NBA Legend Bill Russell Passes Away At 88

NBA Legend Bill Russell Passes Away At 88

NBA Legend Bill Russell has passed away. Russell is the first African-American player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was a two-time NCAA champion and captain of the gold-medal winning US Olympic team. Bill was also a key figure in the struggle against racism and became the first black head coach of a professional sports team in North America. Bill was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010. He is a pillar of the NBA and is the namesake of its NBA Finals MVP award.

Before becoming a basketball player, Bill Russell was a civil rights activist and advocate. He participated in the March on Washington, when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech. His role in civil rights movements went beyond basketball and became an icon in society. Bill Russell was a vocal and outspoken advocate for social justice causes. In fact, he was so vocal about his beliefs that he received death threats for speaking out against racism and inequality.

While Bill Russell’s physical abilities were impressive, he was also known for his fierce rivalry. The legendary basketball player often threw up in the locker room before a game. He also knew how to shut down opposing offenses. He often deliberately let an opponent drive around him for a layup before he recovered and swatted the ball away from behind. In his later years, Bill Russell continued his legacy of fighting for civil rights.

Bill Russell was born in Louisiana but moved to California as a young man. Despite his humble beginnings, Bill Russell led his school to two national championships in 1956. Besides his basketball talent, Bill Russell excelled in track and field, winning a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. His renown continued after basketball. As a champion, Bill Russell also advocated for racial equality and social justice.

Aside from being a champion, Bill Russell also was a social icon and a pillar of the basketball world. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr., stood with Muhammad Ali and endured racist abuse, and inspired his teammates to be better players. Later in his life, Bill Russell moved to California, where he faced racial discrimination. Some people even smeared their excrement on the walls.

After his playing days, Bill Russell began his life as a television broadcaster. In the early 2000s, he reconciled with his former teammates and was honored with a statue in Boston’s City Hall Plaza. Bill Russell had been a member of the Boston Celtics for four seasons, and then went back into coaching in the NBA with the Supersonics. However, in his fourth season in Seattle, they were four games below.500. In the following decade, Russell coached the Sacramento Kings. Bill Russell lived in Washington for many decades.

NBA Legend Bill Russell Has Passed Away at 88