yeah but have you ever considered that republicans buy sneakers too?

Bill Russell and Kareem are part of the gold standard

I think Kareem’s the greatest, but my dad says he didn’t work hard enough on defense. And he says that lots of times, Kareem didn’t even run down court. And that he didn’t really try, except during the playoffs…

Muhammad Ali

Sad they never got to face off, 1v1 with one of them guarding the other would have been legendary

They are excellent, and I’d add David Robinson to that mix. Since retiring from the league he has thrown himself into philanthropic work. He largely does absolutely nothing to get recognition for it - only ever using his name if it will draw in a significantly larger amount of charity for a given event.

He’s one of the best people to ever be in the league.

Very unfortunate that the NFL’s civil rights leader was Jim Brown considering what else he did off the field, as in that photo there was also Ali with MLK.

Kareem tried to shame lebron for not getting a vaccine. What hold standard? Bill is. But kareem MAD hatter cause magic had to carry him to top 5 status.

Him being alive for the social media era did a lot for his legacy with younger people. Being able to see and hear from a living legend, on and off the court. The NBA did a great job of preserving his legacy as well. Even guys like Shaq, who are notorious haters, always gave him his flowers.  

It is probably like 25% because of his “lack” of offensive stats (not like he was some complete bum on that end of course) and 75% because he played his entire career before the average NBA viewer’s parents were even born.

You have to dig more to see Bill’s true impact - and most people don’t do that.

Just as one example. Bill Russel has the all-time lead in defensive win shares. His lead over #2 (Tim Duncan) is bigger than Duncan’s lead over #10.

He was likely the most intelligent and gifted defensive player ever.

I think the Mt. Rushmore of historically significant players would be:

• George Mikan for being the first “star” of pro basketball
• Bill Russell for leading the Celtics dynasty and his off-court work
• Magic/Larry for helping to save the NBA after the dark days of the 70s and all the amazing stuff they did on-court
• Michael Jordan for his fame, his on-court accomplishments, and turning the game into a global sport

I don’t know why I feel the need to tell you this, but years ago when I visited the Picasso museum in Barcelona, I learned that he drew a lot of tentacle porn. Like squids and stuff doing sexual things to women.

He was a weird dude.

Yes Sam gave it to him on behalf of Bill Russell

Oh thats so cool!  He had every right to be an old grump given how he was treated in his actual playing days but it’s nice to hear that he softened up a little bit as time passed.

I wonder how much of it had to do with being weary of people trying to sell autographed items?

Russell went so far as to have arrangements with restaurants he would frequent where he wouldn’t have to sign his checks/bills.

People from Boston always see bringing this up as an attack on them (and yeah sometimes it is), but it’s really the same logic that southerners who believe in the lost cause use. Just because people who came before you were racist, doesn’t mean that you are racist, and you don’t need to deny that racism has and continues to exist here.

I’m mixed and from Boston, and despite all of the jokes I have never found it to be particularly more or less racist than anywhere I’ve visited. The city has been about a quarter black for the last 30 years, but when Russell played here it was very different like it was in much of America before the white flight.

I would also like to remind everyone that MLK Jr. by the mid 60s had approval ratings in the 30s and that interracial marriage had low approval ratings into the 90s.

Bill Russell has a complicated relationship with the Boston Celtics as well

It wasn’t with the Celtics, but the city of Boston, FWIW. From the link you shared, he would only be present for his jersey retirement ceremony if it was just in front of the team - no fans.

Bill Russell had a number of complicated relationships throughout his life, such as with his alma mater, USF. He was a very proud man and did not tolerate what he viewed as disrespect.

And speaking of complicated relationships, one story not many people know about Russell was that he had a spell where he hung out with women… of ill repute. He was even stabbed in the shoulder by one such woman, and during the playoffs!

In Russell’s own memoir he wrote:

One night when she was angry with me she didn’t hesitate to stab me in the arm with a pair of scissors, and she meant business; she plunged them all the way into the bone. The Celtics were in the middle of the play-offs at the time, and I had to find a cooperative doctor who would keep his mouth shut. He stitched up the wound just below the shoulder. But there are very few bandages you can hide under a basketball uniform, so when reporters asked me about the injury I told them I’d gotten immunization shots for a trip abroad I’d planned after the season. Iodine thought it was all very funny; she said she wanted to see if the Celtics could win a championship while I played with a hole in my arm.

Iodine was his mistress who was also purportedly a stripper/escort..

At least make mention of what happened in 1999.

Unfortunately he was treated bad everywhere else. He states he was called slurs by opposing team fans in away games and couldn’t sleep or eat with his white teammates on the road.

Using racism just to hate on the celtics, lumping regular people with racists.

Might as well lump all nba fans as racist, not like any state or city can claim to being racism free.

I think 4th is a good call. I have a hard time with definitive ordering, but my top five (in order of appearance) are Russell, Chamberlain, Jabbar, Mj, LeBron.

In fairness that book came out in 2009. I doubt he still has Russell over Lebron who was already 20th on his list at that point.

Personally I have Russell 4th and would have to do more research between him vs Kareem.

Well Tim Duncan didn’t play against Jiffy Lube employees so I’m definitely going to have him over Bill forever.

What kind of folks? Grown ass men caring about the another man’s relationship in the sport of basketball?

I dont give a flying fuck if he cheats

Not sure a lot of folks are upset about that. I saw numerous clips saying Klay dodged a bullet, she’s a BOP, etc.

I see what you did

I hadn’t thought of it until now but how could they not?

Very good one. I agree

yes and after signing he held it between his 2 fingers and gave a good wiggle, said smthin like “ljubili ljumbumi ljubiliana” and kissed me on the cheek.
hvala luka my goat

yesss the Slovenian dagger