Paul Pierce issues tribute to Bill Russell, late Celtics legend and Hall of Famer

Paul Pierce issued an emotional tribute to fellow Boston Celtics legend and fellow Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Russell on Sunday night in a series of Twitter posts after learning of Russell’s death at the age of 88.

“Thank u for being a trailblazer, a pioneer. Thank u for setting the bar, for your kind words of wisdom. Thank u for that great laugh u had. I can go on all day about what u meant to me .Today is a sad day for the NBA family. u will be forever missed #6,” Pierce a former University of Kansas standout, wrote Sunday on Twitter.

Pierce also authored a Twitter post with a crying emoji with Russell’s jersey No. 6 and another post that read: “I’ll never forget this day we were like kids sitting around a campfire listening to your stories.”

Pierce in the post was referring to the day he and fellow Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett were seated around a table at an event in conjunction with the Hall of Fame.

Pierce and Russell both were members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2021. That was the year Russell, who was first inducted for his work as a player in 1975, was inducted again as a coach. Garnett was in the Hall’s Class of 2020.

Russell won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons with the Celtics. During one stretch, the Russell-led Celtics won eight titles in a row (1959-66). He was a 12-time all-star and five-time league MVP. Russell’s 11 pro championships are tied, with Henri Richard of the Montreal Canadiens, for the most by any athlete in NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL history.

Russell also won two NCAA titles at the University of San Francisco and a gold medal in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Russell congratulated former KU and NBA standout Pierce in a video that appeared on Twitter on Feb. 11, 2018, the day Pierce’s jersey 34 was retired in a ceremony at TD Garden in Boston.

“Paul … one of the greatest things that can happen to an athlete is to retire as a Celtic. I’m very proud of you and I’m proud you were a Celtic. Congratulations,” Russell said at the time.

Pierce, 44, played at KU three seasons, from 1995-98. He played for the Celtics from 1998-2013.