Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell is proud of the NBA players taking a historic stand for racial justice in America.
The Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott Game 5 of their first round NBA playoff series against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The decision came just a few days after Jacob Blake, an African American male, was shot several times by police in Kenosha, Wisc., last weekend. The Bucks-Magic matchup, along with the other two games scheduled that night, were postponed.
Russell, in addition to being a Hall of Fame basketball player and an 11-time champion, is one of the most legendary civil rights activists. He has stood up for justice many, many times, even when it's difficult. One of those moments came in 1961 when Russell and other players from both the Celtics and St. Louis Hawks decided not to play in an exhibition game in Lexington, Ky., to protest racial injustice.
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Russell reacted to today's players standing up for racial equality with this tweet posted Thursday afternoon:
The NBA players' actions had a tremendous impact on sports across the nation. Many other leagues, including the WNBA, MLS, and MLB, postponed games/matches Wednesday to stand together with their NBA counterparts in the fight for justice and equality for all.
