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He was the first African-American player to achieve superstar status in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Five-time winner of the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and twelve-time All Star Game selection, Bill Russell was the mainstay of the Boston Celtics team, with whom he won eleven NBA titles in thirteen years. .
Considered the best defender in NBA history, Bill Russell passed away this Sunday at the age of 88, his family announced on his Twitter account.
“Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in American sports history, passed away peacefully today at the age of 88, with his wife Jeannine at his bedside,” his family said.
Russell spent his entire NBA career in the green jersey of the Boston Celtics, from 1956 to 1969, with whom he appeared in 12 finals and won 11 titles. A record.
His ability to make blocks – movement made by a defending player to deflect an opponent’s shot without needing to – and his individual defense were the main reasons for the success of the Boston Celtics.
He was also the top rebounder in the NBA four times. Although he was never a leading offensive player for the Celtics, Russell scored 14,522 career points from him and was lauded for his effectiveness in the passing game.
Following in the footsteps of such pioneers as Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Ray Felix, Russell was the first African-American player to achieve “superstar” status in the league.
For three years, from 1966 to 1969, he also took on the role of player-coach for the Celtics, becoming the first African-American to coach in a major American sports league.
But throughout his career, Russell often had to confront racism, such as when several Boston Celtics fans shunned the team after he took over as coach.
An avalanche of tributes for an athlete and civil rights activist
Following the announcement of his death, the NBA paid tribute to “the greatest champion in all of team sports”.
“Bill represented something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that were written in the DNA of our league,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
“At the height of his career, Bill was a strong advocate for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed on to the generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps.”
Former US President Barack Obama also reacted.
“Today we lost a giant. On the court, he was the greatest champion in basketball history. Off the court, he was a pioneer for civil rights, walking with Dr. (Martin Luther) King and standing with Muhammad Ali,” he wrote.
“Bill Russell was my idol,” former Los Angeles Lakers guard Earvin “Magic” Johnson said in the 1980s.
“He was one of the first athletes who fought on the front lines for social justice, fairness, equality and civil rights. That’s why I admired him and loved him so much,” he explained.
Star Michael Jordan paid tribute to a “pioneer” who “paved the way and set an example for every black player who came into the league after him, myself included.”
“The world has lost a legend with the passing of Bill Russell. His impact on basketball and society will not be forgotten,” Patrick Ewing, former New York Knicks center, also said.
AFP
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