Udonis Haslem and Bill Russell. Credits: Imago

3-time NBA Champion and former Miami Heat captain Udonis Haslem had recently been guilty of going on a rant against the Boston Celtics. During his appearance on the OGs podcast, Haslem explained his previous ‘F**k Bill Russell’ comment when the Celtics’ legend jersey was retired. He claimed that the fact he and his team had to line up under a rafter of a Celtics jersey was what irked him.

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Hence, while the comment was not itself targeted at Russell, something Haslem also said, fans did not respond to the incident kindly. A number of people had reacted on social media calling Haslem out for being ignorant towards a player who had a legendary career, to say the least.

One user, in particular, the ValidHaitian, called Haslem an ignorant clown, claiming that it was Russell’s efforts in the 1960s that allowed black players such as Haslem himself to eventually succeed in the NBA.

“Saying F Bill Russell who is if not the sole reason but a major reason why you were in the league is stupid. U were able to sit ur behind on the bench for 7 str8 yrs not contribute, get paid cuz Bill wasn’t allowed in places+ sacrificed. Udonis Haslem is an ignorant clown!” the tweet read, going into detail about the kind of sacrifices that Russell had to make.

With racism still prevalent in various sections of the league and society, Russell won 11 NBA titles from 1957 to 1969, during which time he became a 5-time MVP.

Regardless, Haslem more than paid the due flowers to Russell during his recent podcast appearance. The Heat legend claimed that he had to repent his comment quite a bit already, and had only love and respect for the iconic Bill Russell.

“Will you ever see a Miami Heat jersey hanging in Boston’s rafters? Respect Bill Russell. Love him. Why the f**k he gotta hang in here?” he had said.

Hence, Haslem was justified from his perspective. He was tasked with leading a Heat team during a time when the Boston Celtics boasted of big players of their own. To do so while having to play under a rafter with a jersey of a Celtics legend is bound to result in some kind of animosity.

The two teams have over the years enjoyed some epic playoff battles. With Haslem’s Heat boasting of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh, the Celtics were worth adversaries. They had the likes of Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, in addition to Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, during this era.

Bill Russell played a huge part in helping African Americans take over the NBA

Bill Russell came to the NBA at a time when it was largely dominated by white players. He became the first black head coach in the NBA to win a championship, which happened as a player-coach in 1968 and 1969.

Hence, in many ways, Russell changed the face of the NBA itself. He ensured greater acceptance and easier integration for black players in the league, and never merely hinted at his determination to integrate his community. According to Jstor, Russell himself had to suffer through racism right from the start, something which was apparent from his high school days.

He ensured that he went the extra mile and is regarded as one of the biggest reasons why the NBA was able to successfully ensure racial integration during his era. This effectively ensured that the league was able to market itself as a truly modern sporting league, and eventually welcomed a range of iconic black players. In a list dominated by names such as Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan, Udonis Haslem is also included.