Bill Russell has spoken.
The Boston Celtics legend took to Twitter on Thursday and offered some candid thoughts on the protests that have been ongoing throughout the United States in the wake of the senseless death of George Floyd.
Russell revealed he and his wife went to some protests that both were “impactful” and “powerful.” But for the 86-year-old, he doesn’t think this will cause “enough change.”
“My wife took me to see some of the protests,” Russell tweeted. “She said it was emotional & impactful & asked ‘Can U believe U would live through this again in your lifetime?’ I said ‘Yes, nothing had changed & we will see some change but most likely not enough.'”
He then shared a quote he shared with a newspaper back in the 1960s when he traveled to Mississippi after civil rights activist Medgar Evers was murdered by a white supremacist. Russell, fresh off third consecutive MVP and the C’s fifth straight championship, was asked if his image potentially could be damaged because he was taking a stand against racism.
Here’s what he said:
“I’m a man. If I have to be a boy to be popular, then I don’t want it. If my popularity depends on a thing like this, I don’t give a damn.”
My wife took me to see some of the #protests she said it was emotional & impactful & asked Can U believe U would live through this again in your lifetime? I said Yes, nothing had changed & we will see some change but most likely not enough #GeorgeFloyd @MSNBC @nba @BostonGlobe pic.twitter.com/ophnSYNfgc
— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) June 4, 2020
Powerful then and now.
