A Word: Full-Court Fighter

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Slate Podcasts

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.6 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 7 August 2022

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

NBA star Bill Russell, the first Black American to coach a major-league sports team, died this week. His playing earned him 11 championships. His activism won him respect in the Black community, but the hatred of many white fans, and surveillance from the FBI during the civil rights era. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by sports journalist Howard Bryant to discuss Russell’s legacy, on and off the court. Guest: Veteran sports journalist Howard Bryant Podcast production by Eric Aaron You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is a word, a podcast from Slate. I'm your host, Jason Johnson. The NBA and the world
0:07.4	lost one of its greatest stars last week. Bill Russell, the former Boston Celtics player
0:12.5	in coach, died on Sunday at the age of 88. Russell's career in the NBA included an unmatched
0:20.0	run of championships as a player and a coach. But his legacy off the court as a tireless
0:26.5	voice for civil rights was even more impressive. Honoring the late Bill Russell, coming up on a
0:31.5	word with me, Jason Johnson. Stay with us.
0:39.7	Welcome to a word, a podcast about race and politics and everything else. I'm your host,
0:44.7	Jason Johnson. The NBA lost one of its greatest stars last week. Bill Russell, the former Boston
0:52.8	Celtics player and coach died on Sunday at the age of 88. On the court, Bill Russell was a superstar,
1:00.5	winning an unmatched 11 championship rings. Five most valuable player awards and 12 appearances
1:08.8	in the All Star Game. In 1966, he made history as the first black coach, not just in the NBA,
1:14.8	but in any major sports league. Off the court, Russell became an important voice in the fight for
1:20.8	civil rights. If you're using to stay silent about the racist abuse black players suffered at the
1:25.8	hands of the public, the press, and even the fans of the teams that they played for. He fought back
1:31.7	with words and actions, speaking out when there was a lot more at stake than the loss of an endorsement
1:37.1	deal. That's something President Obama recognized in 2011 when he honored Russell with the metal
1:43.0	of freedom. Here's a clip. More than any athlete of his era, Bill Russell came to define the word
1:49.0	winner. And yet, whenever someone looks up at all six-nine of Bill Russell, I just did,
1:56.7	I always feel small next to him, and asks, are you a basketball player? Surprisingly,
2:04.8	he gets this more than you think. That's a question. He says, no. He says, that's what I do. That's not
2:12.6	what I am. I'm not a basketball player. I am a man who plays basketball. Bill Russell, the man
2:21.5	is someone who stood up for the rights and dignity of all men. He marched with King. He stood by Oli.
	...

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