President Trump awarded Boston Celtics legend and native New Yorker Bob Cousy the Presidential Medal of Freedom Thursday afternoon at the White House — the nation’s highest civilian honor.

The commander in chief presented the award to the 91-year-old NBA Hall of Famer in the Oval Office as his daughters and a few grandchildren looked on.

Cousy choked up — but kept his sense of humor — after Trump praised him during his introductory remarks.

“If I’d known I was going to be eulogized I would probably have done the only decent thing and died,” he joked.

He teared up again as he spoke about his family, thanking his daughters, Marie, Mary and Cindy, who he said resembled their late mother Missie, “who put up with me for 63 years.”

Trump put a hand on Cousy’s back to comfort him.

“That’s why you shouldn’t invite old men to the White House. They get emotional,” said Cousy, who thanked Trump and called him “the most extraordinary president in m lifetime.”

A Manhattan native who graduated from the former Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, Cousy went on to play for Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass., and 13 seasons for the Celtics, from 1950 to 1963.

The 6-foot, 1-inch point guard, famed for what at the time was his tricky ballhandling and uncanny passing ability, made the All-Star team 13 times and helped lead the Celtics to six championships.

In an interview this week with NBC Sports Boston, Cousy reflected on his life, career and the medal of Freedom.

“I’ve heard a lot of jocks and politicians say, ‘I’m the luckiest son of a gun.” I’ll claim that title,” he said.

“I discovered I had some God-given skills in a child’s game. I got to one of the best liberal arts schools in the country at Holy Cross, played 13 wonderful years with six championships with the Celtics. This is the cherry on top of the Sunday,” said Cousy, who also told NBA.com in an interview that he’d be backing Trump in 2020.

His career began during the Jim Crow era but he later forged bonds with African-American teammates such as the Celtics’ legendary center, Bill Russell, himself a civil rights activist.

And he gained fame for his stance against racism, and in 1950 refused to stay at the team hotel in segregated Charlotte, North Carolina after African-American teammate Chuck Cooper was denied entry.

Instead, Cousy traveled with Cooper on an overnight train to their next destination.

“It is special because it doesn’t fall necessarily into the realm of sports. It’s an award that’s given theoretically for work in other areas. I have taken the opportunities I’ve had on a Mickey Mouse level over the years to do what I’ve been able to do in the areas of civil rights and social justice, “ he said.

Cousy will be the fourth NBA player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Former President Obama awarded medals to Russell in 2011, and UCLA and Lakers’ star Kareem Abdul Jabbar and NBA legend Michael Jordan in 2016.