UNITED STATES: The NBA’s most prominent player, Bill Russell passed away on 31st July, Sunday. The champion of all times left no stone unturned in the history of sports. He was the first Black head coach in the major American sports league and an 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics. Bill Russell was the captain of a gold-medal-winning US Olympic team and has served in NCAA as a champion for as much again. An inspiration to all budding sportsmen, said bid adieu outright at the age of 88, official confirmation made by his wife Jeannine.
“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 those moments unfolded,” a statement issued by Bill’s wife.
The NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that Bill Russell was “the greatest champion in all of the team sports.” adding more to it he praised, “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.”
According to the basketball writers, Russell has voted the greatest player in the History of the National Basketball Association in 1980. He was a five-time NBA MVP and a 12-time All-Star. Bill was the 11-time champion and Hall of Fame representative for the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics stated the sudden demise of the legend, says: “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 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.”
Russell will continue to inspire millions of sports lovers, especially those who aspire to be like him. There will be no one, so personified, diversified and skilled as Russell. He will remain the best in the history of sports. He has made great contributions to the field of sports and the World will remember him forever.
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