Bill Russell, one of the most important and accomplished sportsmen in history, died on Sunday at the age of 88 with his wife Jeannine by his side, his family announced. Russell won a record 11 NBA championships, including eight straight, during a 13-year career with the Boston Celtics – the last two of which he served as Boston’s coach in addition to playing.
There is almost no way to measure the impact that Russell had not only on sports, but on society as a whole, during his career, and he continued this impact throughout his life as one of the most socially conscious and active athletes that we have ever seen. This is a loss that is being felt deeply around the world, especially among current and former Celtics and the NBA community at large.
Below is a small collection of thoughts that people are offering on Twitter, starting with a statement from NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
