Bill Russell, one of basketball's legendary players, has died at age 88.
The announcement was posted on his verified Twitter account.
The statement did not give the cause of death, but Russell was not well enough to present the NBA Finals MVP trophy in June because of a long illness.
Over a 15-year period, beginning with his junior year at the University of San Francisco, Russell had the most remarkable career of any player in the history of team sports.
At USF, he was a two-time All-American, won two straight NCAA championships and led the team to 55 consecutive wins.
He won a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics.
A Hall of Famer, five-time Most Valuable Player and 12-time All-Star, Russell in 1980 was voted the greatest player in the NBA history by basketball writers.
Russell won more NBA titles than any player in history.
Russell was awarded the Medal of Freedom by former President Barack Obama in 2011, the nation's highest civilian honor