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It's a sad day for Celtics fans, and it's a sad day for the NBA. 11x Champion, 5x MVP, 12x All-Star, and a historical icon to the sport, Bill Russell, has passed away at the age of 88.
The GOAT debate has always been Jordan or LeBron, but it should have had Russell in the conversation. He was a legend in every single way.
A member of the 25, 50, 75 Greatest Ever Anniversary teams, his other accolades include Two-time NCAA champion. Olympic Gold Medalist. Hall of Famer. And two NBA championships as the first Black head coach in North American pro sports history.
His story to Boston was one that just seemed to be fate. After not being picked first in the 1956 NBA draft, the St. Louis Hawks were on the clock. Boston Celtics star Ed Macauley's son was being treated for spinal meningitis in St. Louis, so he asked the team to send him there as a favor. They did so, and Boston landed the No. 2 pick in exchange for Macauley and fellow Hall-of-Famer Cliff Hagan.
Boston ended up beating the Hawks in the 1957 finals, but the Hawks won their last championship ever in 1958. Bill Russell would then win the next 8 in a row, and 10 total. Iconic.
He was a pioneer of the game and innovator, pretty much changing the game of blocking. He paved the way and set an example for every Black player who came into the league after him. He was the definition of a winner, with his 11 championships being tied for the most by any athlete in the four major North American professional sports. Russell was awarded the Medal of Freedom by former President Barack Obama in 2011, the nation's highest civilian honor. And in 2017, the NBA awarded him with its Lifetime Achievement Award. He also was a larger than life personality, and cracked a few jokes even in his old age.
Hopefully one day, the NBA does the legend right, and honor him properly. RIP to the legend.