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Sports world pays tribute to Celtics legend Russell

Jesse D. Garrabrant / National Basketball Association / Getty

No obituary can do justice to one of the sporting world's all-time difference-makers.

On the court, Bill Russell cemented an illustrious 13-year NBA playing career with 11 titles with the Boston Celtics, the joint-most by an individual in North American team sports (Maurice Richard, Montreal Canadians). Russell also earned five MVP awards, a dozen All-Star selections, and three All-NBA first-team honors.

He was the NBA's first Black head coach, guiding the Celtics to back-to-back titles in 1968 and 1969 as a player-coach. He also won two successive NCAA championships and a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics.

His incredible contributions on the court are rivaled only by those off of it. The Hall of Famer was an activist and icon within the civil rights movement, and he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2011 for his efforts.

On Sunday, the sporting world gathered to praise a truly remarkable individual, and the Celtics posted a touching thread:

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