It’s one of those dates that just sticks in your head if you care even a little bit about basketball. Bill Russell died on July 31, 2022. He was 88 years old. Honestly, it felt like the end of an era because, let’s be real, there isn’t anyone else who can say they have more rings than fingers. Eleven championships. Eleven. It’s a number that sounds fake, like something a kid makes up in a video game, but for Russell, it was just another Tuesday at the office.
He passed away peacefully. His family was right there with him, including his wife, Jeannine. They posted the news on social media, and the world basically stopped for a second. There wasn't some dramatic, sudden accident. He had been dealing with a "long illness" for a while. You might remember he couldn't even make it to the NBA Finals in June of that year to hand out the MVP trophy—which, ironically, is named after him.
That was the first real sign to the public that the Greatest Winner of All Time was slowing down.
Where and When Did Bill Russell Died?
The specifics matter when you're talking about a guy this big. Russell was at his home in Mercer Island, Washington when he took his last breath.
People always associate him with Boston. It makes sense; he was the Celtics for over a decade. But he’d lived out West for a long time.
The Official Details
- Date of Death: July 31, 2022
- Age: 88
- Location: Mercer Island, WA
- Cause: Natural causes following a long illness
He lived a full life, but man, 88 years still feels too short for someone who changed the world as much as he did.
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Why the NBA Retired No. 6 Everywhere
Shortly after we lost him, the NBA did something they’ve never done for anyone else. They retired his jersey number, No. 6, across the entire league. Every single team.
If you were already wearing No. 6—like LeBron James was at the time—you were grandfathered in. But no new player will ever pull on a jersey with that digit again. It’s the kind of respect usually reserved for people like Jackie Robinson in baseball or Wayne Gretzky in hockey.
Russell earned it. Not just because he could jump out of the gym or because he invented the "defensive" style of play that we see today. He earned it because he was a wall. He was the first Black head coach in any major American professional sport. Think about that for a second. In 1966, while the country was still deeply segregated, Bill Russell was calling the plays and winning titles at the same time.
The Man Beyond the Rings
If you only talk about the 11 rings, you're missing the point of who Bill Russell was. He was kinda prickly. He didn't always get along with the fans in Boston because, frankly, the city was pretty racist back then. They treated him like a god on the court and a second-class citizen the moment he stepped off it.
He didn't take it lying down.
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He marched with Dr. King. He stood by Muhammad Ali when Ali refused the draft. He refused to play in games if his Black teammates were disrespected at hotels or restaurants.
A Quick Look at the Stats (That Don't Show the Whole Story)
He averaged 22.5 rebounds per game for his entire career. Think about that. Most centers today struggle to get 10. He once grabbed 51 rebounds in a single game.
But his real stat was winning.
He won two high school championships. Two NCAA championships at San Francisco. An Olympic Gold Medal. And then those 11 NBA titles. He was a human cheat code for victory.
What Happened After He Passed?
The tributes were everywhere. From President Obama—who gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011—to every player in the league today.
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There wasn't a massive, televised public funeral. That wasn't really his style anyway. His family kept things relatively private, focusing on the "trademark laugh" that everyone mentions when they talk about him. If you ever heard it, you know. It was high-pitched, loud, and totally infectious.
Actionable Insights: Learning from the Legend
You don't have to be 6'10" to take something away from Bill Russell's life.
- Redefine Success: Russell didn't care about being the leading scorer. He cared about his team winning. Ask yourself: am I looking for personal glory or "team" results?
- Stand Your Ground: He never apologized for being himself. Whether it was his beard (which the NBA tried to ban) or his activism, he stayed true to his core.
- Persistence over Perfection: He didn't win every year, but he never stopped trying to find a way to win.
Bill Russell's death was a heavy hit for the sports world, but the blueprint he left behind is still being used by every athlete who wants to use their platform for something bigger than a game.
Next steps to honor his legacy:
- Research the Bill Russell Mentoring Grant Program to see how his work continues in education.
- Watch the 2023 documentary Bill Russell: Legend on Netflix for a deeper look at his civil rights work.
- Support local youth basketball programs that focus on defensive skills and teamwork rather than just scoring.