Bill Russell was a great NBA player who led a Boston Celtics team that won 11 championships over 13 years. The last two were as the first Black head coaches in any major U.S. sports.
He also marched for civil liberties with Martin Luther King Jr.. He was 88. His family shared the news via social media.
It stated that Russell had died while his wife, Jeannine was by his side. The cause of death was not stated in the statement.
Russell was a Hall of Famer and a five-time Most Valuable Player. He was also voted the greatest NBA player by basketball writers in 1980.
Russell is the most successful player in the game and an example of selflessness. He won with defense and rebounding, while leaving scoring to others.
Russell was the University of San Francisco's champion in 1956 and 1955, and he also won a gold medal in 1956 at the Melbourne Olympics.
Russell, 22 years old, scored an impressive 14.1 points per match as the U.S. beat all eight Melbourne games by an average 53.5 points per contest.
Russell could have skipped these Games, which were being held in November and December of the NBA season, but he instead delayed the start to his Boston Celtics career.
Russell made a lasting impression in Boston as a Black American athlete in a country where race is often a flashpoint.
In 2011, President Barack Obama presented Russell with the Medal of Freedom. A statue of Russell was unveiled in Boston's City Hall Plaza two years later.
Russell was a great basketball player. He blossomed late, but ended up revolutionizing basketball.