"He used to stand up for what he believed in" - Jaylen Brown addressed why Bill Russell remains his
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Synonymous with eleven rings, the late great Bill Russell remains one of the most revered figures in NBA history. The 6'10" center played all of his 13 seasons for the Boston Celtics , leading them to countless wins and milestone moments. His contributions also extended beyond the court, particularly through his work on social issues such as racial injustice and inequality.
Having been a victim of several racial attacks as an African American, Russell fought tirelessly against such social and cultural issues. This also included expressing his dissent in different ways, whether by ignoring the media or adopting a no-autograph policy with fans to weed out potential swindlers . No doubt, he bore the brunt of it as well, but he stayed firm.
Beyond his brilliance on the hardwood, his role as a civil rights champion is also why current NBA stars like Jaylen Brown consider him their GOAT.
In a recent chat with rapper Lil Baby, Brown was asked to share his pick for the NBA GOAT, to which he responded the following:
"I'm gonna go Bill Russell because, yeah, just on and off the court."
When asked about his Mt. Rushmore, Jaylen had Bill at No. 1, followed by LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. So, when Brown was named Finals MVP in 2024, it was a special moment for him in more ways than one, since the award was named after his NBA GOAT and came on the Celtics, a franchise Russell represented, too.
"Somebody who lived in Boston and dealt with a lot of bullsh-t when he (Russell) was here. He used to stand up for what he believed in, and people treated him like sh-t. He won 11 championships. When he was here… To get that award that's named after him and they call my name to get it, that was probably one of my highest points, " said Brown, who had in the past as well mentioned how everything that Russell stood for off the court made him his GOAT .
With six decades separating their NBA debuts, Brown once revealed why he wished he could have shared the locker room with Russell. Beyond benefiting from playing alongside one of the game's greats, Jaylen felt he could have been a strong source of support for Bill in his fight against social and cultural issues.
"I think I would have stood there right with him. At least he would have had somebody else on his team that felt as strongly as him, and maybe we could have moved more mountains together," said JB, who, for whatever reason, does hold a controversial reputation in the league.
Over the years, Brown has often made headlines for his outspokenness on what many consider sensitive subjects. One such instance had him drive 15 hours from Atlanta to Boston to be a part of the protest organized in response to the tragic death of George Floyd due to police brutality.
Known for his intellect and articulate ways, Brown often questioned certain authorities and institutions over their policies, something they never saw coming from an NBA player. He also had a history with Nike, having refused to sign with them because of contract clauses he believed curbed his freedom of speech.
This was followed by his questioning of the Swoosh brand's double standards after they decided to part ways with Kyrie Irving over his antisemitic remarks. Discussions at the time suggested that Brown's absence from the 2024 Team USA Olympic team stemmed from his strained relations with Nike.
So whether it was them representing the same iconic brand, the Celtics, or their different ways of questioning authorities off the court, Brown could relate to Russell on multiple levels, which is why, for him, he was always the NBA GOAT.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.