The NBA will honour 11-time champions and all time greats Bill Russell His No. 6, throughout the league.
The league and National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday that the NBA will use a commemorative patch featuring Russell on uniforms as well as a logo on courts for the 2022-23 season.
Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, said that Bill Russell’s unprecedented success on court and pioneering civil right activism merit to be honored in an unique and historic way. “Permanently retiring his number. 6 across every NBA team, Bill’s extraordinary career will continue to be honored.”
The No. 6 — Los Angeles Lakers Star LeBron James The Washington Wizards‘ Kristaps Porzingis — can use the number as it is, and will be grandfathered in, the league stated.
Russell, at the age 88, died July 31, 2007. The Boston Celtics Great won eight titles in succession from 1959 to 1966. He also held the 11th overall title, including two (1968,’69), as a player as well as serving as the NBA’s first Black coach.
Russell was also well-known for his civil rights work. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama, which is the highest civilian honor in the country.