What happened: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Cliff Hagan has passed away at age 94, the New York Post reported. Hagan entered the league as part of the landmark draft-day trade that sent Bill Russell to Boston and delivered St. Louis its 1958 championship.

Why it matters: Hagan bridged collegiate and professional basketball eras as both a national champion player and later the athletics director at Kentucky. His arrival in St. Louis directly shaped the defining Hawks-Celtics Finals rivalry of the late 1950s and early 1960s.

What to watch: Tributes from the NBA, the Hawks organization, and the University of Kentucky are underway ahead of upcoming preseason memorials.