And a bunch of nerds looking to revise history will be in their place.

Trust me, man, if I could pluck one guy out of NBA history, it would be Russell. The guy tortured two generations of basketball fans in my family. I will fight someone over a Russell-Wilt debate. That said, the guy is bar none the greatest leader in pro sports history (sorry, Mark Messier), he was the best defensive player in NBA history and his impact on the game was immense.

If not for the 68 and 69 titles, I think the argument that he was the best player on the best team (which is usually good e-fucking-nough!) would hold weight. But it doesn't. That 69 title in particular cemented his legacy in stone, it even added a compelling new dimension to the Russell side of the Russ-Wilt debate.