NBA Bill Russell passes away

[MMC]

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[MMC]

 

[Terry Yake]

RIP to one of the game's biggest legends

 

[Jack Straw]

Great player, maybe even greater person. RIP.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Truly one of the greatest legends of sport and a good guy from what I saw RIP Mr Russell.

 

[JellyRamp]

RIP legend, he wont be forgotten

 

[Blitzkrug]

His contributions on, and off the court definitely won't be forgot.

RIP big man.

 

[clydesdale line]

RIP to an absolute legend.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

 

[Neutrinos]

This interaction seems like it was staged

As if a publicist set it up to have Russell talk with Kobe at half court with a camera rolling

It also seems kinda awkward; Kobe forced to remain modest and respectful, Russell doing his best impression of a father figure handing out sage advice

It looks like a conversation they both would've rather had in private

 

[LightningStorm]

RIP to a legend on and off the court. I remember seeing him at Sonics games as a kid.

 

[John Price]

 

[Power Man]

 

[DaaaaB's]

Absolute legend.

RIP Champ

 

[JeffreyLFC]

How come I learned that one of the NBA biggest icon has died through Hfboards...
Canada has failed me on this one.

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

NBA retiring #6 leaguewide:



Players who are currently wearing #6 will be allowed to continue wearing it (much like how MLB players who were wearing #42 when it was retired for Jackie Robinson were allowed to continue wearing it).

 

[These Are The Days]

Gretzky and Robinson make sense as league-wide retired numbers in NHL and MLB.but I'm a touch surprised they didn't retire Jordan's number first. But I'm not complaining, Bill Russell ain't exactly a bad pick. You're not gonna find another athlete as decorated as him in this lifetime

 

[Terry Yake]

russell was a legend on the court and an even better person off it, but i'm not a fan of retiring #6 league-wide

 

[JackSlater]

Gretzky and Robinson make sense as league-wide retired numbers in NHL and MLB.but I'm a touch surprised they didn't retire Jordan's number first. But I'm not complaining, Bill Russell ain't exactly a bad pick. You're not gonna find another athlete as decorated as him in this lifetime

I'd say that Russell having his number retired makes more sense than Gretzky having his retired does. Jordan's case would be along the same lines as Gretzky's I guess. Robinson is probably the only number that I'd have retired league wide in a North American sport though.

 

[These Are The Days]

I'd say that Russell having his number retired makes more sense than Gretzky having his retired does. Jordan's case would be along the same lines as Gretzky's I guess. Robinson is probably the only number that I'd have retired league wide in a North American sport though.

Agreed on Jackie because the color barrier was such a huge deal. It marks the evolution of society and transcends sports. Gretzky yeah, if you're saying it's not as important in scale I agree. I think he got it because he almost doubles his competition and is a GOAT in every sense of the word. I don't particularly have a problem with it but it's not anything like Jackie. At the end of the day it doesn't affect me and I might as well bow to the GOAT. Bill Russell feels arbitrary in comparison but I know that there's never been a giant of the game before or since.


IDK if it was up to me it would just be Jackie Robinson as the sole number retired. If you're gonna do Gretzky and Russell what's stopping Babe Ruth, Mario Lemieux, and Michael Jordan?

 

[JackSlater]

Agreed on Jackie because the color barrier was such a huge deal. It marks the evolution of society and transcends sports. Gretzky yeah, if you're saying it's not as important in scale I agree. I think he got it because he almost doubles his competition and is a GOAT in every sense of the word. I don't particularly have a problem with it but it's not anything like Jackie. At the end of the day it doesn't affect me and I might as well bow to the GOAT. Bill Russell feels arbitrary in comparison but I know that there's never been a giant of the game before or since.


IDK if it was up to me it would just be Jackie Robinson as the sole number retired. If you're gonna do Gretzky and Russell what's stopping Babe Ruth, Mario Lemieux, and Michael Jordan?

I agree with that. I do think that Russell being retired is a bit reactionary and not really necessary, just as Gretzky's was. It isn't an offensive gesture or anything. Robinson is a different situation all together.

 

[LightningStorm]

I sort of view Russell's #6 retirement along the lines of the main US Open venue being named Arthur Ashe Stadium, where it's more about their legacy off the court than on. Don't have a problem with the retirement, though do agree it's a bit reactionary. Still though, I do agree that nothing can top retiring #42, as Robinson represented a very important societal moment.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

Michael Jordan needs his #23 retired league-wide next. Both Russell and Jordan won multiple championships with their longtime teams.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

With the exception of Jackie Robinson due to the historic nature of his career, I’m not a fan of retiring any number league-wide. I just think it sends the wrong message that a certain pinnacle has been reached that’ll never be surpassed, which isn’t a message that I think a league should be sending regardless of a player’s stats or accolades.

Not to mention that doing it for one player invariably begs for conversations about why not doing it for this player or that player as well. Just leave number retirements to the team(s) that the players set history with.

 

[Megahab]

Jordan was a prick though. Russell is one of the few legendary figures in sports that you can't say anything bad about. Today's examples are Federer and Rafa unless I'm being ignorant.