Celtics legend Bill Russell dies at 88

11-time NBA champion was a trailblazer on and off the court

Bill Russell, who spent his entire 13-year NBA career with the Celtics, died on Sunday. He was 88.

“Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in American sports history, passed away peacefully today at age 88, with his wife, Jeannine, by his side,” a statement posted on Twitter said. “Arrangements for his memorial service will be announced soon.”

Russell had the most decorated career in franchise history. He was a 12-time All-Star, five-time MVP and also led Boston to 11 of its 17 championships.

In 963 career games, Russell averaged 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 44 percent from the field. He ranks second all-time with 21,620 rebounds.

His impact went far beyond his playing career, though.

Russell was the NBA’s first Black head coach and was also a civil rights activist who marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. Barack Obama awarded him the Medal of Freedom in 2011, and he also earned the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

“Today, we lost a giant,” Obama said on Twitter. “For decades, Bill endured insults and vandalism, but never let it stop him for speaking up for what’s right. I learned so much from the way he played, the way he coached, and the way he lived his life.”

The Celtics retired Russell’s No. 6 back in 1972. Russell was then inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame three years later.

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Photo via: Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images