Brown: “Very fitting” Bill Russell named the Boston Bridge after him

Brown: 'Very fitting' Bill Russell has Boston Bridge named after him originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The city of Boston renamed the North Washington Street Bridge after Celtics legend Bill Russell at a special ceremony Monday, and one of those in attendance was C's superstar Jaylen Brown.

The bridge's name was officially changed to the William Felton 'Bill' Russell Bridge.

“I think it's very fitting that a bridge is named after him because a bridge brings people together,” Brown said.

Russell won 11 championships in 13 seasons with the Celtics in the 1950s and 1960s. He won the last two titles in 1967-68 and 1968-69 as player/head coach. Although Russell made a major impact on the field as a Hall of Fame player, he left an even greater impact on the community as a civil rights hero who always fought for social justice. Russell died in 2022 at the age of 88.

“We are here to talk about the legacy of the great Bill Russell, not only what he accomplished on the basketball court and how many championships he won, but also how many championships he won off the basketball court,” Brown said.

“The things he stood for in the community, the things with education. The things he stood for back then, which is much more difficult than it is today. I can go on and on about his resume, but his character, his behavior and how he behaves. I think that speaks volumes, especially in a time like today.”

The Celtics have not repeated as NBA champions since Russell's final two seasons as a player. Brown and the Celtics will try to accomplish that feat this season, which begins Tuesday against the New York Knicks at TD Garden.