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#pounditThursday, March 28, 2024

Bill Russell issues powerful statement in support of NBA players

Bill Russell

The NBA brotherhood has a very significant ally standing behind them.

Retired Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell tweeted a powerful statement on Wednesday expressing his support for the NBA players’ boycott. Russell said that he was “moved” by the gesture and “so proud” of the players. He also applauded Kenny Smith for walking off the set of “Inside the NBA” in solidarity. Russell then closed his statement by quoting the late Congressman John Lewis.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to boycott Game 5 of their first-round series amid the Jacob Blake shooting led to all three scheduled playoff games on Wednesday being postponed. Russell, meanwhile, is an icon not only of the sport but of the civil rights movement as well. The 86-year-old often faced racism during his playing career in Boston and was at the forefront of the efforts for social change in the 1960s and onward. In fact, Russell helped orchestrate the most recent and only other time that NBA players have boycotted a game back in 1961.

Russell has remained socially active in recent years as well. It has to be very uplifting for today’s players knowing a living legend like Russell is firmly in their corner.

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