NBA world reflects on the ‘remarkable life’ and death of basketball legend Bill Russell
Basketball fans and historians will debate the subject of the game’s greatest player until the end of time, but there was no bigger winner or champion for change than Bill Russell.
Russell, an iconic figure whose presence was felt from the Bay Area to Boston, in Sacramento and Seattle and beyond, died peacefully Sunday with his wife, Jeannine, by his side. He was 88 years old.
The NBA world reacted en masse to reflect on the extraordinary life and death of a legendary figure whose greatness is still celebrated more than a half-century after he played his last game. Russell won a record 11 NBA championships and five MVP awards in 13 years as a player with the Boston Celtics. He never achieved that kind of success during his three seasons as a coach and executive with the Kings in the twilight of his career, but those who knew him in Sacramento will never forget his presence.
“I just really thought the world of the man,” former Kings coach and general manager Jerry Reynolds said. “I spent several years with him — worked with him as an assistant coach and worked under him as a head coach — and I have nothing but respect for Bill and his career. Truly one of the most enjoyable times of my life was just getting to sit with Bill and listen to some of his Celtics stories and basketball and life stories. It was a remarkable life he led and a remarkable time being around him.
“Bill just led a marvelous life and a complete life. In my experiences with him, it was nothing but great memories with one of the greatest winners and basketball players of all time, and, in my mind, a great man. It really was an honor for me to work for him.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement after Russell’s death was announced.
“Bill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports,” Silver said. “The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics — including 11 championships and five MVP awards — only begin to tell the story of Bill’s immense impact on our league and broader society.
“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.”
The Kings issued a statement as well, lauding Russell for contributions that transcended sports.
“The Kings join the basketball community in grieving the loss of NBA legend Bill Russell,” the team said. “A storied champion and a fierce advocate for civil rights and social justice, Bill was a trailblazer who always led with his values. His immeasurable impact will continue to resonate both on and off the court for years to come. We are keeping his family and friends in our thoughts during this time.”
Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana, on Feb. 12, 1934. His family moved to Oakland when he was 8. Russell attended McClymonds High School in Oakland and went on to University of San Francisco, where he led the Dons to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1955-56. He then led the United States to a gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
The Rochester Royals, who would eventually become the Sacramento Kings, passed on Russell to select Sihugo Green with the No. 1 pick in the 1956 NBA draft. The St. Louis Hawks selected Russell with the No. 2 pick but traded him to the Celtics. The rest is history.
Russell was a 12-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA selection who averaged 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists over 13 seasons. He won his last two championships with the Celtics as player-coach following the retirement of Red Auerbach, becoming the first Black head coach in NBA history and the first in North American professional sports.
Russell coached the Seattle Supersonics from 1973-77 and the Kings in 1987-88. After going 17-41 to start his first season in Sacramento, Russell was reassigned to vice president and Reynolds was named head coach.
“The team wasn’t good and we were disappointing in that way,” Reynolds said. “He had some difficult times. I think, certainly, occasionally, he’d get frustrated with the players and players might get frustrated with him, but that’s normal. No different than Rick Adelman or Garry St. Jean or Jerry Reynolds or Paul Westphal or anybody else. That’s the reality of the league, but the thing that was tough for Bill was, he was such a great player and such a great winner, it was tough for him to understand why players couldn’t play better. He’s one of the all-time greats, and I think that’s been a problem for a lot of great players who tried to be coaches. There are a few exceptions to that rule, but not too many.”
Russell served as vice president of the Kings for nearly two years before he was fired on Dec. 19, 1989, but he always stayed close to the game. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame as a player in 1975 and as a coach in 2021. He is also enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Silver noted that the NBA Finals MVP award is named in Russell’s honor.
“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 NBA Finals, where he presented the Bill Russell Trophy to the Finals MVP,” Silver said. “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.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2022 at 4:15 PM.
