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Bill Russell, the cornerstone of a Boston Celtics team that won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons, including a record eight straight titles, will be permanently honored by having The Finals Most Valuable Player Trophy named for him, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced today.

Bigmiketruth wrote:Would be nice for the inaugural winner to be a Celtic.

greenbeans wrote:Wow, they made a good decision! Surprised they didn't go with "Geico" Finals MVP

Scalamental wrote:Now it's time to put the statue up. Right on top of 93, in front of the Zachem Bridge next to the garden... lets go wyk...

Triple M wrote:Wouldn't it be great to see Bill Russell presentng a Celtic player the "Bill Russell Finals MVP" it would be a beutiful way to cap off the first Celtics repeat in 40 years (since 69 the last time Russell suited up). That would be a dream scenario hopefully the C's can make it happen it wont be easy.

PHOENIX – They marched him to a podium with the NBA Finals MVP trophy that’ll bear his name now, and the words had barely begun tumbling out of Bill Russell’s mouth when his hands began to tremble, his eyes welled, his voice cracked. Russell had always controlled the room with that guttural laugh and peerless presence, but the game’s greatest champion had seldom appeared so mortal, so vulnerable.

He just turned 75 years old, just lost the love of his life, Marilyn, to cancer, and now the league’s linking of his legacy to that annual award moved Russell to such bittersweet sorrow.

“I just lost my special person,” Russell said, the words stopping short. Somehow, this touched him to his core. No one saw it coming in the room, and no one could breathe. He just fought back those tears, fought back the ache of loss that comes with time’s passage.