Bill Russell is one of the most legendary men to ever step on an NBA court. He won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics, and he was one of the most honorable players in league history. He was an activist who always stuck to what he believed in, and despite the racism he faced at the hands of NBA fans, he continued to push forward and win championships against legends like Wilt Chamberlain.
Russell sadly passed away recently, and over the last few weeks, he has received numerous tributes from those he touched. Now, the NBA is making Russell the first player to have their jersey number retired across the entire league. As Shams Charania reports, no one will ever be able to wear the number 6 again.
For those at home who might be wondering, players like LeBron James and Alex Caruso will not have to change their numbers. This is a rule that is being “grandfathered” in, which means if you already have that number, you can still wear it. Once a player with that number leaves a team, that team can longer assign the number 6.
Some feel like wearing a player’s number is a great way to honor them, but in that same breath, retiring the jersey just speaks to what that person meant to the league. Regardless of your feelings on this, it is great to see the NBA doing something like this for one of its most important players.