Bill Russell passing away hit the NBA world out of nowhere during the 2022 offseason. The Boston Celtics’ legend is one of the early pioneers of the game, setting the foundation for a lot of things that NBA players may take for granted. Russell sat through racial abuse and a lot worse to become the greatest basketball player of his generation and one of the greatest of all time.
The Celtics paid tribute to Russell prior to the opening tip of their first home game since his passing. The tribute came prior to the season opener between rivals Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia Warriors and was delivered by Jaylen Brown.
Jaylen Brown and the Celtics paid tribute to the late HOFer Bill Russell on opening night 🙏 https://t.co/dwIdeQAcry
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 18, 2022
“Bill Russell was a great man. But what did that mean? What defined his greatness? Who he was as a mentor, a father, a member of his community, most certainly his 11 championships here in Boston, both playing and coaching. But undoubtedly, Bill Russell was a great man for what and who he stood for. There is racial tension in our society and he represented a type of nobility and honor that transcended sports. The amount of respect he receives from his people will live on eternally and I am grateful to have shaken his hand. He was a true champion both on and off the floor and our gratitude is endless. I started off by saying ‘Bill Russell was a great man’. In closing, Bill Russell was the greatest of men and the NBA, this organization, this world, was very lucky to have him. may he rest in peace.”
This was a moving tribute to a man that stood for a lot more than just basketball. It’ll not be possible to do him justice with a few words, but Brown did a more than admirable job.
Jaylen Brown Hopes To Make This A Championship-Winning Season For Boston
The Celtics have been one of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference for the last 5 years. While this was their first Finals appearance since 2009, the Celtics were regularly qualifying for the Eastern Conference Finals just to lose to someone else like the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James or the Miami Heat led by Jimmy Butler.
They didn’t lose on the way last year and they will hope that the team can return to the summit and challenge for the throne once again. Brown was crucial to their playoff success last season, even having a strong series against the Golden State Warriors in the Finals. Despite their head coach drama, the Celtics are one of the best-positioned teams to make a run at the title.
