“When you hear Kevin Durant and some of these other guys ready to run out after something doesn’t go right? Shame on you” - Rob Parker says he admires Bill Russell for sticking it out in Boston
Bill Russell spent 13 years playing in the NBA and winning 11 championship rings. The icon died Sunday at the age of 88, leaving an incredible legacy behind.
Russell was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1956 and spent his entire career in the city. However, the 6-foot-10 big man was not appreciated by some Celtics fans, despite winning all those titles. Fans didn't like one thing about Russell: his race.
Rob Parker and Chris Broussard recently spoke about the NBA legend and everything he went through during his career. Parker talked about the Celtics legends playing in front of the fans who hated him.
"I don't believe, Chris, I would have been able to play in Boston for people who hated me, who disrespected me, who made me feel unwelcome and unwanted," Parker said. "And I'm wearing Boston across my jersey, I'm winning for their emotions, that they feel good.
"And I'm sure he won for himself, but – you know what I mean? – it made the city and the people who lived there feel good. I don't think I would have been able to do it. I admire him."
Russell was a competitor and fantastic player. However, many players would have asked for a trade the moment they found themselves in his situation.
Bill Russell played incredible basketball despite all the hate
Bill Russell played in a city where some people hated him. Boston Celtics fans would break into his house and steal his trophies.
Russell could not avoid racism even though he was a great player who turned the Celtics into a dynasty. If it wasn't for him, Boston's NBA team wouldn't have been the most successful team in league history.
The icon, however, did not care for the fans. He wanted to win, and that's exactly he did. But some Celtics fans did not like the fact that their team was successful because of a Black man, which is why they did everything they could to run him away.
Russell did not break, he stayed in Boston for the entirety of his career and became the winningest player to ever step on an NBA floor.
Russell was much tougher than many other players
Rob Parker compared Bill Russell to Kevin Durant and the trade request the Brooklyn Nets superstar asked for. The sports anchor spoke about Russell staying in Boston for more than a decade, yet Durant couldn't handle a few bad years.
Kevin Durant has requested a trade out of Brooklyn, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Compared to the 11-time NBA champion, Durant's situation in Brooklyn is simply perfect.
"He didn't play there for a year or two and go, 'OK, I can't do this. I gotta get out of town.' That's why when you hear Kevin Durant and some of these other guys ready to run out after something doesn't go right? Shame on you," Parker said.
The Nets superstar made this offseason interesting with his trade request. The truth, however, is that Russell was much tougher than many other NBA players.