Michael Rapaport has a basketball theory, and it’s not a very good one.
The actor/filmmaker/New York Knicks fan recently directed “When The Garden Was Eden” for ESPN’s “30 for 30” series. Apparently, that experience empowered Rapaport to formulate some pretty scorching hot takes about Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell.
During the film-making process, Rapaport floated the idea that Russell might have been overrated. According to Rapaport’s logic, Russell played in an era where the competition wasn’t good, which made an all-world talent like Russell even better.
He shared those thoughts with longtime Boston Globe writer Bob Ryan and former New York Knicks player Dick Barnett, and well, he was quickly shot down.
“Is this to initiate some type of reaction from me?” Barnett asked him. “Michael, you’re crazy. Bill Russell was not overrated.”
Ryan added: “He is the greatest winner in the history of American team sport. Period.”
Rapaport went on ESPN2’s “Numbers Never Lie” to defend his claim, and he did so by saying Brian Scalabrine would be one of the greatest players of Russell’s era.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33NYpseZHR4#t=186
Photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
