Retired Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem was recently revealed to have disrespected Boston Celtics Hall of Fame big man Bill Russell in an attempt to fire up his team before a game against Boston. Haslem specifically called out the retired No. 6 jersey hanging in the Celtics’ rafters to honor Russell for his contributions to the sport as well as his work as a defender of civil rights.

All-NBA Celtics forward Jaylen Brown and others around the league quickly took to social media to defend Russell, who is widely revered for his activism and impact on and off the court.

While hype tactics aren’t uncommon for players to use to get their team energized and focused, choosing one of the most respected figures in basketball history struck a nerve.

The hosts of the “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast recently took Haslem to task for his poorly-chosen words; check it out above!

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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire