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Celtics legend compares Hassan Whiteside to Bill Russell

By Cameron La Fontaine

Jan 27, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) reacts after being fouled during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Arena. The Bucks won 109-102. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside (21) reacts after being fouled during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Arena. The Bucks won 109-102. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Boston Celtics legend compared Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside to Bill Russell. 

Everyone has liked Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside since he told reporters that he just wanted to get his NBA 2K rating up after a breakout triple-double game.

Whiteside is undoubtedly succeeding after he has broken out this year with success. He’s now averaging 11 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 22.6 minutes each game.

The 25-year-old Miami center gained some extremely high praise from six-time NBA champion, Basketball Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtics point guard Bob Cousy:

"“I have never said this in the 40 years since I retired,” Cousy said in a recent interview according to Yahoo! Sports, “but he is the first big guy, not (Patrick) Ewing, (Hakeem) Olajuwon, Shaq (O’Neal), who reminds me defensively and on the boards of Russell. He runs the floor well, he has excellent timing, he blocks shots and keeps them in play the way Russell did.”“I don’t get excited too often about these guys,” Cousy said, “but this kid looks to me like a turn-around guy. This kid moves to every rebound, he just reacts to everything on the defensive boards and he reacts the way Russell did. He leaves his man and comes over to help. He’ll block five or six shots a game and he catches them. The league hasn’t caught up with him yet.”"

Really? Hassan Whiteside reminds you of 11-time NBA champion, 6-time NBA MVP, 12-time All Star, maybe the best player in NBA history Bill Russell?

I don’t have six rings so I’m not going to question Bob Cousy, but let’s see Whiteside at least become an All-Star before we throw that kind of stuff around.

h/t Black Sports Online

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