A true icon of the NBA, Bill Russell is held in very high esteem by almost all NBA players, both retired and active. But not everyone is necessarily such a fan of the former Celtics pivot… A star of the 2000s notably made a rather shocking speech about the Hall of Famer recently.
Eleven titles. Do we seriously need more? No one in history has won as many championship rings as Bill Russell. Absolute legend of the Celtics in the 60s, he was the most emblematic figure in the company of Larry Bird and was the only one who knew how to send the immense Wilt Chamberlain back to his ropes. Impossible to become a champion in his time without having to rub shoulders with him.
When it comes to drawing up a Top 10 all-time, the name of the ex-interior systematically comes up among the first mentioned. Rightly so when you look at his career… or not according to some. Just ask Gilbert Arenas, who recently spoke on the subject and who did not go there with the back of the spoon. For Agent Zero, ranking Bill Russell this high makes absolutely no sense when analyzing his case:
Gilbert Arenas’ shock opinion on legend Bill Russell
Gilbert Arenas on why Bill Russell isn’t a Top 10 all time player.
Agree or disagree? ???? pic.twitter.com/GzkTRYzZnL
— Hoop God (@TheeHoopGod) August 5, 2023
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When people have Bill Russell in their Top 10, I wonder about their basketball knowledge. I’m sorry. Because he and Wilt Chamberlain played around the same time. One was shooting at 50 points and 30 rebounds per game, the other at 16 points and 20 rebounds. Which means one of them was just a player struggling under the basket. He was just jostling white people.
All you could do in scoring was score 16 points per game. You couldn’t even get past 20 points, and you want me to put you in the Top 10 all-time? Everyone was six feet tall in your day and there were only eight teams, and you played against white people, right?
This is a statement that will literally make Massachusetts fans scream with rage…
Unfortunately, hearing a player from the modern era hold a speech is ultimately not that surprising. Where some defend those of the older generation for their exploits and their impact, the younger ones believe that they have not had as much adversity to manage. That being said, Russell is the perfect example of the basketball player whose importance isn’t just about stats.
By addressing the case of Bill Russell in such a shattering way, Gilbert Arenas should have made a lot of enemies among Celtics fans. We are still talking about the most successful player in history, as well as the one who was perhaps the greatest leader ever seen on an NBA floor…
2023-08-06 15:00:00
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