Bill Russell was a colossus figure in the basketball world, who passed away on July 31st, at the age of 88. The Boston Celtics icon spearheaded his franchise to a remarkable 11 championships and broke down barriers by becoming the league’s first black head coach.

‘The Secretary of Defense will always be remembered for his elephantine contributions to the game. However, as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated, Bill stood for something much greater than sports. The legendary big man was all about equality, respect, and inclusion, and he imprinted those values on the DNA of the league.

Bill Russell had a measurable influence on many individuals, and one of them is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Lakers legend penned a touching homage to his idol, expressing that he would not have blossomed into the player or person he eventually became if he had not had the overwhelming influence of his idol.

Abdul-Jabbar detailed the evolution of his friendship with Russell through the decades.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recounts the first time he met Bill Russell

Kareem highlighted in his heartfelt tribute how he modeled his idol on and off the court. The Lakers icon himself carved his legacy in NBA history by scoring the most points in league history.

He?also discussed his first encounter with Bill Russell. Apparently, Russell and the Boston Celtics were practicing in his high school gym. He recalls getting starstruck as a 14-year-old after seeing his idol.

His coach, Jack Donahue, was conversing with the iconic Celtics coach Red Auerbach. Coach Donahue introduced Kareem to coach Auerbach at this point.

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Auerbach called Russell over to meet Kareem, who was one of the finest young prospects at the time. He was sitting on the bench and initially showed zero interest in getting up for a “kid.”

“Bill Russell dipped down his newspaper and looked me over with a frown. Then he snorted. ‘I?m not getting up just to meet some kid,’ Kareem wrote. “I shrank to about six inches tall. I just wanted to run straight home,” he added.

According to Kareem, this is when Auerbach chuckled and comforted him by saying, “Don?t let him get to you, kid. Sometimes he can be a real sourpuss.”

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After that, the Celtics coach grabbed Kareem’s wrist and walked him over to Bill Russell. “Bill, be nice. This is the kid who just might be the next you,” Auerbach said, according to Kareem.

Kareem then described his entire interaction with his idol. He wrote, “Bill looked at me again, this time taking a little longer. I was already 7?, two inches taller than him. I stuck out my hand. ‘How do you do, Mr. Russell. Pleasure to meet you.'”

“He didn?t smile, but his demeanor had softened, just a little. He shook my hand. ‘Yeah, yeah, kid.'”

“That?s how I met my childhood hero.”?

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Kareem continued by describing how Bill Russell inspired him and how their friendship became stronger. He also talked about how, 53 years after they first met, he finally asked for his autograph.

It’s safe to state that Bill Russell left an indelible impression on several individuals, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.