“He did everything to deliver the promise of America to Americans” President Joe Biden pays tribute to Celtics legend Bill Russell after passing
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President Joe Biden, Bill Russell
Bill Russell, a pillar of the Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships and a prominent advocate for social justice, passed away on Sunday at the age of 88, according to his family. United States President Joe Biden made a statement to salute the icon and commemorate the extraordinary life he led both on and off the basketball court as tributes to the Boston Celtics star keep coming in. Russell’s efforts both on and off the court were also recognized by former President Barack Obama, who gave Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.
We were all created equal and should be treated equally throughout our lives, according to the American promise. Bill Russell made sure we never abandoned that commitment, even if we’ve never completely met with it. In his 13 seasons in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, he won six of the ultimate 11 NBA titles by the month of August 1963. However, on the momentous day of August 28, 1963, he was present on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as a mighty advocate for liberty, justice, and equality as Dr. Martin Luther King jr. expressed a vision for the country.
Bill Russell and his commitments on and off the court
With the Celtics, Bill Russell won 11 championships, including eight straight from 1959 through 1966. He is the impetus for the NBA Finals MVP award today. His career averages were 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds per game, and in the 1960s, he developed a well-known rivalry with Wilt Chamberlain. As player-coach with the Celtics in 1966 and the first Black player to be elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975, Russell made history as the first Black coach in the NBA. Russell is one of just four Hall of Famers who has played and coached in the NBA, including Tom Heinsohn, Bill Sharman, and Lenny Wilkens.
Bill experienced racism from an early age growing up in segregated Louisiana to a professional sports career playing on the largest platforms during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. He never quit up, nevertheless made Americans face difficult realities throughout his life. A champion of champions, genuine person, and great American, Russell is considered to be one of the greatest athletes in our history. He did everything in his power to fulfil the promise of America for all Americans and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his valiant efforts.
President Joe Biden’s statement on Bill Russell
Russell’s journey to becoming an 11-time NBA champion, a five-time league MVP, a 12-time All-Star, and an Olympic gold medalist was emphasized by President Biden. The late Celtics big man battled the hostility and hatred of racism rooted in every element of American society, but more than his excellence as a basketball player, the President made care to highlight how the late man became a beacon of hope for not just Black athletes but everyone suffering discrimination. “Bill Russell is one of the greatest athletes in our history – an all-time champion of champions, and a good man and great American who did everything he could to deliver the promise of America for all Americans” he added.
Not just the president, Joe Biden also paid respect to Bill Russell. Tributes from around the continent including Barack Obama who joined Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, Billie Jean King, The Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum, and the rest of the athletic community in sharing respects on social media following the news of Russell’s passing.
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Irvin Philip
(701 Articles Published)