The late great Bill Russell passed away on July 31st at the age of 88. One of the most prolific champions in the history of sports will have his number retired leaguewide.
NBA To Retire Bill Russell’s Number Six Across The League
The National Basketball Players Association announced earlier this month that to honor the legacy of Bill Russell, the NBA will retire his number six for all 30 teams. Russell will become the first player in league history to have his number retired leaguewide.
Retiring his number is not the only way that the NBA will be honoring Russell’s legacy this season. On the right shoulder of every player’s jersey this season will be a commemorative patch. Additionally, there will be a logo shaped like a shamrock with Russell’s No. 6 on every team’s court. It will be positioned on the sideline near the scorer’s table. The Boston Celtics have a “separate and unique recognition” for Bill Russell that they are planning for their uniforms. That plan will be announced later, according to the league. The league’s Finals MVP award was also named after Russell back in 2009.
Tamika Tremaglio, the executive director of the NBPA, said in a statement that “This is a momentous honor reserved for one of the greatest champions ever to play the game. Bill’s actions on and off the court throughout the course of his life helped to shape generations of players for the better, and for that, we are forever grateful. We are proud to continue the celebration of his life and legacy alongside the league.”
In his own statement, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said, “Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way. Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”
Bill Russell: The Ultimate Champion
Bill Russell played in the NBA for 13, all of which were with the Boston Celtics. His incredibly long list of achievements includes 11 championships, 11 All-NBA selections, 12 All-Star selections, and 5 MVP awards. Additionally, he was named the team’s player-coach in 1966, making him the first Black head coach in American professional sports. To this day, he is second all-time in rebounds (21,620) and rebounds per game (22.5). Russell also won two NCAA titles while at San Francisco and won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. He is one of the best centers and one of the best basketball players period ever.
Bill Russell is also known for what he has done for civil rights and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
Russell joins a very exclusive club of players with their numbers retired leaguewide in sports. Jackie Robinson’s number 42 in MLB and Wayne Gretzky’s number 99 in the NHL are also a part of that club.
25 players currently wear the number six. Those players include LeBron James and Kristaps Porzingis. Those players will still be able to wear the number.
Nobody has worn No. 6 for the Celtics since Russell retired after the 1968-69 season.
