Bill Russell, Tim Duncan enjoyed strong bond

NBA legend Bill Russell had a fondness for the Spurs, mainly because the franchise’s greatest player reminded him of himself. The NBA in 2009 aired on its official Youtube channel a conversation between Russell and Tim Duncan that showcased their strong bond. “We have so much in common. I feel very flattered (to be compared with you),” Russell told Duncan. “Do you know the name Jackie Robinson?” Russell continued. “When Jackie Robinson died, his wife called me and asked me to be a pallbearer at Jackie’s funeral. I said, ‘Of course,’ but I asked why? She said you were Jackie’s favorite athlete, and that’s the same way I feel about you. You’ve played hard, played smart and won championships, and I don’t think you are finished with that yet.”

Duncan confirmed he wasn’t. He made good on his promise to Russell when the Spurs defeated LeBron James and the Miami Heat in five games in 2014. Russell, who won 11 NBA titles as the cornerstone of the Boston Celtics dynasty in the 1950s and 1960s and was regarded as one of the greatest champions of civil rights and social justice in sports, died Sunday. He was 88. Several members of the Spurs family, including Hall of Famers David Robinson and Manu Ginobili, reacted to the news with social media posts. “Bill Russell was the most powerful ambassador of the NBA,” Robinson tweeted. “I held him in the highest regard and tried to build on the groundwork laid by him and his generation of players. Thank you, Bill, for leading the way and giving us such a high bar to shoot at.” “What a legend! #HugeRespect,” wrote Ginobili, who punctuated his tweet with a praying hands emoji. Duncan won five NBA championships during his 19-year Hall of Fame career and received the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 1999, 2003 and 2005. In February 2009, the MVP announced the Finals MVP would receive the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.