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NBA Legend Bill Russell Remembered by Steph Curry, Magic Johnson in Trailer for New Documentary

Bill Russell's unmatched legacy lives on after his death last year — and a new Netflix documentary will soon tell his story.

Bill Russell: Legend, will showcase the life and accomplishments of the NBA star and civil rights activist, as seen in the trailer, shared exclusively with PEOPLE Wednesday.

The trailer shows other NBA legends and close friends of the player's commemorating Russell, who died in July 2022 at 88 years old.

"I don't think even he knew what type of player he was going to be," Steph Curry, four-time NBA championship winning player, said in the trailer.

RELATED: NBA and Civil Rights Icon Bill Russell Dead at 88: 'Our Beloved No. 6'

Bill Russell legend documentary by netflix
Bill Russell legend documentary by netflix

netflix

The two-part film, directed by Sam Pollard, will cover both Russell's work as a basketball player and as an activist. The trailer featured iconic players such as Chris Paul, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Jerry West, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jalen Rose, Jayson Tatum, Kenny Smith and Renee Montgomery.

As it was made in collaboration with Russell before his death, the documentary will contain his own vast personal archives, as well as the last interview he gave.

After attending the University of San Francisco, where Russell helped his team win 56 straight victories and two NCAA titles, the 6-foot-9 star was chosen by the St. Louis Hawks as the second overall pick in 1956. However, he was traded the same day to the Boston Celtics, where he went on to 11 championships, eight of which were consecutive between 1959 and 1966, an unparalleled feat in any American sport since.

Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics poses for a photo with eleven of his Championship rings in 1996 in Boston, Massachusetts
Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics poses for a photo with eleven of his Championship rings in 1996 in Boston, Massachusetts

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty

"You know what's on his hands?" former NBA star Jalen Rose says in the trailer. "More rings than fingers."

RELATED: Boston Celtics Legend Bill Russell Receives the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2019 ESPYs

Beyond his sports career, Russell was a champion for Black rights, boycotting an NBA game in 1961 when a restaurant in Kentucky refused to seat him and his Black teammates, according to Doug Merlino's book The Crossover: A Brief History of Basketball and Race, from James Naismith to LeBron James. He also marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and spoke out against segregation.

Bill Russell legend documentary by netflix
Bill Russell legend documentary by netflix

netflix

This, among other acts of service, eventually earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President Barack Obama in 2011.

"More than any athlete of his era, Bill Russell came to define the word winner," Obama said when he presented Russell with the award, a moment featured in the trailer. "Bill Russell the man is someone who stood up for the rights and dignity of all men."

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Bill Russell legend documentary by netflix
Bill Russell legend documentary by netflix

netflix

Between personal clips and interviews with those who knew and admired him, the film promises to give an in depth look into the life of the NBA icon.

Bill Russell: Legend will be available to stream on Netflix on Feb. 8.