Bill Russell recently participated in a panel discussion at this year’s Civil Rights Summit.

While speaking on a panel about sports and race, Russell reflected on the struggles black athletes faced in the 1960s and compared it to the current fight for equality and acceptance being faced by gay athletes.

“It seems to me, a lot of questions about gay athletes, were the same questions they used to ask about us,” Russell said.

He went on to say he would have only one question about a gay teammate: “Can he play?”

Russell’s comments come just after UMass basketball player Derrick Gordon became the first openly gay player in Division I men’s basketball.

-Erika Benton-Martin (@leftcoast_rika)