Bill Russell Takes a Knee While Wearing Presidential Medal of Freedom

Eighty-three-year-old NBA Hall of Fame player Bill Russell took a knee while wearing his Presidential Medal of Freedom in a photo posted to Twitter on Monday following the weekend's protests during the national anthem at NFL games.

The account that posted the photo is unverified and it is unclear whether Russell posted the photo himself.

“Proud to take a knee, and to stand tall against social injustice,” the caption reads. 

Proud to take a knee, and to stand tall against social injustice." #takeaknee #medaloffreedom #NFL #BillRussell #MSNBC pic.twitter.com/1MhinoAcW7

— TheBillRussell (@BillRus73270016) September 25, 2017

Russell was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1975 after leading the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships and winning five MVP awards in the league. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 from then-President Barack Obama.

Russell was one of many African-American athletes who supported Muhammad Ali when he refused to be drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War in 1967 as a conscientious objector.

Some on Twitter supported Russell while others suggested that he just couldn’t get up.

He's only kneeling cause his old knee gave out on him. And u should only get a medal if u did something 2 earn it Obama gave them like candy

— Joe C (@Joe_C_308) September 26, 2017

As long as it's not during the anthem we good Bill

— 🅱🅱🅱 (@SwaggyPilipinas) September 26, 2017

All this disrespect in this thread for a NBA and Civil Rights legend... 🖕

— The Ancient Mariner (@Anci3nt_Marin3r) September 26, 2017

Issue is not kneeling but kneeling while National Anthem is sung. It looks some people don’t understand it. Trump hijacked the broader issue

— Tony (@shentony) September 26, 2017

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