/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67700291/74831485.0.jpg)
This is a nice little video of Tim Duncan and Bill Russell.
It starts with Russell greeting Duncan after what must be a playoff game with Duncan showing obvious respect and affection for the greatest winner in the game and says some very complimentary things which you’d respect. All basketball players should revere Russell but big men most of all. And Duncan of course was one of the most successful - and sound - big men of all time.
Duncan won five NBA titles, less than half of Russell’s 11 but more than almost anyone else in league history other than Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen, John Havlicek, a few of Russell’s other teammates and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
After the hallway meeting, the two greats sit down. We only get a fraction of the conversation but Russell talks about being asked to be a pallbearer at Jackie Robinson’s funeral and why he was asked and Duncan’s admiration and respect is clear and obvious. It’s nice to see the two of them together and the respect across the generations. Basketball needs to treasure Russell for as long as it can.