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Miami Heat lifer Udonis Haslem apologizes for Bill Russell comments

When word broke of former Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem having dissed human rights champion and sometimes Boston Celtics Hall of Famer Bill Russell in a pregame hype speech, people were rightfully irked at Haslem for his insensitivity.

Shared during a memory he shared on his “The OGs” podcast, Haslem has since offered a qualified mea culpa for his words against Russell — but emphasis on qualified. “Let me talk on this one time,” began the Heat lifer via SI’s Anthony Pasciolla. “First, as a black man, I understand what Bill Russell has done for us. Aside from basketball, what he has done for us as a black man just for us to move forward in life.”

“I have a lot of respect. Love what he’s done on the basketball court as well. Being a champion, I’m all about winning,” he continued. “If I apologize to anybody, it’d be Bill Russell’s family.”

“The Boston people, y’all got a better chance of wrestling an alligator,” shared Haslem. “I’m not apologizing to you, mother (expletive), for nothing,”

“But Bill Russell’s family, I will apologize because that might have came off as insensitive in the heat of the moment, but I got a lot of love and a lot of respect for Bill Russell, so as a man, if I came off wrong, I apologize. You Boston mother (expletive), (expletive) you.”

Fair enough, as far as we’re concerned.

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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire