February 4, 2021 | 1:20 pm
When the Celtics Hall of Fame center, Bill Russell, received his COVID-19 vaccine, he recorded a PSA encouraging others to follow suit.
“I just arrived to take my COVID picture, and this is a picture that I will not block,” said Russell, who will be 87 on February 12.
The video was released by NBA Cares as part of an ongoing initiative. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Hall of Fame pivot Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recorded similar videos.
“No Celtics were harmed during my shot,” added Russell. “Let’s do this together.”
The 11-time NBA champion meets the criteria for receiving the vaccine at this stage, as established by the Centers for Disease Control. Current CDC guidelines recommend vaccine priority for healthcare professionals, essential frontline personnel, people over 65 and those with “underlying medical conditions”.
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