In an announcement shared on Twitter by his family, Russell passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 31, with his wife by his side.
In addition to being an icon on and off the court during his playing career, Russell remained involved with the game well beyond his retirement.
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Russell continued to be a mainstay at league events, including the NBA Finals, where, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he would hand the Bill Russell Trophy to the NBA Finals MVP.
League commissioner Adam Silver released a statement following Russell’s death, calling him “the ultimate winner and consummate teammate” whose “influence on the NBA will be felt forever.”
Silver is one of many to react to Russell’s passing, as numerous players, teams and members of the media took to Twitter to pay their respects:
