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Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez Pens Down Memorandum for 11-Time NBA Champion and ‘Hero’ Bill Russell After Boston Celtics Legend Dies at 88

Published 08/01/2022, 10:15 AM EDT

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Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez was amongst the many elite athletes to pay tribute to late basketball legend Bill Russell. The entire American sports community mourned the death of Russell and beyond. Many people who supported, followed, and idolized Bill Russell both as a player and human being, were heartbroken at the loss of Russell. 

Legendary baseball icon Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez gained prominence after achieving towering success playing for the New York Yankees. Post retirement from the game, Rodriguez bought the NBA team Minnesota Timberwolves and is a co-owner of the franchise. On the other hand, Bill Russell was a basketball legend who played NBA for the Boston Celtics from 1956 to 1969. Russell achieved extraordinary success during his playing tenure as a 12-time All-Star player and won a record-holding 11 NBA Championships in a 13-year career.

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Bill Russell passed away on July 31st, 2022. He was 88 years old. During his active playing career, Russell dominated the basketball court like others can only dream of. The sporting success that Bill Russell boasts of turned him into a national icon. So it’s the reason why so many world-renowned personalities, including Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez, rushed to pay tribute to their sporting hero. 

Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez’s memorandum for late champion Bill Russell 

Upon learning of Bill Russell’s passing, Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez paid his tributes on his social network handles. Rodriguez shared a story and a post on his Instagram and Twitter accounts, respectively. The post was a memorandum originally penned by the Minnesota Timberwolves authorities.

via Imago

The Minnesota Timberwolves memorandum for the late Bill Russell read, “RIP Bill Russell. A true legend, hero and one of the all-time greats both on and off the basketball court.” They posted the memorandum with the honorary words, “Legend. Champion. Pioneer. Rest In Peace, Bill Russell.” Rodriguez shared his team’s penned memorandum for Bill Russell on his social network accounts. 

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However, ‘A-Rod’ and the Minnesota Timberwolves were clearly not alone in the display of love & respect towards Bill Russell. Tributes poured in from all directions. More popular figures like NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, the Boston Celtics authorities, American President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, and many NBA Hall Of Fame inductees, as well as legends, joined. The legendary Michael Jordan, who carried on with Russell’s legacy, said that the world had lost a legend.

Notably, Bill Russell led the USA basketball team to a gold medal victory at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. Playing as the center for the Boston Celtics, Russell revolutionized the sport with his shot-blocking and defensive tactics. The Naismith Memorial inducted Russell into the NBA Hall Of Fame as a player in 1975 and as a coach in 2021. The NBA administration awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to Russell in 2019. A heroic character through and through, Bill Russell got honored with the Presidential Medal Of Freedom in 2011 for his significant role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Rodriguez and his ties to basketball 

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Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez established a legendary status in baseball during his playing days. But ‘A-Rod’ was also an avid follower of basketball, attending many games throughout his life until date. Post-retirement from the diamond in 2016, ‘A-Rod’ decided to invest in the basketball court. So ‘A-Rod’ joined the Minnesota Timberwolves ownership group in 2021. The recent tribute on his social network handles shows Rodriguez’s fondness towards the late NBA champion Bill Russell. 

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Watch This Story – From Alex ‘A-Rod’ Rodriguez To Derek Jeter: Here Are The Top 5 Richest MLB Players Of All Time

What words would you like to offer as a memorial tribute for the late great Bill Russell? 

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Written by:

Madhurjya Bhuyan

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Madhurjya Bhuyan is an MLB author at EssentiallySports. He has a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in English Literature from Gauhati University and IGNOU, respectively, and also possesses prior professional experience as a content developer. Being a performance artist since childhood, Madhurjya has always aimed to contribute towards creativity in any possible manner, and writing only boosts that desire.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa