Bill Russell is an NBA legend in a way that very few players can aspire to be one day. While we all talk about Michael Jordan, Russell is the actual standard-setter when it comes to winning in the NBA. The most decorated player of all time, Russell won 11 championships in 13 years, a feat we may never see replicated in modern basketball.
Russell was a pioneer not just on the basketball court, but off it as well. He fought his heart out for the city of Boston and the Boston Celtics, but he still had to battle through incredible racism, with racists even breaking into his house and taking a dump on his bed after he won the city a championship.
Russell is the grandfather of all modern NBA centers, and he was given that recognition in 2017 when he was complimented by the NBA and given an award recognizing his achievements in the game of basketball.
The award was presented by legendary NBA centers Shaquille O’Neal, Dikembe Mutombo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Robinson, and Alonzo Mourning. After being handed out the award, Russell checked out the five centers on stage and promptly told them that ‘he could kick their ass’.
This is a very heartwarming clip and everyone can see the genuine enjoyment with which the NBA fraternity present in the audience clapped for the joke. Russell still keeps himself around the game as much as he can, handing out the Finals MVP award for multiple generations now.
All those centers have a debt of gratitude to pay to Russell for paving the way for them. They all play differently on the court, but they may never have gotten the chance to do so if Russell wasn’t breaking racial stereotypes in the 50s with his sensational play and unquestionable dominance on the court.
