Rockets mourn late NBA Hall of Famer Russell: 'Rest in peace to a true legend of the game'

The Houston Rockets joined the basketball world on Sunday in mourning the passing of legendary former Boston Celtics center Bill Russell.

Russell died in Mercer Island, Washington at the age of 88, per an ESPN report that was ran by Houston ABC affiliate KTRK. 

“Rest in peace to a true legend of the game,” the Rockets tweeted in response to a Celtics’ Twitter thread paying tribute to the Louisiana-born big man who was instrumental in guiding the storied National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise to the first 11 of its 17 world championships.

According to ESPN, winning was a part of Russell’s lengthy playing career since he matriculated at the University of San Francisco (USF) in California.

Aside from his well-known title runs with the Celtics, ESPN reported, the 6-foot-10 Russell had a pair of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships with USF and a gold medal he captured at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia.

The report said that Russell, who played for the Celtics from 1956 to 1969, averaged 15.1 points and 4.3 assists per game and tallied 21,620 career rebounds as a pro.

He was a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star selection – and up until Michael Jordan suited up for the Chicago Bulls – was widely considered the NBA’s greatest player.

Russell dabbled into coaching just before his playing days concluded, succeeding his mentor Red Auerbach.

He later coached the Seattle SuperSonics, who are now the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Sacramento Kings.

His No. 6 is among the dozens of numbers that hang at TD Garden, the Celtics’ home venue, and the NBA Finals MVP Award bears his name.

Russell was a two-time inductee into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, and off the court, a 2011 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.

Other current and former Rockets players reacted to Russell’s death.

“This is a teary-eyed Sunday knowing that we lost a legendary human being,” former Rockets forward Robert Horry tweeted. “His dedication to civil rights, human rights and the sport of basketball puts him beyond legendary status. That smile will be missed."

Guard Eric Gordon kept it simple with his tribute by tweeting, “RIP Bill Russell” with an image of the Hall of Famer.

Russell leaves behind a wife and three children.