"Legenda NBA dan Boston Celtics Bill Russell telah meninggal pada usia 88"
The world of basketball is now in mourning. NBA legend and Boston Celtics club Bill Russell has died.
The report of Bill Russell who died at the age of 88 was confirmed through a statement posted on his Twitter account on Sunday (31/7/2022) local time.
In the statement, it was explained that Bill Russell died at the side of his wife, Jeannine.
"Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in the history of the sport of American basketball, passed away peacefully today aged 88, with his wife, Jeannine, by his side," read a statement on the legend's Twitter account.
The upload of the sad news was then followed by condolences from a number of figures, one of which was Barack Obama, the former President of the United States (US).
Barack Obama called the departure of Bill Russell is a big loss for the world of sport.
"Today, we lost a giant. As tall as Bill Russell stands, his legacy rises even higher, both as a player and as a person," Barack Obama wrote on his account. His personal Twitter.
"Probably more than anyone, Bill knows what it takes to win and what it takes to lead," Obama said.
In addition, Barack Obama also brought up the activities of Bill Russell, who is known as one of the pioneers of civil rights in the United States.
"On the court, he was the greatest champion in basketball history. Beyond that, he was a civil rights pioneer who marched with Martin Luther King Jr and stood with Muhammad Ali," Barack Obama said in a statement.
Barack Obama is not the only person to write condolences and reminisce about Bill Russell's legacy.
Launching tribunnews.com, Bill Russell when he was still a career was known as a strong player in defense.
With that power, Bill Russell managed to present 11 titles in his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics.
He is also a Hall of Famer who has been recorded as MVP five times and has been included in the NBA All-Star team 12 times.
In addition, Bill Russell also has a series of impressive records during an active career.
He later retired with a total of 21,620 rebounds and averaging 22.5 points per game.