Legendary center Bill Russell became the talk of the NBA Awards Show on Monday after his gesture to Hall of Fame power forward Charles Barkley. Before he introduced Oscar Robertson as recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Barkley first thanked all the NBA legends present during the event for their contributions to the game.
When Barkley mentioned Russell, the former Celtics center then flipped him the bird. On his Twitter account, the 84-year-old Russell apologized to everyone, saying he didn't realize he was on live TV.
"I can't help myself whenever I see Charles it just is pure instinct," Russell added.
In May, Russell also tweeted a shot at Barkley, saying he has a better chance of getting struck by lightning than guarding him. Also, Russell got into some issues with other big men in last year's edition of the NBA Awards. When he was on the stage with other big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, and David Robinson, Russell said he could kick all of their butts.
In addition, flipping birds is not entirely new for Russell. Recently, retired power forward Kevin Garnett showed a picture of Russell with Chauncey Billups where the legendary center flipped off the camera man.
Barkley Has No Hard Feelings
When asked by USA Today about Russell's gesture, Barkley said he has no hard feelings about it. In a text message, Barkley said he loves Russell like a father.
"It was awesome," Barkley says about Russell's gesture, which drew laughter from the crowd present in the ceremony. Barkley's accomplishments as a player paled in comparison with Russell, who won the MVP trophy five times in his 13-year NBA career. Barkley was named MVP once.
Russell ranks first among NBA players with most championships, winning 11 in his career. Barkley, for his part, won none in his 16-year NBA stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, and the Houston Rockets.
James Harden Won MVP
James Harden of the Houston Rockets captured the MVP trophy, beating Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Harden had a career season with the Rockets, averaging 30.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game.
Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers was selected Rookie of the Year, edging out Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics for the award. Simmons helped the 76ers win 52 games in the regular season.
"For me, I am obviously happy that I won the award," Simmons says. The 76ers point guard also congratulated Mitchell and Tatum for having an excellent season.
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