“Havlicek was a great player, Larry Bird was a great player, none of them were as great as Russell” - NBA analyst says Boston has a 'tortured history' because of relationship with Black stars like Bill Russell
Bill Russell, one of the most dominant NBA players of all time, died Sunday at the age of 88. His 13-year professional career was incredible, and the 6-foot-10 big man was amazing on and off the court.
Russell spent the entire 13 years of his career with the Boston Celtics, leading them to 11 championships. Thanks to his incredible skills, the Celtics are one of the most successful franchises of all time.
However, the icon dealt with racism throughout his life, and his playing career was no exception. Nick Wright pointed out how Russell's race is the only reason why he's not unanimously considered the greatest player in franchise history.
"There is a tortured history in a lot of cities, but famously Boston of their relationship with their Black stars," Wright said. "Bob Cousy was a great player, Havlicek was a great player, Larry Bird was a great player. None of them were as great as Russell was, yet there is, to this day, real question about who the greatest Celtic was."
The Celtics have had a lot of fantastic players in their history, yet Russell put them on the map. However, he still doesn't get enough credit for what he did.
Why many believe Bill Russell is the greatest Celtic of all time
Bill Russell was a winner, and that is what separated him from the other players. He was a beast on both ends of the floor, and his 11 NBA championships are the most by any player.
But while no one had a problem with Russell's skills, many had problems with his race.
Russell did not play for the fans; he simply did not care about them. There are stories of Boston Celtics fans breaking into his house, destroying his trophies and doing many other awful things, yet the NBA legend was not bothered by it.
Russell kept playing the game and dominating the NBA. He ended up being one of the most successful players in league history, but his impact off the court was incredible, too.
In his professional career, Russell averaged 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He was a five-time MVP and at one point, he led the Celtics to eight straight championships.
Larry Bird was incredible, and so was John Havlicek. But as impressive as their achievements were, they didn't even get close to Russell.
Boston was not the only city to have a racism issue
Boston has a bad reputation for racism, and for good reason. The Celtics have had many African American players, which is not something some fans enjoyed despite achieving incredible results.
Boston was not the only city that had this issue. Many other cities across the United States were not fond of African Americans, which is very unfortunate.
Bill Russell. Muhammad Ali. Lew Alcindor
Tough topping this one https://t.co/fI13SqhoZa
The situation is better now, but still far from perfect. However, this is another thing that makes Russell so fantastic. He used his voice to fight for the rights of Black people, together with Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King Jr.
His legacy is impressive, and many believe the NBA and its fans should thank Russell for being such an inspiring and amazing figure.