Late Bill Russell, Basketball player and coach, will have his no. 6 jersey retired across the whole NBA league as a mark of honour.
The decision by the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) was announced on Thursday, 11th August. It stated that the number worn by the 11-time champion, civil rights activist and member, Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, was being permanently retired by all 30 teams.
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honoured in a unique and historic way, “Permanently retiring his No 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognised”, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
Russell passed away on July 31 at the age of 88. He was an 11-time champion during a 13-year career – winning the last two of those titles as a player-coach – and the first Black coach in any of the major United States pro sports to win a championship.
Although, history shows that more than 250 players in NBA history have worn a No. 6 jersey, including 24 who did so in at least one game last season, nobody has worn No. 6 for the Celtics since Russell’s final season, 1968-69.
Players who currently wear the No. 6 Jersey, like LeBron James, will continue to, but there will be no reissues thereafter.
Story: Makcit Rindap