Celtics Legend, Basketball Pioneer Bill Russell Dies At Age 88

Boston Celtics icon Bill Russell died Sunday, per an announcement delivered through his official Twitter account. Russell was 88 years old.

The Louisiana native carries a basketball résumé that ranks among the best in the history of the sport. Russell won 11 NBA championships, five league MVP awards and was named an All-Star 12 times over the course of his 14-year run with the Celtics. He also won a gold medal with the United States men’s basketball team at the 1956 Olympic games and won a pair of national championships during his collegiate years at San Francisco.

Russell, whose No. 6 is retired by the Celtics, also found great success as an NBA coach. He led the Celtics to an NBA championship as a player-coach in both 1968 and 1969, his final two seasons with the organization.

The Basketball Hall of Famer also will be remembered for his work and life off the basketball court. Russell was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010.