‘Much Bigger Than Sports’: Bill Russell — Icon, Civil Rights Activist, Powerful Example
Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 10:46PM By Barry Janoff
Photo: Hoops Hall of FameJuly 31, 2022: Referring to him as a man who “called out injustice with an unforgiving candor that he intended would disrupt the status quo,” Bill Russell’s family today said he had passed away at the age of 88.
In a statement posted to social media, his wife, Jeannine, and his family wrote, “It is with very heavy heart we would like to pass along to all of Bill’s friends, fans and followers;
“Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in American sports history, passed away today at age 88, with his wife, Jeannie by his side.”
On the court, Russell won 11 NBA titles with the Boston Celtics, the final two as a player-coach — in 1966-67 becoming the first Black head coach in NBA history.
He won two NCAA championships at the University of San Francisco and a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1975 and as a coach in 2021.
In 2009, the MVP trophy of the NBA Finals was named in his honor, which he presented in person, the last time in 2019 to Kawhi Leonard. He missed the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies due to the COVID-19 situation and 2022 due to personal health reasons.
He was named to the NBA’s 25th Anniversary Team in 1971, the 35th Anniversary Team in 1980, was named as one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players in league history in 1996 and then to the 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Off the court, he used his national presence as a way to bring attention to social injustice, including working with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others who put a spotlight on racial discrimination.
In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Russell the Medal of Freedom, alongside Congressman John Lewis, a leader in the civil rights movement.
After listing many of his sports achievements, the statement from Russell’s family continues.
"But for all the winning, Bill's understanding of the struggle is what illuminated his life.
“From boycotting a 1961 exhibition game to unmask too-long-tolerated discrimination, to leading Mississippi's first integrated basketball camp in the combustible wake of Medgar Evers’ assassination, to decades of activism ultimately recognized by his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Bill called out injustice with an unforgiving candor that he intended would disrupt the status quo, and with a powerful example that, though never his humble intention, will forever inspire teamwork, selflessness and thoughtful change."
NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement:
“Bill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports. The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics — including a record 11 championships and five MVP awards— only begin to tell the story of Bill’s immense impact on our league and broader society.
Photo: Boston Celtics“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league. 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.
"Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.
“For nearly 35 years since Bill completed his trailblazing career as the league’s first Black head coach, we were fortunate to see him at every major NBA event, including the NBA Finals, where he presented the Bill Russell Trophy to the Finals MVP.
“I cherished my friendship with Bill and was thrilled when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I often called him basketball’s Babe Ruth for how he transcended time. Bill was the ultimate winner and consummate teammate, and his influence on the NBA will be felt forever. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Jeannine, his family and his many friends.”
The Celtics posted to the team Web site and social media platforms, “To be the greatest champion in your sport, to revolutionize the way the game is played, and to be a societal leader all at once seems unthinkable, but that is who Bill Russell was.
“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league."
“Bill was a champion unlike any other in the history of team sports — an 11-time NBA champion, including winning eight consecutive titles, a five-time MVP, an Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA’s first Black head coach.
“Bill Russell‘s DNA is woven through every element of the Celtics organization, from the relentless pursuit of excellence, to the celebration of team rewards over individual glory, to a commitment to social justice and civil rights off the court.
“Our thoughts are with his family as we mourn his passing and celebrate his enormous legacy in basketball, Boston, and beyond.”
William Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, in Monroe, LA., but moved with his family moved to California and went to high school in Oakland and the University of San Francisco.
His family said that arrangements for Russell’s memorial service will be announced in the coming days.
According to the family, “Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us, or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind how the real story behind those moments unfolded.
“And we 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 No. 6.”
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