After being selected in 1956 by the St. Louis Hawks with the second overall draft pick, Bill Russell was traded to the Boston Celtics, where he would spend his playing career[1]
With Russell as their starting center, the Celtics would win their first NBA championship in 1967, winning an NBA record eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966
Throughout the late 2000s, there had been efforts to erect a statue in honor of Russell, garnering support from Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck and Celtics radio announcer Cedric Maxwell.[2]
In February 2011, Russell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions towards basketball and civil rights[3]
During the ceremony, Barack Obama hoped that Boston would build a statue to honor Russell: "I hope that one day in the streets of Boston, children will look up at a statue built not only to Bill Russell the player, but Bill Russell the man."
Following Obama's support, city councilors Ayanna Pressley and John R. Connolly publicly expressed support for the statue, introducing a formal proposal to City Council[4]
In May 2011, the Celtics announced plans to both build a statue for Russell, as well as establish a mentorship program in his name[5]
The project would be funded by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, in collaboration with the Bill Russell Legacy Committee[6]
