Bill Russell to be honoured with ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’

Hall-of-Famers-Bill-Russell,-right,-and-Jerry-West-acknowledge-a-standing-ovation-during-the-first-half-of-an-NBA-basketball-game-between-the-Golden-State-Warriors-and-the-Sacramento-Kings-in-Oakland,-Calif.-West-last-played-an-NBA-game-in-1974,-but-when-he-is-asked-about-his-finals-record,-his-eyes-turn-as-cold-as-they-were-when-he-was-staring-down-Bill-Russell-and-the-Boston-Celtics-all-those-years-ago.-(Ben-Margot/AP)

Hall of Famers Bill Russell, right, and Jerry West acknowledge a standing ovation during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings in Oakland, Calif. West last played an NBA game in 1974, but when he is asked about his finals record, his eyes turn as cold as they were when he was staring down Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics all those years ago. (Ben Margot/AP)

NEW YORK — Bill Russell will be honoured with the "Lifetime Achievement Award" during the first NBA Awards.
   
The Hall of Fame centre and 11-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics will be given the award by the NBA and Turner Sports, it was announced Thursday.
   
Russell was one of the league’s dominant defensive players and won five NBA MVP awards. The NBA Finals MVP award is named in his honour. The first player to win an NBA championship, college title and Olympic gold medal, he went on to become the first African American to coach a team in one of the major professional sports.
   
The awards show will be June 26 in New York and be televised by TNT

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