After Bill Ru sell died on July 31, 2022, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the news, calling the NBA legend "my friend, my mentor, my role model."While Abdul-Jabbar and Ru sell grew to share Wes Hopkins Jersey the ultimate respect for each other, their relationship certainly didn't start on a high note. , Abdul-Jabbar first met Ru sell in 1961 as a 14-year-old high school freshman. The Celtics were practicing at Power Memorial High School in New York City because it was not far from Madison Square Garden. Abdul-Jabbar's coach introduced him to Red Auerbach, who then brought the young 7-footer over to Ru sell."I'm not getting up just to meet some kid," Ru sell said.MORE: From that point on, Ru sell always referred to Abdul-Jabbar as "kid" and inspired him to be the best version of himself on the court and, more importantly, a better man and advocate for civil rights."He taught me, personally, that you don't have to sacrifice what you want to say as a man from what you are invited to say as an athlete," . "There's room for both in your life, and you should expre s yourself in both ways your profe sion, and then what you believe in and what is important to you as a human being and as a Brian Dawkins Jersey citizen."Abdul-Jabbar was already on track to be an activist before he cro sed paths with Ru sell, , Ru sell pushed him down that path more quickly.Only six years after their initial conversation, Abdul-Jabbar spent time with Ru sell , which was organized by Jim Brown, one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. The summit brought prominent athletes together and addre sed Muhammad Ali's decision to not serve in the Vietnam War. NBA Entertainment Instead of attempting to tilt Abdul-Jabbar and the other athletes toward a specific side of the argument, he took a "logical and dispa sionate" approach. He simply told JJ Arcega-Whiteside Jersey them to listen and understand why Ali refused to back down from his stance."The summit gave me a vehicle in which Reggie White Jersey to expre s myself," Abdul-Jabbar said. "It was the type of thing that Bill was behind throughout his career. You might have something that you're angry about, but you can't just expre s your anger."You have to expre s yourself sensibly and with the po sibility of some type of resolution."Ru sell attended the Cleveland Summit. He served as a pallbearer at Jackie Robinson's funeral. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King. His life was filled with incredible, storybook moments.MORE: And yet, Ru sell would never allow himself to believe he was bigger than those moments and the difficult fight for racial equality."I think he would like to be remembered as someone who was just doing what he had to do," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He dealt with the i sues that cro sed his path in the right way and provided an example. I think that that's what he was all about."He never, ever got to the point where he felt that he was this great person that people should follow. He just did the right thing when it cro sed his path and Ron Jaworski Jersey really set a great example in that manner."That is why Ru sell will continue to live on well after his death. , including some "kid" who went on to make his own ma sive impact.