NBA legend Bill Russell -- one of the greatest basketball players ever -- has finally accepted his Hall of Fame ring after a 45 year boycott.
85-year-old Russell was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975 -- but refused to participate in the induction ceremony. At the time, Russell cited "his own personal reasons," but didn't expand on it.
But Thursday night, things changed ... Russell participated in a private ceremony with Alonzo Mourning, hoops legend/broadcaster Ann Meyers, Bill Walton, his wife and others to accept his H.