about 5 hours ago

Norm Nixon Recalls Bill Russell Refusing to Play After Facing Racism

Nixon said Russell’s intensity scared him when speaking about basketball, adding, “you got to remember what those guys were dealing with off the court.” He recalled Russell visiting Indiana, being refused service at a restaurant, and saying, “I’m not playing. I’m going back to Boston.” Russell refused to eat with owners or suit up, showing how to deal with racism.