OAKLAND, Calif. — The death of legendary boxer and ambassador Muhammad Ali was felt by players and coaches participating in the NBA Finals, especially Cavaliers superstar LeBron James and Hall of Famer Jerry West.

James became emotional when discussing the impact of Ali, who died Friday evening at age 74 after battling Parkinson’s disease for decades. James was born three years after Ali retired from boxing, but he was well schooled on Ali’s effect on social change and his landmark refusal to enter the US Army draft in 1967, leading to a 3½-year ban from boxing.

“As a kid, I gravitated towards him because he was a champion, but I only knew as a kid of what he did in the ring,’’ James said. “As I got older, I started to be more knowledgeable about the sport, about sport in general, and about the guys who paved the way for guys like myself. I understood that he is the greatest of all time because of what he did outside the ring.

“For an athlete like myself today, without Muhammad Ali, I wouldn’t be sitting up here talking in front of you. I wouldn’t be able to walk in restaurants. I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere where blacks weren’t allowed in those days because of guys like Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Lew Alcindor, Jackie Robinson, and the list goes on and on.

“So when an icon like Muhammad Ali passes away, it’s just very emotional. It’s also gratifying to know that one man would sacrifice so much of his individual life knowing that it would better the next generation of men and women after him.’’

West, now a Warriors executive, said he attended several Ali fights and became friends with the boxer during their time together at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

“I don’t think he was outspoken, he was just him,’’ West said. “He wasn’t trying to fool anyone. He was a magnificent fighter. He was someone I admired tremendously. It’s obviously a sad day. I think all of us knew with his declining health that it wasn’t going to be long, but a magnificent person. I was a huge fan of his. The world was better for having him. It really was.

“He was controversial in his own way but he was a like a pussycat in personality.’’

West said he and the other US Olympians in Rome had heard of this “teenage sensation’’ on the boxing team. Ali would streak to a gold medal.

“You almost felt like a God-like presence around him, you really did,’’ West said. “He had it. He had it. He was a good guy. Everyone knew what kind of person he was.’’

Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.