I loved what he told Kenny Smith. Smith said that when they started recruiting European players to the NBA, he was bitching about it to Russell and Russell told him to stop right there. Told him that he must never be on the side of exclusion.

He’s a wise man and great one.

ED. As much as I iove Russell. I’m going to go with Paul Robeson.

2 national championships
60 game winning streak at USF
1956 Gold Medal
11 NBA Championships

You take into account every year Russell played his teams either made the championship round of his sport or won it outright

only twice did Russell not win the NBA Championship and that was because of

1. A sprained ankle in game 7 against the St. Louis Hawks in 1957 (the Celtics lost in overtime) after that, the Celtics won 8 straight championships

2. They lost to the greatest team in NBA History the 1966-1967 Philadephia 76ers

Russell revolutionized the game by using intellect, speed and defensive prowess and in the process made the Celtics a dynasty in world sports.

The first African- American Man to coach a professional team and win a championship, an intellectual a Civil Rights advocate of the first rank. Russell is the greatest player in NBA history.

I’m not bashing the league. For all I know, they went to Russell first and he declined. I can certainly understand his reasoning, if that was the case. Nonetheless, the paradox of this “honor” contrasted with his success at West’s expense (to say nothing of Chamberlain’s) cannot be lost on the fan of history.

I’m not saying it’s wrong. I’m just saying it’s absurd.

Russell is the NBA’s greatest iconic figure…just as Jim Brown is that for the NFL. In baseball, that position is undeniably held by Babe Ruth. If those sports had logos, it would like immortalizing John Elway and Stan Musial, respectively.

I’ve had Second Wind on my bookshelf forever, but never read it. Maybe I should.

Russell’s book taught me that being an intellectual or a being sensitive curious person wasn’t wrong and his life story was one of always moving forward and being proud, strong and independent. I have followed that path ever since. Russell was my first sports hero I ever admired for just being himself, and he taught me to look deeper into what constitutes a ‘role model’ than someone who can jump high, sing well, or act humble. For a 13 year old in 1979 that was important because I could have gone either way.

Nice piece. “Russell by this time wore a label issued by the FBI as an ‘arrogant negro who wouldn’t sign autographs for white children.’”

Very interesting (or not) that “white” children were singled out instead of just children.

Also, interesting was the media perception of him and Red back then. Perhaps that compelled him to recently write “Red and Me” which was a great read. They had a mutual respect that was based on equality, not hierarchy or paternalism. I got the sense that Russell wrote it for many coaches today to understand. Sure wish Larry Brown had read it before coming to the Knicks and blasting on Marbury in the press.

We missed you too Fam – believe that!

And who the hell are those children to expect him to sign autographs. “Bacdafucup, you little crumb snatcher!