Bill Russell, the Boston Celtics legend who won 11 NBA titles — including two as player-coach — and was pro basketball's first Black head coach, died on Sunday. He was 88.
In a statement, Russell's family said his wife, Jeannine, was by his side, and thanked fans for "keeping Bill in your prayers." They added it was their "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."
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Russell was a civil rights activist who attended the March on Washington in 1963 and supported Muhammad Ali when he refused the Vietnam War draft. "Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: The values of equality, respect, and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps."
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