Bob Cousy was Bill Russell’s teammate from 1956-1963, as he was able to watch one of the greatest shot blockers to ever play the game and was arguably one of the better rebounders. Cousy has never compared a player to Russell before, but that all change today, when Cousy compared Russell to current Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside.

“I have never said this in the 40 years since I retired,” Cousy told Bill Doyle of the Worcester Telegram, “but he is the first big guy, not [Patrick] Ewing, [Hakeem] Olajuwon, [Shaquille 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.”

“Maybe I’m overreacting,” Cousy said. “I don’t get excited too often about these guys, but this kid looks to me like a turn-around guy.”

“If I were Danny [Ainge],” Cousy said, “I’d offer Miami three first-round picks for Whiteside because in my judgment, and what can you tell watching on television, but, boy, does that kid have an upside.”

Like he said, maybe he’s overreacting, but you can never predict the way a player’s career will go no matter how hard you try.

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