Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell to receive SI's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award

NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell have been chosen as two of the three recipients for the 2016 Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, SI announced Wednesday.

Abdul-Jabbar and Russell — revered in the sports world for both their on-court dominance and for being outspoken advocates for social justice — will be honored alongside Cleveland Browns' Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown during SI’s Sportsperson of the Year event on Dec. 12 at the Barclays Center.

“In 2016 we learned that the consequences of speaking out on hard issues were often painful ones, but also how deeply athletes can impact and advance the conversation on those same, hard issues," Sports Illustrated Group editor in chief Chris Stone said in a statement. "Jim Brown, Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all recognized, and acted on this in a far harder time in America. That was the example of their friend, Muhammad Ali, and the torch they’ve carried for the more than a half-century."

Abdul-Jabbar was also presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom — considered the nation's highest civilian honor a president can award — last week, becoming the third NBA player (Russell, Michael Jordan) to ever receive such honors.

"Muhammad Ali was both a friend and a personal inspiration to me as an athlete and as an activist," Abdul-Jabbar said. "To receive an award in his name is especially moving because it means I am honoring his legacy as a man who defied conventions and courageously risked life and career to making America a land of freedom, equal opportunity and social justice."

“To be a true influence of positive change in the world often means that you have to stand up against injustice and fight through adversity," added Russell. "I am honored to be recognized alongside some of the great cultural icons of our time who have used their platforms to fight for civil rights and social justice, regardless of the risk, including my good friend Muhammad Ali to whom the award is dedicated. Our work has just begun.”

The Sports Illustrated Legacy Award, created in 2008, was renamed last October to honor Ali, just eight months before his death.

Follow AJ Neuharth-Keusch on Twitter @tweetAJNK