Kyrie Irving echoes NBA legend Bill Russell’s message on MLK Day: “Not lose sight of that mission”
Kyrie Irving took to social media to amplify Bill Russell's special message as the NBA celebrated the landmark occasion of MLK Day.
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Kyrie Irving reflects on Bill Russell's social justice message for MLK Day
Kyrie Irving has always been one of the leading voices when it comes to fighting for justice and social activism within the NBA. With the NBA celebrating the landmark occasion of Martin Luther King Jr.’s celebration of life on MLK day, it seems only fitting that Irving echoed the sentiments of one of the great social activists and NBA legends who stood beside Dr. King himself, Bill Russell.
Bill Russell was not just one of the greatest and most iconic basketball players of all time on the court, but his contributions off the court were equally, if not more, important. Russell championed the the Civil Rights movement in America standing alongside leaders such as Dr. King. On the celebration of MLK Day across America and the NBA, Kyrie Irving resonated with Russell’s sentiments on social media.
Bill would always keep at the core of his mission, that we must honor the past by shaping a future rooted in equality and justice for everyone. On #MLKday we will not lose sight of that mission.
Russell’s official X account posted
Bill would always keep at the core of his mission, that we must honor the past by shaping a future rooted in equality and justice for everyone. On #MLKday we will not lose sight of that mission. pic.twitter.com/wEue9jRAzd
— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) January 20, 2025
Although the late great Bill Russell passed away in 2022, his social media account on X is run by his wife, who posted a message which Russell himself would have resonated with. Taking to his own X account, Kyrie Irving reposted the message from Russell’s X account, relaying the sentiments expressed in it to his own fanbase before taking the court on MLK Day.
In the past, Irving has been actively involved in championing social justice throughout the NBA. His ardent support of the Black Lives Matter movement and promoting equality for all genders across sports has been a flagship of his social justice work.
NBA celebrates MLK Day with tributes across the league
MLK Day has always been a landmark day for basketball across the NBA. Some of the league’s marquee games have been scheduled on this day to honor the legacy of Dr King and promote his messages of social equality on the NBA’s platforms. This year was no less, as the league scheduled a major slate of games, which featured tributes to Dr. King throughout.
As the Warriors took on the Celtics, there were several in-arena presentations and tributes to mark the occasion of MLK Day. Following the game, many stars, including Stephen Curry of the Warriors, posted photos of their own tributes for MLK Day through their social media platforms. Curry posted a photo of the Warriors’ pre-game warmup jerseys which featured prominent messaging reading ‘Honor King’.
Prior to the games themselves, the NBA’s broadcast hosted by the Inside the NBA crew on TNT showcased their own tributes towards Martin Luther King Jr. The iconic show hosts, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson all took turns to give emotional messages about the impact and legacy of Dr. King in their own lives.
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Armaan Gupta
(333 Articles Published)