of mine for over 30 years, Bill Russell,” Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson wrote. “Rest in peace. Thank you for paving the way and inspiring so many. Today is a sad day, but also a great day to celebrate his legacy and what he stood for,” said Jaylen Brown, one of the Celtics’ current figures, and one of the first players to march in the major anti-racism protests in 2020 in the United States.

With information from AP and AFP