Celtics legend and NBA icon Bill Russell has finally accepted his Basketball Hall-of-Fame ring.
The 11-time NBA champion, five-time league MVP, Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champ tweeted out on Friday that he was presented with his Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony 44-years later.
Russell, who's now 85-years-old, refused to attend his induction ceremony back in 1975 and said he didn't deserve to be the first black player inducted.
"I felt others before me should have that honor," Russell said in his tweet.
In a private ceremony w/my wife & close friends A.Mourning @AnnMeyers @billwalton & others I accepted my #HOF ring. In ‘75 I refused being the 1st black player to go into the @Hoophall I felt others before me should have that honor. Good to see progress; ChuckCooperHOF19 @NBA pic.twitter.com/2FI5U7ThTg— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) November 15, 2019
Perhaps one reason behind Russell coming around to accepting his ring was the fact he did mention Chuck Copper in his social media post. Copper was the first black player drafted by the NBA in 1950 and he was also inducted into Springfield, MA this year.
Russell's ceremony was attended by his wife, along with friends and fellow Hall-of-Famers Bill Walton, Ann Meyers and Alonzo Mourning.
Joel Pavón
Follow @Joe1_CSP
Picture used courtesy of Yahoo Sports
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