Russell to LeBron: "Thank you for leaving me off your Mt. Rushmore."

[IllegalD]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:

[ripthekik]

Lebron ethered like gorandragon in the other thread:roll: :roll: :roll:

[TiagoSimoes]

Damm

[JT123]

Russel mad as hell that Bron left him off his Rushmore! :lol

[DaSeba5]

You simply can't have a Mt Rushmore of basketball players.

[CelticBaller]

Russell laying down the truth :applause:

[Im so nba'd out]

http://www.recaption.com/uploads/170474fe838dd1a9ad.jpg


matter fact i call flat out bull shit on this story........

[MichaelCorleone]

Lebron ethered like gorandragon in the other thread:roll: :roll: :roll:
Suuure....I got "ethered".:rolleyes:

[FrobeShaw]

seems salty

i wouldn't put him on the mountain because his head might erode from his tears

[LAZERUSS]

You simply can't have a Mt Rushmore of basketball players.

But, if you did, Russell would have to be on it...

[BallsOut]

Ether - The shit that makes your soul burn slow.

[supermechasonic]

Yeah, its revealing how upset Russel is for Lebron sharing his own personal opinion. smh

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

http://i.imgur.com/dhMeAzK.gif

[JohnFreeman]

Kobe stuck up for Bron though

[TheMarkMadsen]

Cold blooded ether

[CavaliersFTW]

http://www.recaption.com/uploads/170474fe838dd1a9ad.jpg


matter fact i call flat out bull shit on this story........
They said it when they sang Happy Birthday to Mr. Russell, it happened are you even watching the ASG? :oldlol:

[sc19]

http://www.recaption.com/uploads/170474fe838dd1a9ad.jpg


matter fact i call flat out bull shit on this story........
Watch the All Star games noob.

[DaSeba5]

But, if you did, Russell would have to be on it...

Hmm... He'd be on mine, but LeBron and people have their own opinions. It's all subjective.

[JohnFreeman]

Pretty bs LeBron is getting ethered for answering a question. For someone who had to put up with a lot of racism and indifference, Russell is very sensitive :biggums:

[Twiens]

Ruthless.

[215Philly]

Bran opinion still stands

[Im so nba'd out]

They said it when they sang Happy Birthday to Mr. Russell, it happened are you even watching the ASG? :oldlol:
watching it on mute i was talking to people my bad lol @ russel taking it so personal

[tmacattack33]

If Russell really didn't care, he wouldn't have said anything at all.

[SpecialQue]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:

:biggums:

[CavaliersFTW]

Yeah, its revealing how upset Russel is for Lebron sharing his own personal opinion. smh
It's more amazing how uninformed Lebron's opinion is. We're talking about a guy who stopped wearing #23 'out of respect for MJ' then goes on to wear #6, Bill Russell's number, one of only a small handful of guys who ever played who is arguably as great or GREATER than MJ!?

FAIL.

Lebron is an idiot when it comes to NBA history, I remember him interviewing Dr. J and he was asking him stupid questions that Dr. J kept correcting him on 'how did it feel to be the first to do ____" .... "I wasn't the first, Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor were doing that before me" ... (Lebron changes subject). Guy is just plain oblivious to the games history, he deserved to get ethered by Bill Russell :roll:

[IllegalD]

http://www.recaption.com/uploads/170474fe838dd1a9ad.jpg


matter fact i call flat out bull shit on this story........

No video link yet. Im sure it'll be up on youtube soon enough. It happened when coming back from commercial break just before the start of the 2nd quarter. When all the players were singing Happy B-Day to Russell and shaking his hand (Craig Sager reported the quote, that is. Which happened during a pre-game exchange).

But this should provide suitable confirmation until then:

http://twitchy.com/2014/02/16/etched-in-stone-basketball-great-bill-russell-schools-lebron-james-over-his-nbas-mount-rushmore-gaffe/

[Im so nba'd out]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:
russel like 80 he too old to be acting like this.Bolded every selfish thing he said though

[zoom17]

It's his opinion who cares I am sick with all these rushmore threads:facepalm

[LAZERUSS]

Obviously, there is no universally accepted NBA Mt. Rushmore, or this whole issue would be moot.

Lebron is welcome to HIS Mt. Rushmore just like anyone else is to their's.

[Draz]

Lmfao

[plowking]

Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.

[JohnFreeman]

It's more amazing how uninformed Lebron's opinion is. We're talking about a guy who stopped wearing #23 'out of respect for MJ' then goes on to wear #6, Bill Russell's number, an arguably GREATER player than MJ!?

FAIL.

Lebron is an idiot when it comes to NBA history, I remember him interviewing Dr. J and he was asking him stupid questions that Dr. J kept correcting him on 'how did it feel to be the first to do ____" .... "I wasn't the first, Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor were doing that before me" ... (Lebron changes subject). Guy is just plain oblivious to the games history :roll:
Is there such a thing an an uninformed opinion? It's his opinion. He named guys that HE grew up watching, and modeled his game after

[fos]

Russell is butthurt... and doesn't he mean "WE" won, since it's a team game and all. He's not a top 10 player all-time, let alone a top 4.

[SpecialQue]

Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.

No one in NBA history has ever won more than Russell, so I can see why he'd be pissed off about this, and how players from his generation are ignored by modern players.

[Deuce Bigalow]

It's more amazing how uninformed Lebron's opinion is. We're talking about a guy who stopped wearing #23 'out of respect for MJ' then goes on to wear #6, Bill Russell's number, an arguably GREATER player than MJ!?

FAIL.

Lebron is an idiot when it comes to NBA history, I remember him interviewing Dr. J and he was asking him stupid questions that Dr. J kept correcting him on 'how did it feel to be the first to do ____" .... "I wasn't the first, Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor were doing that before me" ... (Lebron changes subject). Guy is just plain oblivious to the games history :roll:
Then he has the audacity to say he will be on there one day :roll:

[TheMarkMadsen]

russel like 80 he too old to be acting like this.Bolded every selfish thing he said though


you bolded him saying "my" when he was referencing to his rookie season and tried to pass it as him being selfish

you're an idiot for that

what was he supposed to say "The first year a man named Bill Russell played in the NBA.." how else does he talk about his rookie season without saying "my"

[CavaliersFTW]

Is there such a thing an an uninformed opinion? It's his opinion. He named guys that HE grew up watching, and modeled his game after
Do you live under a rock? Uninformed opinions are abundant in every day life. Yes they certainly do exist :biggums:

[FrobeShaw]

:biggums:
:roll: :applause:

[IllegalD]

Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.

Wouldn't the same apply to Bron with all his "I'll be in the Top 4 Mt Rushmore" talk?

I mean, this is the same guy that was going on ESPN the Magazine trying to frame his Game 7 dagger shot as a "Jordan Moment"?

:roll:

[HoopsFanNumero1]

He sounds overly sensitive and definitely does care. There's so many great players that someone's bound to get left off when picking top 4 players.

[Leftimage]

You simply can't have a Mt Rushmore of basketball players.

You could, but it would have to have an era-specific variation for each decade.

Trying to imagine guys like Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Jordan, Lebron, Shaq in the same ''playerverse'' is just futile. All speculation & nothing more.

Otoh, it IS possible to have opinions on the matter & Lebron simply gave his own answer, in addition to saying what many MVP-level players in their primes have claimed about themselves as well: That he is confident he'll end his career among the greatest.

Kobe, MJ, Shaq and the condescending old-timers like Russel, Oscar, Kareem - All these guys have sizable egos, and I'm fairly certain they'd all have answered the same as Lebron.

[Mr.Kite]

http://www.recaption.com/uploads/170474fe838dd1a9ad.jpg


matter fact i call flat out bull shit on this story........

These kids these days...even watching box score for an ASG

[Im so nba'd out]

80 years old and still catching feelings sad

[FrobeShaw]

russell doesn't deserve top 4

what did he average again 10 points on 30% shooting?

he'd be camby at best today

[JohnFreeman]

Anyone would win in the era Russell played in.

[supermechasonic]

you state that Russel is a better player than mj as a matter of undisputable fact when it clearly is not the case. actually most would disagree with you. Does that make YOU uninformed and ignorant since mj is the consesus greatest? Leave the man and his opinion alone. This is basketball, not physics.

[CavaliersFTW]

Russell is butthurt... and doesn't he mean "WE" won, since it's a team game and all. He's not a top 10 player all-time, let alone a top 4.
Wouldn't you be butthurt if you had 11 NBA championship rings? Oh wait nvm...

Russell delivered a cold dose of ether, with a smile on his face, plain and simple - bran stans catching feelings :oldlol:

[PyrrhusX]

Russell is butthurt... and doesn't he mean "WE" won, since it's a team game and all. He's not a top 10 player all-time, let alone a top 4.

If Russell isnt top 10, bran should not be anywhere close too :oldlol:

[TheMarkMadsen]

yes, I'm sure the guy with the FMVP trophy named after him that Lebron bailed on his home town and took a pay cut just to have a chance at earning is upset :lol

[JebronLames]

Shut up bill. Just don't drop my finals MVP trophy this coming June.

[FrobeShaw]

If Russell isnt top 10, bran should not be anywhere close too :oldlol:
then durant will never even rank within the top 50

[secund2nun]

Wow Russell got mad :lol

Russell is no Mount Rushmore lock. In fact, he doesn't belong on it at all. His offense was useless 13.4 shots per game 15.1 ppg on 44% fg. He was a great rebounder and defender in his era. He played on a team stacked with HOFers in an league with 8 teams.

[CJ Mustard]

Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.
:oldlol: Funny because Lebron has been talking for weeks.

[fpliii]

Russell is butthurt... and doesn't he mean "WE" won, since it's a team game and all. He's not a top 10 player all-time, let alone a top 4.
****ing ****** and moron, grow the **** up.

[LAZERUSS]

80 years old and still catching feelings sad

I hope I am in as good as shape when I am 80. Hell, I hope I make it to 80.

[JohnFreeman]

In no way is Bill a top 4 player though..

[IllegalD]

80 years old and still catching feelings sad

Good to see that you moved quickly from stage 1, Denial ("I call bs, where's the link?), to stage 3, Anger ("Hahaha, butthurt old man catching feelings...")

:lol

[fpliii]

:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

SMH at 90% of the posts in this thread.

[Im so nba'd out]

Wouldn't you be butthurt if you had 11 NBA championship rings? Oh wait nvm...

Russell delivered a cold dose of ether, with a smile on his face, plain and simple - bran stans catching feelings :oldlol:
not 1 lebron stan has even entered this thread yet thats the thing.Russel just too damn old to be acting like this he should be focused on staying alive for another day not someone else's mt rushmore :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[TheMarkMadsen]

Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.


the ****ing irony :roll: :roll:

[CavaliersFTW]

not 1 lebron stan has even entered this thread yet thats the thing.Russel just too damn old to be acting like this he should focused on staying alive for another day not someone else's mt rushmore :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
bran stans have reached new levels of delusion :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

[fpliii]

not 1 lebron stan has even entered this thread yet thats the thing.Russel just too damn old to be acting like this he should be focused on staying alive for another day not someone else's mt rushmore :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Are you for real?

[FrobeShaw]

why are some of you guys getting mad like you are related to russell?

[DonDadda59]

Bawse.

[fpliii]

bran stans have reached new levels of delusion :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
Dude, your Russell mix is needed more than ever. :bowdown:

The anti-Russell ignorance is as bad as it's ever been on this board.

[JohnFreeman]

LeBron is going to stop answering questions soon.

[215Philly]

Wow Russell got mad :lol

Russell is no Mount Rushmore lock. In fact, he doesn't belong on it at all. His offense was useless 13.4 shots per game 15.1 ppg on 44% fg. He was a great rebounder and defender in his era. He played on a team stacked with HOFers in an league with 8 teams.
They gon ignore this :lol

[plowking]

Wouldn't the same apply to Bron with all his "I'll be in the Top 4 Mt Rushmore" talk?

I mean, this is the same guy that was going on ESPN the Magazine trying to frame his Game 7 dagger shot as a "Jordan Moment"?

:roll:

Specifically being asked a question is different to writing a soliloquy about how upset about someones opinion you are.

Bron has always given past players their due. This time he can't name every single great ever to play, so people throw a fit when he doesn't name a particular guy. Who cares? Russell isn' in my top 4 or 5 either, and I'm sure many others on here.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

This thread confirms Lebron fans have exceeded Kobe fans in f*ckery. Absolute shit for a fan base. Wow

[kamil]

Holy sh*t, did Russell really say that?

[Take Your Lumps]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:

http://i.imgur.com/QbUWOiJ.gif

[Im so nba'd out]

Good to see that you moved quickly from stage 1, Denial ("I call bs, where's the link?), to stage 3, Anger ("Hahaha, butthurt old man catching feelings...")

:lol
i never called him a butthurt old man.......he is just tool old to be going back and for with lebron even kd dont respond to his sht.You dont see no 1 else responding

[fpliii]

They gon ignore this :lol
:facepalm

[edrick]

says he doesn't care, then continues on showing that he does care. :rolleyes: As Kobe said, it's impossible to make a list, too many people would be left off.

[FrobeShaw]

This thread proves Lebron fans have exceeded Kobe fans in f*ckery. Absolute shit for a fan base.
let's not act like russell wasn't mad now :no:

[LoneyROY7]

Damn.

http://jtangovc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Bill-Russell.jpg

[Akrazotile]

russel like 80 he too old to be acting like this.Bolded every selfish thing he said though


Nah, bragging is an old people move tho. Always talkin bout what they did in their day, how their generation was better, etc.


Reminds me of an old Jim Carrey standup bit where he talks about how "You can always tell how boring someone's life is, by how far back they have to reach for glory." *starts talking like an old man*: "Remember... Remember how fast I used to be... When I was a sperm!"


Russell sounds like hes damn near close to death with this saltiness.

[9erempiree]

I usually don't get upset on here but it is pretty sad that people are disrespecting Russell.

:facepalm

[JohnFreeman]

Nah, bragging is an old people move tho. Always talkin bout what they did in their day, how their generation was better, etc.


Reminds me of an old Jim Carrey standup bit where he talks about how "You can always tell how boring someone's life is, by how far back they have to reach for glory." *starts talking like an old man*: "Remember... Remember how fast I used to be... When I was a sperm!"


Russell sounds like hes damn near close to death with this saltiness.
:applause:

[LAZERUSS]

Of course, if any of us would have picked our own Mt. Rushmore, we all know that everyone here would have agreed with it, right?

[Im so nba'd out]

bran stans have reached new levels of delusion :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
lol @ me as a lebron stan rofl..................go to any other lebron thread and tell me if u see me posting in there.....dont worry ill wait

[Noob Saibot]

why are some of you guys getting mad like you are related to russell?

^This. I willing to bet Russell would feel humbled if LeBron randomly put him in his Mt. Rushmore. Its not that a big deal people, but Russell made it into one.

[plowking]

Wouldn't you be butthurt if you had 11 NBA championship rings? Oh wait nvm...

Russell delivered a cold dose of ether, with a smile on his face, plain and simple - bran stans catching feelings :oldlol:

Whenever Lebron is mentioned you end up looking stupid and more butthurt than Russell. :oldlol:

[CavaliersFTW]

Wow I have never in my life encountered a more sensitive stanbase, bran stans are virtually in tears right now over russell's comment, the amount of ether he delivered to bran was too much for them to handle :oldlol:

[FrobeShaw]

I usually don't get upset on here but it is pretty sad that people are disrespecting Russell.

:facepalm

he's above criticism because he's old!

[K Xerxes]

This thread is ridiculous - on both sides. Russell deserves his respect, but he does not have to be on everyone's top 4 list for the opinion to be 'informed'. There are many players that could be argued as top 4 depending on the perspective you look at.

[FrobeShaw]

Whenever Lebron is mentioned you end up looking stupid and more butthurt than Russell. :oldlol:
:applause:

[kamil]

Nah, bragging is an old people move tho. Always talkin bout what they did in their day, how their generation was better, etc.


Reminds me of an old Jim Carrey standup bit where he talks about how "You can always tell how boring someone's life is, by how far back they have to reach for glory." *starts talking like an old man*: "Remember... Remember how fast I used to be... When I was a sperm!"


Russell sounds like hes damn near close to death with this saltiness.

LMFAO! I heard that Carrey skit a few days on the radio on my way to work, I nearly died laughing.

[MichaelCorleone]

Bill Russell obviously felt threatened by Lebron James ascend in the GOAT ranking. He bitter and insecure.

[DaSeba5]

Specifically being asked a question is different to writing a soliloquy about how upset about someones opinion you are.

Bron has always given past players their due. This time he can't name every single great ever to play, so people throw a fit when he doesn't name a particular guy. Who cares? Russell isn' in my top 4 or 5 either, and I'm sure many others on here.

Nobody would have a problem with that, but because it's LeBron it's a huge deal. These people make Bran stans look good I swear. He's not allowed to have an opinion. If he picked Russell and had Bird or Magic out of his top 4, they and the people here will make him look foolish, and then you would see this thread for Magic or Bird instead.

[CavaliersFTW]

Whenever Lebron is mentioned you end up looking stupid and more butthurt than Russell. :oldlol:

ahem...


Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.

Bran earlier this week:
"I will be on NBA’s Mount Rushmore of greats ‘for sure’"
http://nba.si.com/2014/02/11/lebron-james-mount-rushmore-nba-greats/

:oldlol:

[FrobeShaw]

goran here

everyone clear out

[zoom17]

Of course, if any of us would have picked our own Mt. Rushmore, we all know that everyone here would have agreed with it, right?

:applause:

[JohnFreeman]

LMFAO! I heard that Carrey skit a few days on the radio on my way to work, I nearly died laughing.
Carrey was hilarious. I loved his Overly gay sketches

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Wow I have never in my life encountered a more sensitive stanbase, bran stans are virtually in tears right now over russell's comment, the amount of ether he delivered to bran was too much for them to handle :oldlol:

Most pathetic group of fans I have seen.

[kamil]

Nah, bragging is an old people move tho. Always talkin bout what they did in their day, how their generation was better, etc.


Reminds me of an old Jim Carrey standup bit where he talks about how "You can always tell how boring someone's life is, by how far back they have to reach for glory." *starts talking like an old man*: "Remember... Remember how fast I used to be... When I was a sperm!"


Russell sounds like hes damn near close to death with this saltiness.

This is the Jim Carrey skit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EOi4Rq_CE8

[DaSeba5]

Wow I have never in my life encountered a more sensitive stanbase, bran stans are virtually in tears right now over russell's comment, the amount of ether he delivered to bran was too much for them to handle :oldlol:

Calling people sensitive and butthurt doesn't make your opinion any better. It's only a top 4. Somebody is going to be left out, and no matter what, those fans and that player is not going to be happy.

[IGOTGAME]

Russel and KAJ should be a little insulted. No way that Oscar is even close to that better than them.

[Rodmantheman]

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/001425787/UglyGirl_xlarge.jpeg

[JohnFreeman]

This is the Jim Carrey skit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EOi4Rq_CE8
Bill in a nut shell

[DonDadda59]

Bill Russell obviously felt threatened by Lebron James ascend in the GOAT ranking. He bitter and insecure.

That's not at all what happened. He was just telling the young pup to respect his gangster is all. Pretty standard really.

[CavaliersFTW]

Nobody would have a problem with that, but because it's LeBron it's a huge deal. These people make Bran stans look good I swear. He's not allowed to have an opinion. If he picked Russell and had Bird or Magic out of his top 4, they and the people here will make him look foolish, and then you would see this thread for Magic or Bird instead.
His opinions are totally uninformed when it comes to NBA history, he's simply getting called out for it. Which he deserves. If you're going to open up about a subject and make bold statements (such as an NBA 'mount rushmore') you had best do your homework and think it through. Leaving Bill Russell off? Seriously? It's just ridiculous, why even make a list if you're not aware how huge Bill Russell is to the game of basketball, he is no less mandatory on an NBA 'mt rushmore' than Michael Jordan is.

[plowking]

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]ahem...



Bran earlier this week:
[I]"I will be on NBA

[9erempiree]

http://s17.postimg.org/q309lba9b/phil_jackson_would_pick_bill_russell_over_michae.j pg

[fpliii]

His opinions are totally uninformed when it comes to NBA history, he's simply getting called out for it. Which he deserves. If you're going to open up about a subject and make bold statements (such as an NBA 'mount rushmore') you had best do your homework and think it through. Leaving Bill Russell off? Seriously? It's just ridiculous, why even make a list if you're not aware how huge Bill Russell is to the game of basketball, he is no less mandatory on an NBA 'mt rushmore' than Michael Jordan is.
/thread

[FrobeShaw]

His opinions are totally uninformed when it comes to NBA history, he's simply getting called out for it. Which he deserves. If you're going to open up about a subject and make bold statements (such as an NBA 'mount rushmore') you had best do your homework and think it through. Leaving Bill Russell off? Seriously? It's just ridiculous, why even make a list if you're not aware how huge Bill Russell is to the game of basketball, he is no less mandatory on an NBA 'mt rushmore' than Michael Jordan is.

jordan
wilt
kaj

yeah, you're right...magic/bird have no business infront of him :coleman:

[Black Mamba's B]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:

WOW

[DaSeba5]

His opinions are totally uninformed when it comes to NBA history, he's simply getting called out for it. Which he deserves. If you're going to open up about a subject and make bold statements (such as an NBA 'mount rushmore') you had best do your homework and think it through. Leaving Bill Russell off? Seriously? It's just ridiculous, why even make a list if you're not aware how huge Bill Russell is to the game of basketball, he is no less mandatory on an NBA 'mt rushmore' than Michael Jordan is.

But it's his opinion. It's a top 4 out of thousands of players. Somebody is going to get left out. Maybe if he left Jordan out or something, but I've seen plenty of people not have Russell in their top 4.

[plowking]

His opinions are totally uninformed when it comes to NBA history, he's simply getting called out for it. Which he deserves. If you're going to open up about a subject and make bold statements (such as an NBA 'mount rushmore') you had best do your homework and think it through. Leaving Bill Russell off? Seriously? It's just ridiculous, why even make a list if you're not aware how huge Bill Russell is to the game of basketball, he is no less mandatory on an NBA 'mt rushmore' than Michael Jordan is.

Thats an uninformed opinion if you believe that. Start reading up some more.

[CavaliersFTW]

Thats an uninformed opinion if you believe that. Start reading up some more.
Why are you still here?:


[QUOTE=plowking]Whenever Lebron is mentioned you end up looking stupid and more butthurt than Russell. :oldlol:

ahem...


Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.

Bran earlier this week:
[I]"I will be on NBA

[JohnFreeman]

"LeBron can't have an opinion waaaa wahhh wahhh" Man some of you a sensitive

[FrobeShaw]

"LeBron can't have an opinion waaaa wahhh wahhh" Man some of you a sensitive

they are essentially saying there should be a strict list that can never be changed or challenged! :biggums:

[BigMacAttack]

Russel and KAJ should be a little insulted. No way that Oscar is even close to that better than them.

This, Bran is entilted to his opinion but if its a dumb as **** opinion people will let you know.


Russel with that ether :bowdown: .

[K Xerxes]

His opinions are totally uninformed when it comes to NBA history, he's simply getting called out for it. Which he deserves. If you're going to open up about a subject and make bold statements (such as an NBA 'mount rushmore') you had best do your homework and think it through. Leaving Bill Russell off? Seriously? It's just ridiculous, why even make a list if you're not aware how huge Bill Russell is to the game of basketball, he is no less mandatory on an NBA 'mt rushmore' than Michael Jordan is.

Are you saying that a top 4 consisting of, say, MJ, Kareem, Wilt and Magic/Bird is ridiculous?

I have Russell in my top 4, but that list I gave you is fine. There is no set GOAT list.

[DaSeba5]

they are essentially saying there should be a strict list that can never be changed or challenged! :biggums:

Yes people are acting like there's some certain list set in stone, and everyone who goes against that list is uninformed.

[CavaliersFTW]

This, Bran is entilted to his opinion but if its a dumb as **** opinion people will let you know.


Russel with that ether :bowdown: .
exactly :applause:

[MichaelCorleone]

Bill Russell caught feelings but had nothing but words to retaliate, he can't play anymore.:oldlol:

[DaSeba5]

This, Bran is entilted to his opinion but if its a dumb as **** opinion people will let you know.


Russel with that ether :bowdown: .

That's your opinion though. That's the point. Sigh...

[Black Mamba's B]

I usually don't get upset on here but it is pretty sad that people are disrespecting Russell.

:facepalm

That's all these LeBron trolls

[plowking]

CavsFTW looking stupid. Arguing against Lebron but the doing the same thing hes doing. Lol... do you even know how to debate?

[IGOTGAME]

But it's his opinion. It's a top 4 out of thousands of players. Somebody is going to get left out. Maybe if he left Jordan out or something, but I've seen plenty of people not have Russell in their top 4.
That is fine. But there is NO argument for Oscar. That is where he lost me.

It's his opinion argument is just stupid. Under that he could just put Kwame Brown up there. You have to at least be able to make a cogent argument.

[K Xerxes]

CavsFTW looking stupid. Arguing against Lebron but the doing the same thing hes doing. Lol... do you even know how to debate?

He's trolling for the sake of it. He's not that stupid, he's just carrying this on because it's Lebron.

[DaSeba5]

That is fine. But there is NO argument for Oscar. That is where he lost me.

I agree with you. Oscar is not even in my top 10, but it's his opinion.

[CavaliersFTW]

CavsFTW looking stupid. Arguing against Lebron but the doing the same thing hes doing. Lol... do you even know how to debate?
Let's do this one more time:


[QUOTE=plowking]Whenever Lebron is mentioned you end up looking stupid and more butthurt than Russell. :oldlol:

ahem...


Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.

Bran earlier this week:
[I]"I will be on NBA

[FrobeShaw]

He's trolling for the sake of it. He's not that stupid, he's just carrying this on because it's Lebron.

he is completely incapable of having a normal thought regarding lebron

[JohnFreeman]

Sounds like he just named the players he revolved his game around :confusedshrug:

[DaSeba5]

That is fine. But there is NO argument for Oscar. That is where he lost me.

It's his opinion argument is just stupid. Under that he could just put Kwame Brown up there. You have to at least be able to make a cogent argument.

He was asked a question and he answered. I'm not sure he was expected to go into a deep analysis about it. Besides Oscar is a great player. Kwame Brown isn't. So...

[Im so nba'd out]

There is only one person on every single mt rushmore of basketball and his name is michael jeffrey jordan the other 3 is a debate





LEBRON TAKE A LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE YOU MADE A HUGH DEBATE RIGHT OUT OF YOUR GUMS LEBRONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN (WHISTLE OLD SPICE SONG)https://img.youtube.com/vi/W7KbGpo5ags/hqdefault.jpg

[plowking]

Let's do this one more time:



:oldlol:

Already been addressed. Looking stupid again Cavs. Step your game up. :oldlol:

[IGOTGAME]

He was asked a question and he answered. I'm not sure he was expected to go into a deep analysis about it. Besides Oscar is a great player. Kwame Brown isn't. So...

He couldn't do it if he had weeks. There is no argument hat you could make to put Oscar in the top 4. Just not possible under any criteria.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

CavaliersFTW last season:

http://blog.newscom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cleveland-fan-lebron-james.jpg

[secund2nun]

"LeBron can't have an opinion waaaa wahhh wahhh" Man some of you a sensitive

And in the process disrespecting greats like Shaq, Hakeem, Duncan, KAJ, Wilt in addition to the players listed in Lebron's Mount Rushmore.

If you were gonna go the older player route you'd choose Wilt anyways. He was unquestionably better than Russell. Kareem as well.

[Akrazotile]

Honestly, the legend of Bill Russell is pretty exaggerated.

The dude was a very good basketball player in his day. Ok. Awesome. He also played in a nine team league full of white tax accountants. Wow. That's great.

Shaquille O'Neal was the MDE in a much more competitive era. People have no problem criticizing him. Bran is the most dominant player on Earth, in an era where practically every kid on the planet who grew up watching MJ picked up a basketball and tried to make it to the NBA. Bill Russell was the most dominant out of a group of, what, 500,000 kids who grew up playing basketball? Bran is the best player out of like a billion.


Take the mindless, simplistic talking point of "rings" and add an old dude who did it a long time ago, and you basically create the invincible second coming of jesus christ. I swear, the base public just loves creating idols to worship.


Beta as f*ck.


That's all.

[IGOTGAME]

Honestly, the legend of Bill Russell is pretty exaggerated.

The dude was a very good basketball player in his day. Ok. Awesome. He also played in a nine team league full of white tax accountants. Wow. That's great.

Shaquille O'Neal was the MDE in a much more competitive era. People have no problem criticizing him. Bran is the most dominant player on Earth, in an era where practically every kid on the planet who grew up watching MJ picked up a basketball and tried to make it to the NBA. Bill Russell was the most dominant out of a group of, what, 500,000 kids who grew up playing basketball? Bran is the best player out of like a billion.


Take the mindless, simplistic talking point of "rings" and add an old dude who did it a long time ago, and you basically create the invincible second coming of jesus christ. I swear, the base public just loves creating idols to worship.


Beta as f*ck.


That's all.

You write like one of those retarded bitches on Jezebel.

[Laker4Lyfe]

Why did Lebron apologize in the first place? :confusedshrug:

IMO he shouldn't have mentioned it all. :facepalm

[Akrazotile]

That is fine. But there is NO argument for Oscar. That is where he lost me.

It's his opinion argument is just stupid. Under that he could just put Kwame Brown up there. You have to at least be able to make a cogent argument.


Maybe he was just making a point that Oscar is too often overlooked in discussions of the game's greats.

It's not like anyone is actually beginning construction on a real basketball mount rushmore based on Lebron's selections.

If the dude wants to shout out Oscar, who GAF

[navy]

He couldn't do it if he had weeks. There is no argument hat you could make to put Oscar in the top 4. Just not possible under any criteria.
Niqqa averaged a triple double in a season. To say there is no criteria is stupid. He is the GOAT all around player. Which is why Lebron put him on the list.

[FrobeShaw]

He couldn't do it if he had weeks. There is no argument hat you could make to put Oscar in the top 4. Just not possible under any criteria.

triple double and his stats

putting more stock into individual greatness over winning?

there is a weak argument there but it exists

[CavaliersFTW]

Man you bran stans need to stop being so sensitive, Bill Russell the GOAT calls out bran for being ignorant and suddenly all you have caught feelings, there are more bran stans in this thread than basketball fans and all you poor souls are doing is crying on each others shoulder over this comment trying to justify what bran said as you sniffle away the pain. Russell taught bran a lesson, he'll get over it, you guys should too quit being betas :oldlol:

[FrobeShaw]

Man you bran stans need to stop being so sensitive, Bill Russell the GOAT calls out bran for being ignorant and suddenly all you have caught feelings, there are more bran stans in this thread than basketball fans and all you poor souls are doing is crying on each others shoulder over this comment. Russell taught bran a lesson, he'll get over it, you guys should too quit being betas :oldlol:

you were crying all throughout this thread my man :biggums:

[Pointguard]

Russell didn't realize that Lebron picked guys with all around games, smart and had immaculate skill. Russell isn't remotely in that conversation. If Lebron were to name a center it would have been Wilt or Hakeem.

Lebron's intention was obvious as hell.

[IGOTGAME]

Niqqa averaged a triple double in a season. To say there is no criteria is stupid. He is the GOAT all around player. Which is why Lebron put him on the list.
He really wasn't. 10 guys played the game of basketball all around better than he did. Oscar was never the best player in the lg or seriously in the argument.

[MichaelCorleone]

Russell didn't realize that Lebron picked guys with all around games, smart and had immaculate skill. Russell isn't remotely in that conversation. If Lebron were to name a center it would have been Wilt or Hakeem.

Lebron's intention was obvious as hell.
This.

[Akrazotile]

You write like one of those retarded bitches on Jezebel.


I don't know what Jezebel but if it's some sort of showcase for retarded bitches I'm sure you're all about it you base cattle.

[Miller for 3]

:facepalm

So much ignorance. Some of you kiddos need to take your Flintstone vitamins and hit the sack. It's past your bedtime, let the grownups discuss the GOATs

[IGOTGAME]

Russell didn't realize that Lebron picked guys with all around games, smart and had immaculate skill. Russell isn't remotely in that conversation. If Lebron were to name a center it would have been Wilt or Hakeem.

Lebron's intention was obvious as hell.

Lebron just doesn't respect Russel. This was shown after he decided to where number 6.

[longtime lurker]

Damn Bill Russell just dropped that oldschool knowledge on Lebron :applause:

[DaSeba5]

Man you bran stans need to stop being so sensitive, Bill Russell the GOAT calls out bran for being ignorant and suddenly all you have caught feelings, there are more bran stans in this thread than basketball fans and all you poor souls are doing is crying on each others shoulder over this comment trying to justify what bran said as you sniffle away the pain. Russell taught bran a lesson, he'll get over it, you guys should too quit being betas :oldlol:

:facepalm

[navy]

Man you bran stans need to stop being so sensitive, Bill Russell the GOAT calls out bran for being ignorant and suddenly all you have caught feelings, there are more bran stans in this thread than basketball fans and all you poor souls are doing is crying on each others shoulder over this comment trying to justify what bran said as you sniffle away the pain. Russell taught bran a lesson, he'll get over it, you guys should too quit being betas :oldlol:

Who is crying, accept you?:oldlol:
The truth is Lebron named a second rushore and put Russel on there. Nobody cares.

You're still butthurt that Lebron ditched the shit stain of a city that is Cleveland. Get over it.

[Magic 32]

Russell looks like the idiot, not James. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Russell just comes off looking old, grumpy and stupid. If you're as secure with your place in history as you claim, you wouldn't have to talk.

and that would apply to Lebron :roll: :roll: :roll:

[FrobeShaw]

except*

[CavaliersFTW]

and that would apply to Lebron :roll: :roll: :roll:
n-n-n-no he doesn't count! :lol

[JohnFreeman]

Kareem > Russell

[Marchesk]

Shaquille O'Neal was the MDE in a much more competitive era.

Wilt was the most dominant ever.


The dude was a very good basketball player in his day. Ok. Awesome. He also played in a nine team league full of white tax accountants. Wow. That's great.

And Wilt, Oscar, Baylor, West, Petit and Hondo. All guys who have top 20 credentials. There was also HOF centers like Thurmond, Bellamy and Lanier.


Bill Russell was the most dominant out of a group of, what, 500,000 kids who grew up playing basketball? Bran is the best player out of like a billion.

No, that was Wilt. And there's every reason to think it would still be Wilt today given his physical size and abilities.

[IGOTGAME]

triple double and his stats

putting more stock into individual greatness over winning?

there is a weak argument there but it exists
Several guys who put up better seasons than Oscar. Kareem, Wilt, Jordan, Shaq. Oscar wasn't individually superior to all his peers, he was never in the convo for best player.

[navy]

He really wasn't. 10 guys played the game of basketball all around better than he did. .
10 guys? Are you delusional?:oldlol:

A triple double in a season. Show me 10 people who did that.

[FrobeShaw]

Several guys who put up better seasons than Oscar. Kareem, Wilt, Jordan, Shaq. Oscar wasn't individually superior to all his peers, he was never in the convo for best player.

he put up the only triple double seasons in history and somehow he wasn't superior

this guy :oldlol:

[IGOTGAME]

10 guys? Are you delusional?:oldlol:

Jordan
Magic
Bird
Duncan
Hakeem
Kareem
Wilt
Shaq
Kobe
Russell

[Marchesk]

He really wasn't. 10 guys played the game of basketball all around better than he did. Oscar was never the best player in the lg or seriously in the argument.

Care to name those 10 players? Oscar has 43 more career tripple doubles than the next player on the list (obviously Magic). Oscar won an MVP btw, so he was considered the best player that year. Thing is that he played during the era of Rusell and Wilt, who have 9 MVPs between them.

[navy]

Jordan
Magic
Bird
Duncan
Hakeem
Kareem
Wilt
Shaq
Kobe
Russell
:roll:


30/12/11 for a season.And this niqqa names Kobe Bryant? :roll:

[sportjames23]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:


Damn. Just...damn.

I saw Kobe included Russell on his Mt. Rushmore during a press conference today. Mamba knew what was up. :oldlol:

[jlip]

It's more amazing how uninformed Lebron's opinion is. We're talking about a guy who stopped wearing #23 'out of respect for MJ' then goes on to wear #6, Bill Russell's number, one of only a small handful of guys who ever played who is arguably as great or GREATER than MJ!?

FAIL.

Lebron is an idiot when it comes to NBA history, I remember him interviewing Dr. J and he was asking him stupid questions that Dr. J kept correcting him on 'how did it feel to be the first to do ____" .... "I wasn't the first, Connie Hawkins and Elgin Baylor were doing that before me" ... (Lebron changes subject). Guy is just plain oblivious to the games history, he deserved to get ethered by Bill Russell :roll:

:applause:

[Pointguard]

He really wasn't. 10 guys played the game of basketball all around better than he did. Oscar was never the best player in the lg or seriously in the argument.
One thing Russell, Wilt and Kareem all agree with is that Oscar was one of the best ever. He averaged a triple double for over five years.

Everybody should have a mount rushmore that they fit in on. That's the best way to join legends.

[IGOTGAME]

Care to name those 10 players? Oscar has 43 more career tripple doubles than the next player on the list (obviously Magic). Oscar won an MVP btw, so he was considered the best player that year. Thing is that he played during the era of Rusell and Wilt, who have 9 MVPs between them.
So he played in an era where they were two players flat out considered better at basketball than him...ok, thanks for reiterating my point.

[Magic 32]

The authentic "I'm not even supposed to be here" black superstar, just got owned by a civil rights leader. :roll:

This is comedy at its best :oldlol:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BgpLLx9CAAAtEFZ.jpg

[IGOTGAME]

One thing Russell, Wilt and Kareem all agree with is that Oscar was one of the best ever. He averaged a triple double for over five years.

Everybody should have a mount rushmore that they fit in on. That's the best way to join legends.
Yea, but he wasn't wilt, Russell or Kareem. Just not on that level.

[FrobeShaw]

Yea, but he wasn't wilt, Russell or Kareem. Just not on that level.
neither is kobe
neither is duncan
neither is hakeem

:confusedshrug:

[IGOTGAME]

neither is kobe
neither is duncan
neither is hakeem

:confusedshrug:
Yea and none of honey were on that list either. There is just no criteria where Kareem should be left off and Oscar is on there...

[Akrazotile]

Wilt was the most dominant ever.



Shaq was more dominant than Wilt as a player.

The only reason it doesn't show in the stats is because of pace and because Shaq had to carry the league's all-time leader in FGA and FGM.

Fact.

[Marchesk]

So he played in an era where they were two players flat out considered better at basketball than him...ok, thanks for reiterating my point.

Yeah, that would be like if Lebron played during the 90s.

[FrobeShaw]

lebron > hakeem, goatstuckintreeman


Yea and none of honey were on that list either. There is just no criteria where Kareem should be left off and Oscar is on there...
agreed

but don't disrespect a legend like the O :no:

[jlip]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:

Russell has basically been saying this for years.

My approach was it's a team game. And the only important stat, if you want to call it that, is the final score. And so I was only interested in winning. But that goes back to my high school and college days...My junior year in college, I had what I thought was the one of the best college seasons ever. We won 28 out of 29 games. We won the National Championship. I was the MVP at the Final Four. I was first team All American. I averaged over 20 points and over 20 rebounds, and I was the only guy in college blocking shots. So after the season was over, they had a Northern California banquet, and they picked another center as Player of the Year in Northern California. Well, that let me know that if I were to accept these as the final judges of my career I would die a bitter old man. So I made a conscious decision: "What I'll do is I will try my very best to win every game. So when my career is finished it will be a historical fact I won these games, these championships, and there's no one's opinion how good I am or how good other guys are or comparing things." And so as I chronicle my career playing basketball, I played organized basketball for 21 years and I was on 18 championship teams. So that's what my standard is: playing a team game and my team winning. I really applaud -- and adore really -- these great athletes, that play my game especially. So I feel humbled if someone wants to go past that and include me in that group, 'cause I never include myself in that group.

Link (http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/printmember/rus0int-1)

[Pointguard]

Yea, but he wasn't wilt, Russell or Kareem. Just not on that level.
He was the smart superskilled guy with all around game. What Lebron and Wade are changing the game into now. Oscar has more influence on the game now than anybody else from the early years.

[IGOTGAME]

He was the smart superskilled guy with all around game. What Lebron and Wade are changing the game into now. Oscar has more influence on the game now than anybody else from the early years.

I doubt Lebron has ever seen a full game of Oscar in his prime, ever. It also hasn't been a progression either.

[Dizzle-2k7]

The authentic "I'm not even supposed to be here" black superstar, just got owned by a civil rights leader. :roll:

This is comedy at its best :oldlol:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BgpLLx9CAAAtEFZ.jpg

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[BigMacAttack]

Not just leaving Russel and Kareem off the list, he is saying he has one spot. A guy who if he retires today is only arguably top ten is garuanteeing he will be top 4, above Russel, Kareem, Wilt and one of the four he named.

Dude is feeling himself way to much, you are 29 and might not even be the best in the league anymore, stop it with the talk.

[MavsSuperFan]

But, if you did, Russell would have to be on it...
No, Lebron correctly adjusted for level of competition.

I mean would you put Mikan on mt rushmore?

[Marcus Thornton]

Russell is trying to say that he don't want to get caught up in that top whatever debates because in the end, he's a winner and that will be what he'll be remembered for.

[fpliii]

No, Lebron correctly adjusted for level of competition.

I mean would you put Mikan on mt rushmore?
:facepalm

Comparing pre-shotclock players to Russell?

When are you going to stop discrediting these guys? Reaching for the stars here.

[houston]

whatever dollar bill

[Pointguard]

I doubt Lebron has ever seen a full game of Oscar in his prime, ever. It also hasn't been a progression either.

Lebron has always said he wanted to do what Oscar did. And Magic talked of Oscar's all around game and he would be the key element in the progression. Big guards with handles and all around game peaking every 20 years. No???

[Mure]

Bill Russel in today's league would be Larry Sanders.

[Lakers Legend#32]

Russel b!tch slaps LeBron.

[JohnFreeman]

Kareem> Russell
MJ > Russell
Magic > Russell
Bird> Russell
Wilt > Russell

[zoom17]

http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/8/81005/2537135-2320263-whats_going_on_in_this_thread_s400x541_66557.jpg

[Pointguard]

Russell could have been the GOAT but he never got his skill act together. That's on him and nobody else. I doubt that he ever saw this far down the line that he would be in this situation. But if you don't work on your craft, people aren't going to call you the best. Its the law of reality. And Russell didn't work on his game. In no other sport is the top player not very skilled. Just like the artist who is carving out the rock needs to be tops in his craft, and know how to work the rock. Russell didn't cultivate working with the rock.

Russell decided he didn't need to work on his craft. That's on him. He had great foot movement by nature and could have dominated the post. He chose not to work on it. Or at least in a way that others would emulate.

Lebron was nice and didn't say "oh no, I only have people skilled with the pill on my mount." That's a very legit argument. Its could be viewed different if he didn't have an equal competitor already up there.

[fragokota]

Bill Russel in today's league would be Larry Sanders.

:lol :lol :lol

Seriously though show some respect

[SHAQisGOAT]

Russell could have been the GOAT but he never got his skill act together. That's on him and nobody else. I doubt that he ever saw this far down the line that he would be in this situation. But if you don't work on your craft, people aren't going to call you the best. Its the law of reality. And Russell didn't work on his game. In no other sport is the top player not very skilled. Just like the artist who is carving out the rock needs to be tops in his craft, and know how to work the rock. Russell didn't cultivate working with the rock.

Russell decided he didn't need to work on his craft. That's on him. He had great foot movement by nature and could have dominated the post. He chose not to work on it. Or at least in a way that others would emulate.

Lebron was nice and didn't say "oh no, I only have people skilled with the pill on my mount." That's a very legit argument. Its could be viewed different if he didn't have an equal competitor already up there.

:biggums:

:facepalm

[CavaliersFTW]

Russell could have been the GOAT but he never got his skill act together. That's on him and nobody else. I doubt that he ever saw this far down the line that he would be in this situation. But if you don't work on your craft, people aren't going to call you the best. Its the law of reality. And Russell didn't work on his game. In no other sport is the top player not very skilled. Just like the artist who is carving out the rock needs to be tops in his craft, and know how to work the rock. Russell didn't cultivate working with the rock.

Russell decided he didn't need to work on his craft. That's on him. He had great foot movement by nature and could have dominated the post. He chose not to work on it. Or at least in a way that others would emulate.

Lebron was nice and didn't say "oh no, I only have people skilled with the pill on my mount." That's a very legit argument. Its could be viewed different if he didn't have an equal competitor already up there.
? And why would he waste his time on that sh*t when he's winning every single season?

There's NOTHING bad 'on him' about how he played the game given how much success he had winning at every stage, absolutely nothing. Maybe all the people who focus on skill should take a page out of his book for wasting their time polishing skills and not focusing enough on figuring out the absolute basic raw intangibles necessary that go into winning you know? I'm actually more inclined to think that than to take your stance on the matter. The way Russell played the game just might be the perfect way to play.

[RoseCity07]

Dude is so mad Lebron doesn't respect him. Guy won his titles against 5-5 white guys. 1 Lebron titles is like 8 from the 60's.

[sc19]

#insecure When you have to talk about your past accomplishments just because somebody doesn't have you in their top 5. Kobe on the other hand responded intelligently.

[Magic 32]

Dude is so mad Lebron doesn't respect him. Guy won his titles against 5-5 white guys. 1 Lebron titles is like 8 from the 60's.

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/dam/assets/121105072738-1104-jj-barea-1200x672.jpg
http://www.highsnobiety.com/files/2013/06/jason-kidd-retires-00-960x480.jpg

[ImKobe]

http://31.media.tumblr.com/f986fd3741d909ad7e07b2c043a36126/tumblr_mz1uiqucbP1t08ctxo1_r1_500.gif

[Cold soul]

The authentic "I'm not even supposed to be here" black superstar, just got owned by a civil rights leader. :roll:

This is comedy at its best :oldlol:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BgpLLx9CAAAtEFZ.jpg

Russell destroyed Lebron. Truer words were never more spoken. :bowdown:

[The-Legend-24]

Lettuce be honest, Bran > Russell, dude has no business being in the top 10.

[sd3035]

No need for Bill to get salty, there are many legendary basketball players, and everyone has their own top four. He shouldn't be so offended about one guy's opinion of a fictitious individual accolade when he claims he only cares about the team

[NumberSix]

Bill Russell to LeBron James during the pre-game (per Craig Sager):

"Thank you for leaving me off your Mount Rushmore. Im glad you did. Basketball is a team game. Its not for individual honors. I won back-to-back state championships in highschool. Back-to-back NCAA championships in college. I won an NBA championship my first year in the league. An NBA championship my last year. 9 in between. And that, Mr. James, is etched in stone."

:applause:

:bowdown:
Right.

[sportjames23]

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/dam/assets/121105072738-1104-jj-barea-1200x672.jpg
http://www.highsnobiety.com/files/2013/06/jason-kidd-retires-00-960x480.jpg


:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

[CavaliersFTW]

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/dam/assets/121105072738-1104-jj-barea-1200x672.jpg
http://www.highsnobiety.com/files/2013/06/jason-kidd-retires-00-960x480.jpg
:oldlol:

[RoseCity07]

Kidd is 6-5:facepalm

[CavaliersFTW]

Kidd is 6-5:facepalm
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jason-Kidd-3144/

6-3

[MMM]

Reason why anyone strive to win as much and as often as Russell is because of their sensitivity towards their legacy. The same thing can be said about many of the all time greats in fact it is the reason for their greatness. Russell did all you can basically do to have a flawless legacy as a winner and yet people 45 years later are attempting to tear him down.

[Magic 32]

Kidd is 6-5:facepalm

Yes, he was almost 65 when he shut down Lebron , almost. :applause:

[BigMacAttack]

Right.
He is talking about team awards won with different teams...he cant say "we" or "us" or any plurals cause no one else was involved in all of those awards, "I" is basically all he could use. Notice he didnt mention his MVPs....nice try though.

[Pointguard]

? And why would he waste his time on that sh*t when he's winning every single season?

There's NOTHING bad 'on him' about how he played the game given how much success he had winning at every stage, absolutely nothing. Maybe all the people who focus on skill should take a page out of his book for wasting their time polishing skills and not focusing enough on figuring out the absolute basic raw intangibles necessary that go into winning you know? I'm actually more inclined to think that than to take your stance on the matter. The way Russell played the game just might be the perfect way to play.

That is just so disrespectful to the game. So basketball is the only sport where you don't need skill to be the best? One of the few things on the planet you don't need skill to excel in. You are only insulting the game when you say something like that. It says that anybody can come along and be the best in the game. You work on your craft you become better at it. The distance between two players usually isn't great at all as any ten different fans will usually have ten different top tens. But if one player is very skilled, and the other isn't, is there every really a conversation.

Whatever you take for granted you pay for it. And Russell rested on his laurels. MJ worked at his game tirelessly. And for every natural advantage you name me that Russell has I will most definitely name you two that Jordan has. Lets say Jordan didn't have to do develop skills. Did it make him better or worse? Every player could use it in every sport or endeavor in life.

[secund2nun]

Dude is so mad Lebron doesn't respect him. Guy won his titles against 5-5 white guys. 1 Lebron titles is like 8 from the 60's.



When Wilt Chamberlain entered the NBA in 1960, there were only four players in the league that were taller than 6-8 (including Wilt at 7-1 and Russell at 6-9).

Coincidence that they all dominated the league full of financial consultants back then? Nope. Kwame Brown probably would have averaged 50-30 back then. Joakim Noah would have averaged 35-35-15 back then and would have been etched on the NBA Mount Rushmore. Crazy how the date when you were born can affect your NBA legacy so much.

Btw the 100 meter record was 10.00 seconds in 1960. Now it's 9.58...imagine Bolt racing the record holder from back then :roll:

[Big#50]

Shaq/Duncan
MJ
KAJ
Bird
Hakeem
Lebron
Kobe
Magic
Wilt

Russell not in my top ten.

[Pointguard]

:biggums:

:facepalm
So what are you saying.

Russell was very skilled? That he practiced hard? We know the answers to those two. What exactly are you saying?

[Magic 32]

Coincidence that they all dominated the league full of financial consultants back then? Nope. Kwame Brown probably would have averaged 50-30 back then. Joakim Noah would have averaged 35-35-15 back then and would have been etched on the NBA Mount Rushmore. Crazy how the date when you were born can affect your NBA legacy so much.

Btw the 100 meter record was 10.00 seconds in 1960. Now it's 9.58...imagine Bolt racing the record holder from back then :roll:

Using eras to demean a player will ultimately come back to bite you in the butt.

Kids in 2050 will be rolling their eyes when you mention Lebron.

[Audio One]

Jordan
Magic
Bird
Duncan
Hakeem
Kareem
Wilt
Shaq
Kobe
Russell

:kobe:

On what ******* planet is Hakeem better than Oscar Robertson?

[secund2nun]

Using eras to demean a player will ultimately come back to bite you in the butt.

Kids in 2050 will be rolling their eyes when you mention Lebron.

It could, but progression levels off after a while. The league was trash back in the 60s compared to now. If you compare the league now vs the league in 30 years the gap between them will be much smaller than the gap between now/60s. Ex. In a span of 40 years the 100 meter record went from 10 to 9.58. 40 years from now will the record be 9.18? Absolutely not. It will be maybe 9.49 or something like that.


Kids in the future can at least see video of today's stars and freaks like Lebron at 6'8 270 running 4.4 speed against other freaks..they can see 6'5 230 pound 4.3 speed Calvin Johnson torching people...unlike back then when the grainy film shows a bunch of regular 6'9 black guys dunking over slow small short white guys.

Do I think the league will get better in talent over time? Yes I do. The talent pool just keeps getting larger and larger. One of these days I think a prospect is gonna come out with the size and athleticism of Shaq with the passing ability of Lebron.

[CavaliersFTW]

That is just so disrespectful to the game. So basketball is the only sport where you don't need skill to be the best? One of the few things on the planet you don't need skill to excel in. You are only insulting the game when you say something like that. It says that anybody can come along and be the best in the game. You work on your craft you become better at it. The distance between two players usually isn't great at all as any ten different fans will usually have ten different top tens. But if one player is very skilled, and the other isn't, is there every really a conversation.

Whatever you take for granted you pay for it. And Russell rested on his laurels. MJ worked at his game tirelessly. And for every natural advantage you name me that Russell has I will most definitely name you two that Jordan has. Lets say Jordan didn't have to do develop skills. Did it make him better or worse? Every player could use it in every sport or endeavor in life.
Bill Russell thought outside the box, he probably had the most clarity in his mind of just exactly what needed to be done to win out of any NBA player. All that hard work towards polishing skillsets might literally be a pointless endeavour and a distraction when it is done beyond a certain point. Pistol Pete was infinitely more skilled than Bill Russell, but what the hell did he ever do as far as winning goes?

Sorry you feel it is a disrespectful conclusion but it might just be true. Bill Russell didn't need to shoot 1,000 shots a day from 20+ feet nor shoot another 1,000 turnaround J's, nor dribble between cones with oven mitts on his hands to be the best player ever. That shit, though it might result in looking pretty out there on the floor, might be a whole lot of work for little to no reward compared to all the little things HE was aware of on the court and what HE figured out he had to do to control the outcomes of games. And let's not act like he didn't work. He did work, on rebounding, and on defense, and offensively he fed his teammates and scored a lot of cleanup and backdoor points. The level that he refined all those things might just be all it takes to reach as close to basketball perfection as possible. It is quite possible that polishing 'skills' to the degree that some players do is culminating to nothing more than an isolated distraction away from winning. The objective is to win. The objective is not to become more skilled.

[9erempiree]

http://s17.postimg.org/q309lba9b/phil_jackson_would_pick_bill_russell_over_michae.j pg

[LAZERUSS]

Right.

Whether I (or anyone else) agrees with this or not, it is still funny.

I have to admit, I am getting some genuine laughs tonight.

:applause:

Funny is still funny...

[SHAQisGOAT]

Coincidence that they all dominated the league full of financial consultants back then? Nope. Kwame Brown probably would have averaged 50-30 back then. Joakim Noah would have averaged 35-35-15 back then and would have been etched on the NBA Mount Rushmore. Crazy how the date when you were born can affect your NBA legacy so much.

Btw the 100 meter record was 10.00 seconds in 1960. Now it's 9.58...imagine Bolt racing the record holder from back then :roll:

:facepalm

Kwame Brown is not even remotely close to Bill's level of skill, plus IQ and other intangibles, he's not even close to him as an athlete lmfao. Noah is not a better athlete than Russell and although really good too in things like skill and intangibles, doesn't compare to Bill

No, better yet imagine Bolt running on some ****ed up track/floor with some wack-ass shoes and overall equipment, not having all of these modern luxuries, everything you can account for (and I won't even mention more, yea you know what I'm talkin about)... He wouldn't be even be close - considering 100 meter standpoint - to 9.58.

Ban these ignorant-ass children.

[oarabbus]

I usually don't get upset on here but it is pretty sad that people are disrespecting Russell.

:facepalm


This. I mean the guy had 11 rings. I don't care if it was filled with unathletic 6'1 guys (it wasn't) but 11 Championships, in any sport, irrespective of era is extremely impressive. Be real now. If you have 11 rings, and Russell's HOF teammates had 7 or 8 rings, that shows you Russell was the reason for victory, period. 11 of anything whether it be superbowls, world series, gold medals in the 1500m it doesn't matter, 11 championships is just insane

[tpols]

Russell didn't realize that Lebron picked guys with all around games, smart and had immaculate skill. Russell isn't remotely in that conversation. If Lebron were to name a center it would have been Wilt or Hakeem.

Lebron's intention was obvious as hell.

And thats why hes dead wrong.. Russell may not have been an elite scorer, but he certainly had elite ability in every other facet and it was enough to form an all time great package.


Is there ANYONE that would take bran over Bill Russell?? That guy would literally make bran shit his pants.. Lebron is so damn coddled and sheltered all his life compared to Bill fcking Russell lol the Malcolm X of the NBA. He would get MURKED.

[9erempiree]

This. I mean the guy had 11 rings. I don't care if it was filled with unathletic 6'1 guys (it wasn't) but 11 Championships, in any sport, irrespective of era is extremely impressive. Be real now. If you have 11 rings, and Russell's HOF teammates had 7 or 8 rings, that shows you Russell was the reason for victory, period. 11 of anything whether it be superbowls, world series, gold medals in the 1500m it doesn't matter, 11 championships is just insane

yep.

It doesn't matter how many people try to say he can't score or he can't do this but the fact of the matter is, he is the team's best player.

If people watch games from the past, they would know the Centers were the team's top dogs back in the days. They were like the QB directing traffic on defense while their teammates had their back turned.

Bill Walton was like this too.

[tpols]

It could, but progression levels off after a while. The league was trash back in the 60s compared to now. If you compare the league now vs the league in 30 years the gap between them will be much smaller than the gap between now/60s. Ex. In a span of 40 years the 100 meter record went from 10 to 9.58. 40 years from now will the record be 9.18? Absolutely not. It will be maybe 9.49 or something like that.


Kids in the future can at least see video of today's stars and freaks like Lebron at 6'8 270 running 4.4 speed against other freaks..they can see 6'5 230 pound 4.3 speed Calvin Johnson torching people...unlike back then when the grainy film shows a bunch of regular 6'9 black guys dunking over slow small short white guys.

Do I think the league will get better in talent over time? Yes I do. The talent pool just keeps getting larger and larger. One of these days I think a prospect is gonna come out with the size and athleticism of Shaq with the passing ability of Lebron.

Wilt ran a 40 yard dash at 4.6 seconds.. he was a damn seven footer with elite strength and size. :oldlol:

Bill Russel guarded Wilt Chamberlain.. he was an olympic level athlete himself. The guards back then honestly do look less athletic, but the big men back then were flat out just as big and fast as todays but they actually had skill.

Overall you're severley overestimating todays athletes in favor of those only 30- 40 years ago.. human evolution simply doesnt happen fast enough for there to be that big a gap in genetics between than and now.

[9erempiree]

Give Russell equivalent players from today's era and Russell being Russell, he can carry a lot of teams in this era.

[NumberSix]

Wilt ran a 40 yard dash at 4.6 seconds.. he was a damn seven footer with elite strength and size. :oldlol:

Bill Russel guarded Wilt Chamberlain.. he was an olympic level athlete himself. The guards back then honestly do look less athletic, but the big men back then were flat out just as big and fast as todays but they actually had skill.
Why can't people just admit that the NBA back then was a D-League in comparison to today's talent? It's ok. We all know it to be true, but most people have this aversion to admitting they know it.

[CavaliersFTW]

And thats why hes dead wrong.. Russell may not have been an elite scorer, but he certainly had elite ability in every other facet and it was enough to form an all time great package.


Is there ANYONE that would take bran over Bill Russell?? That guy would literally make bran shit his pants.. Lebron is so damn coddled and sheltered all his life compared to Bill fcking Russell lol the Malcolm X of the NBA. He would get MURKED.
This is very true, MJ and Dirk had flue games right? Impressive, Wilt a broken hand game, also impressive.

Bill Russell? He got STABBED in a bar fight during the Finals one season and the opposing Lakers center deliberately was hammering his stab wound all game. I haven't looked into which game/series that was yet. But Russell still won, and apparently went at the opposing center hard after he started targeting the wound.

[tpols]

This is very true, MJ and Dirk had flue games right? Impressive, Wilt a broken hand game, also impressive.

Bill Russell? He got STABBED in a bar fight during the Finals one season and the opposing Lakers center deliberately was hammering his stab wound all game. I haven't looked into which game/series that was yet. But Russell still won, and apparently went at the opposing center hard after he started targeting the wound.

He just seems like an absurdly fierce competitor.. grew up in a tough area, had to deal with shit Bran could only dream of in terms of the times..

Bron is a spoiled prodigy.. weve seen how he reacts to moments of extreme stress or pressure. He cracks. He hasnt been through adversity like Bill Russell. I remember him and Wade mocking Dirk being sick, fake coughing in the Finals laughing at the mavs when they were about to go up 3-0:oldlol: Hes a frontrunning pos and immature as they come.

Russel was on another plane mentally, discipline wise and would just absolutely destroy bran

[fiddy]

branities=delusional clowns

[MichaelCorleone]

Bill Russell wouldn't even make the playoffs if you replace Lebron with him on the Heat team.

At best a Nene-like player and impact.

[T_L_P]

Bill Russell wouldn't even make the playoffs if you replace Lebron with him on the Heat team.

At best a Nene-like player and impact.

:biggums:

Just take away LeBron (no Russell) and that Heat team is still a top 2 seed in the East

[HoopsFanNumero1]

He just seems like an absurdly fierce competitor.. grew up in a tough area, had to deal with shit Bran could only dream of in terms of the times..

Bron is a spoiled prodigy.. weve seen how he reacts to moments of extreme stress or pressure. He cracks. He hasnt been through adversity like Bill Russell. I remember him and Wade mocking Dirk being sick, fake coughing in the Finals laughing at the mavs when they were about to go up 3-0:oldlol: Hes a frontrunning pos and immature as they come.

Russel was on another plane mentally, discipline wise and would just absolutely destroy bran

So you wouldn't pick Kobe over Russell? And stop trying to act like you've actually seen Bill play.

[Pointguard]

Bill Russell thought outside the box, he probably had the most clarity in his mind of just exactly what needed to be done to win out of any NBA player. All that hard work towards polishing skillsets might literally be a pointless endeavour and a distraction when it is done beyond a certain point. Pistol Pete was infinitely more skilled than Bill Russell, but what the hell did he ever do as far as winning goes?

I think in general people have a top twelve and then there is a fall off. If all of the top ten won 5 rings, then we focus on the difference in the player. Russell was a great winner and that does make a difference. Duncan is a player that most people up because of his winning ability. He could have easily won one more ring with a bad bounce. Most people have Hakeem as a better player but like other players the organization comes into play and Duncan wins more. Aurabach was a bit ahead of other organizations. He was able to get Bird, Bias (the bigger version of MJ), Russell and if Wilt wasn't head strong he would have gotten him in territorial rights.

How many other teams were constructed to play defense before the NY Knicks won in 1970 outside of the Celtics? Aurabach was ahead of his time.


Sorry you feel it is a disrespectful conclusion but it might just be true. Bill Russell didn't need to shoot 1,000 shots a day from 20+ feet nor shoot another 1,000 turnaround J's, nor dribble between cones with oven mitts on his hands to be the best player ever. That shit, though it might result in looking pretty out there on the floor, might be a whole lot of work for little to no reward compared to all the little things HE was aware of on the court and what HE figured out he had to do to control the outcomes of games. And let's not act like he didn't work. He did work, on rebounding, and on defense, and offensively he fed his teammates and scored a lot of cleanup and backdoor points. The level that he refined all those things might just be all it takes to reach as close to basketball perfection as possible. It is quite possible that polishing 'skills' to the degree that some players do is culminating to nothing more than an isolated distraction away from winning. The objective is to win. The objective is not to become more skilled.
Russell had a great work ethic on the court. His hustle got him rebounds and his smart play helped get him rings. But he could survive a lot of very close playoff series without being the clutch shooter, the creator, the guy making sure its in the right hands. He could depend on others to do that. His team took a lot of the burden off of him. If he's playing against the majority of the top ten with equal teams he's not going to win more than most of them. He was a great athlete but not an overwhelming one like Shaq. So he needs something to couple with that. Jordan needed it and Jordan has all the intangibles Russell had. I could be missing something but I doubt it.

Now I do understand there were times when Russell went off in crucial games in a big way, but it wasn't like that most of the time. And if he was skilled, I'm sure it would have done it most of the time. But skills is a big thing in every sport and I'm definitely don't see an exception for a guy who didn't apply himself that way. If you have skills you can adapt and control more the game. If Russell didn't have shooters, creators and even other defensive pieces he would be gauged differently.

[tpols]

So you wouldn't pick Kobe over Russell? And stop trying to act like you've actually seen Bill play.

hell no I wouldnt choose kobe over russell.. I havent seen him play, but Ive read a lot about him and specifically seen what past legends have said and all signs point towards him being the master of intangibles and on another level of understandoing how to impact the game

[Pointguard]

And thats why hes dead wrong.. Russell may not have been an elite scorer, but he certainly had elite ability in every other facet and it was enough to form an all time great package.

You never saw him play. You don't know that. Was he creative? Could he make something out of nothing? If he got the ball outside of ten feet and the clock is running out, what was he like?



Is there ANYONE that would take bran over Bill Russell?? That guy would literally make bran shit his pants.. Lebron is so damn coddled and sheltered all his life compared to Bill fcking Russell lol the Malcolm X of the NBA. He would get MURKED.
Magic and Bird changed the game. Now you had ultimately skilled, super smart players, that could penetrate, post, run, shoot, pass in four directions at very fast speeds and were deadly from every part of the floor, control nearly every part of the game, manipulate every type of defender, go left hand or right hand and use the whole court in one body, and get players the ball in their sweet spots all day. They could play chess with any team.

If Russell comes out to guard them they will hit the cutter and run all day. Russell probably was the greatest defender but he wasn't from Mars. I mean we just got around to realizing he wasn't the best one on one defender at the time. He was quick a foot like KG but outside of Regular8, Flppi and Lazuruss, who are very consistent, KG isn't getting much love from the Russell camp.

[MichaelCorleone]

Russell is bitter.

[CavaliersFTW]

You never saw him play. You don't know that. Was he creative? Could he make something out of nothing? If he got the ball outside of ten feet and the clock is running out, what was he like?

http://youtu.be/SF22xiRxHv8?t=47s
Clutch. Confident. And Dominant. That's what he was like.

He was a complete player. He wasn't allergic to offense, and he could run any play on his team regardless of what position it was intended for.

[Mr Feeny]

Dude is so mad Lebron doesn't respect him. Guy won his titles against 5-5 white guys. 1 Lebron titles is like 8 from the 60's.

Come on. You're one of the best posters on this forum. Don't stoop to the trolls' level. You cannot seriously believe that statement.

[Vienceslav]

If you are going to pick 4 players of the NBA greats, somebody's bound to be snubbed.
As omissions go, Russell is a big one, but you can't really blame Lebron.
If memory serves he picked MJ(obvious choice, everybody would go crazy if he left him off), Magic and Bird(reflects the players that were talked about and respected when he was growing up) and Oscar(most people on this board don't have him in their TOP 10, but he has a case and most importantly he was supporting Lebron when pretty much everybody else was criticizing him).
If he said Mj,Russ,Wilt,Oscar there would be backlash from the Bird and Magic camp, you can't win with this amount of scrutiny.
It's not that Russell cares about what Lebron thinks per se, he is probably more upset that in the conversation this created, he was being left out more often than not.

[tpols]

You never saw him play. You don't know that. Was he creative? Could he make something out of nothing? If he got the ball outside of ten feet and the clock is running out, what was he like?

Did you see him play? All I can go off is the words of his contemporaries.. who thought he was better than players who had way gaudier numbers.. and who explained that he was the glue holding the C's dynasty together.




“We don’t fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. Take him out and we can beat them … He’s the guy who whipped us psychologically. Russell has our club worrying every second.”
--Lakers head coach John Kundia after getting swept in the 1959 Finals by Russell’s Celtics

"We can win without me, we can win without Heinsohn, we can win without Sharman, but without Big Bill, we don't win."
--Bob Cousy,1961

“If it weren’t for Russell, you guys wouldn’t be crap.”
--Oscar Robertson to Red Auerbach, 1963

“If we played Boston four on four, without Russell, we probably would have won every series. The guy killed us. He's the one who prevented us from achieving true greatness.”
-- L.A. Lakers forward "Hot Rod" Hundley
.

credit to jlip obviously.. read this a while ago. You think these guys dont know what theyre talking about? Ever think Russel knew the strengths and weaknesses of his team and adapted accordingly.. ie if he was on a shit team he would have worked/adapted in a different way?

[Akrazotile]

specifically seen what past legends have said


Michael Jordan once said 'This Adam Morrison kid is a can't miss"

[tpols]

Michael Jordan once said 'This Adam Morrison kid is a can't miss"

Theres a difference between projecting the future and judging an established all time great.. one is rooted in speculation and uncertainty.. the other is just a telling of what happened. Its silly to compare the two

[CavaliersFTW]

Michael Jordan once said 'This Adam Morrison kid is a can't miss"
And notice how he didn't quote MJ?

[Ratnik]

50s and 60s are irrelevant.

[MichaelCorleone]

50s and 60s are irrelevant.
Exactly.

NBA started when Magic and Bird were drafted.

[Pointguard]

Did you see him play? All I can go off is the words of his contemporaries.. who thought he was better than players who had way gaudier numbers.. and who explained that he was the glue holding the C's dynasty together.

I never doubted his greatness, his ability to get others on the same page. I did see like two full games of Russell and quarters of about four others on YouTube and '64 one of his best years was among them. '66 and 61 were among the others.



credit to jlip obviously.. read this a while ago. You think these guys dont know what theyre talking about? Ever think Russel knew the strengths and weaknesses of his team and adapted accordingly.. ie if he was on a shit team he would have worked/adapted in a different way?
That's conjecture. He didn't manifest a lot of skill in what I seen of him. I think it was somewhat of a Aurabach Rule to up Russell. I think this extended beyond the Celtics. Mikan might have been blacklisted for saying Wilt would stuff Bill in the basket... Mikan was never treated right.

The best tribute to a player are those who come up imitating him. There isn't one player that has ever said they patterned their game after Russell. Even Jordan was imitated and he was more of a one of a kind type of player ever seen.

The quotes you posted would be said about every superstar without doubt tho. You can change names with other players pretty easy? No?

[CavaliersFTW]

I never doubted his greatness, his ability to get others on the same page. I did see like two full games of Russell and quarters of about four others on YouTube and '64 one of his best years was among them. '66 and 61 were among the others.


That's conjecture. He didn't manifest a lot of skill in what I seen of him. I think it was somewhat of a Aurabach Rule to up Russell. I think this extended beyond the Celtics. Mikan might have been blacklisted for saying Wilt would stuff Bill in the basket... Mikan was never treated right.

The best tribute to a player are those who come up imitating him. There isn't one player that has ever said they patterned their game after Russell. Even Jordan was imitated and he was more of a one of a kind type of player ever seen.

The quotes you posted would be said about every superstar without doubt tho. You can change names with other players pretty easy? No?
False. Jabbar did, Elvin Hayes did, Willis Reed did. They've all said it, and I'm sure there are many many more. You are a decent poster but your attitude towards Russell is borderline trolling. From what I have seen and put together based on testimonial and film he was a lot better a player than you seem to think he was.

[Akrazotile]

There isn't one player that has ever said they patterned their game after Russell.



I believe Kwame Brown did, and ironically he is probably the most accurate comparison for what Russell would be today.

[CavaliersFTW]

Kareem earlier this week regarding Lebron's list:

http://youtu.be/9HyTIak-_y8?t=4m36s


"Lebron you gotta do more homework"

:applause:

[miggyme1]

I believe Kwame Brown did, and ironically he is probably the most accurate comparison for what Russell would be today.

:roll: :roll: :roll:

funny

[kamil]

Kareem earlier this week regarding Lebron's list:

http://youtu.be/9HyTIak-_y8?t=4m36s


"Lebron you gotta do more homework"

:applause:

LOL, none of the basketball greats respect LeCollusion*

[Pointguard]

False. Jabbar did, Elvin Hayes did, Willis Reed did. They've all said it, and I'm sure there are many many more. You are a decent poster but your attitude towards Russell is borderline trolling. From what I have seen and put together based on testimonial and film he was a lot better a player than you seem to think he was.
They didn't play ANY THING like Russell. Their games were far removed from Russell's.

Elvin Hayes? Please tell me the similarity. Going after rebounds? Hayes was consumed with the offensive side of play.

You think Reed had absolutely no cognizance of his body build and lack of springs? Ok they were left handed?

Jabbar was super skilled and played his game from that skill point and was an original if I ever saw one. I can see if they said they wanted to win like him but they weren't even setting picks like Russell - minus Reed. They didn't do outlet passes that good. They didn't go out to defend their man far out. They didn't play defense with their feet. To say they patterned their game after him is a bit of a stretch.

I never troll. I give Russell a lot of credit. But he can definitely be left off of people's Mounts and isn't a gimme for top center or best player. He won like crazy. But that doesn't mean I should see skills when I didn't.

[Pointguard]

Kareem earlier this week regarding Lebron's list:

http://youtu.be/9HyTIak-_y8?t=4m36s


"Lebron you gotta do more homework"

:applause:
Now this is trolling.

[CavaliersFTW]

They didn't play ANY THING like Russell. Their games were far removed from Russell's.

Elvin Hayes? Please tell me the similarity. Going after rebounds? Hayes was consumed with the offensive side of play.

You think Reed had absolutely no cognizance of his body build and lack of springs? Ok they were left handed?

Jabbar was super skilled and played his game from that skill point and was an original if I ever saw one. I can see if they said they wanted to win like him but they weren't even setting picks like Russell - minus Reed. They didn't do outlet passes that good. They didn't go out to defend their man far out. They didn't play defense with their feet. To say they patterned their game after him is a bit of a stretch.

I never troll. I give Russell a lot of credit. But he can definitely be left off of people's Mounts and isn't a gimme for top center or best player. He won like crazy. But that doesn't mean I should see skills when I didn't.
God damn it seems like you haven't got a clue how Russell played, or what he did and how much of it those guys TRIED to emulate. Stop looking at their differences and start looking for their similarities. I don't think you've seen enough of Russell though, from the sounds of things. Doesn't seem like you understand the breadth of his abilities and impact. Those guys DID emulate Russell, to the best of each of their abilities, they of course had their own different set of tools, flair and skill sets to put a twist on it but at the end of the day Russell was one giant inspiration for how they played and what habits they'd pick up on the court. Just because you're not aware of how much Russell could do and how much others emulated his play doesn't mean it isn't the truth. I think you need to do a lot more research on Russell before you jump to these conclusions. Russell isn't some guy who played great defense 'but' (whatever insult... bad offense, bad practice habits, unskilled etc) and got lucky 11 times. You've got him pegged wrong if that's what you believe.

[JT123]

:biggums:

Just take away LeBron (no Russell) and that Heat team is still a top 2 seed in the East
:biggums:
With Wade missing every 3rd game and unable to play in back to backs? :facepalm