Firstofall, at a timewhenoursportwasunderduressbecausepeoplesaiditwasgettingtooblack,
まず第一に、このスポーツが黒くなりすぎていると言われ、苦境に立たされていた時期だった、
I rememberthisguynamedRussellwhoplayedwiththisotherguynamedKoozie, thebestbasketballthat I thinkeverexistedintheworld, anditdawnedonmethatwehadsomethingtoteachtheworld.
ラッセルという男を覚えていて、もう一人のクージーという男とプレーしていたんだ。
AndBillRussell, earlyon, was a manwhoexpressedhisviewsverystronglyandindependently, andwasactuallyattheMarchonWashingtonin 1964.
I wasdeterminedthatBillRussellwasgoingtocomebacktotheleague, becausehewasverygrouchywhen I firstgottoknowhim.
私はビル・ラッセルがリーグに戻ってくることを確信していた。
Right? Okay.
そうだろう?そうか
Anditis... I musttellyouthatoneofthehighlightsofthelastseveralyearsformewasbeinginBostonwhenBillRussellcamehomeandthestatuteofBillRussellwasunveiledthere.
SoletmejustsaythatRuss, tome, is a 30-yearcolleagueattheNBAwhoisresponsibleforjust a fewthings, likedoingeverything, whetherit's reactingtoFIBA's requestthatwecomeintotheOlympics, and I'm thankfulthatIvanMeniniishere, thepresidentofFIBA, representingFIBA, ormakingsuretheWNBAgotlaunched, ormakingsuretheNBADevelopmentLeaguegotlaunched, or, youknow, evenmakingsurethatourrefereesdidwhatevertheyweresupposedtodo, exceptforJoeyCrawford, who's heretonight.
Butonbehalfofallofmycolleagues, ortoallofmycolleagues, I saythankyou, andRussishererepresentingyou.
しかし、私の同僚全員を代表して、あるいは私の同僚全員に、ありがとうと言いたい。
APPLAUSE
拍手
Youknow, LarryBird, hewasgrouchytooas a rookie, buthelovesthisgame, andhetellsusthatifyou're a greatplayer, there's a placeforyouinourleagueasaninvestor, as a coach, as a generalmanager, andas a leader.
BigBobisimportanttomeforsomanyreasonsbecausehe's such a greatfriend, buthewasthepresidentoftheunionin 1983, andwenegotiatedthatcollectivebargainingagreement.
Tosayintenselyisnotenoughofanexpression, andinfact, Bobtaughtmenottobeafraidofsizebecausehavinghimgloweratmefromacrossthetablewasintimidatingfor a bit, but I gotoverit.
TogetherwithDikembe, thetwoofthemcrisscrossedtheworld, givingvoicetothefactthatweas a leaguehavetheabilitytoexpressourvalues, thatwe, and I meanas a leaguewithteamsthatdothesamething, thatweareresponsivetoourcommunities, thatwearesociallyresponsible.
Weenroll a millionIndianchildrenintojuniorNBAandjuniorWNBAbecauseweteachthemaboutdiscipline, abouthardwork, aboutsacrifice, aboutteamwork, andabout a senseofconfidencethatcomesfromaccomplishingsomething.