The NBA along with the NBPA made an official declaration today regarding their decision to acknowledge the remarkable career and influence of 11-time NBA title holder and civil rights advocate Bill Russell by permanently withdrawing his jersey number, 6, from all leagues. The esteemed Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be the inaugural player to achieve such an honor league-wide.
Adam Silver, the Commissioner of the NBA, commented, “Bill Russell’s exceptional achievements on the court and his groundbreaking work in civil rights warrant a distinctive and historical acknowledgment. The permanent retirement of his No. 6 across every team in the NBA ensures that Bill’s extraordinary career will forever be commemorated.”
Tamika Tremaglio, the Executive Director of the NBPA, added, “This is a significant accolade set aside for one of the supreme champions to ever participate in the sport. Bill’s impact both on and off the court during his lifetime paved the way for improved generations of athletes, and for that, we express our eternal gratitude. It is with pride that we continue to celebrate his life and contributions in conjunction with the entire league.”
Apart from retiring Russell’s jersey number, the NBA will honor the legacy of the Boston Celtics’ luminary throughout the entirety of the 2022-23 season. Each NBA player will exhibit a commemorative patch on the right shoulder of their uniforms, and every NBA court will feature a clover-shaped logo embellished with the No. 6 near the scorer’s table. Further, the Celtics, the franchise for which Russell dedicated his entire career as a player and coach, are set to receive a distinct recognition for him on their uniforms, details of which will be divulged in due course.
The jersey number synonymous with Russell, donned by him over his extensive 13-season career spanning from 1956-69, will no longer be allocated to any player by any NBA team in the future. Existing players who wear No. 6 will be grandfathered in.
Recognized as the quintessential victor and exemplary team player, Russell revolutionized the game with his dominant defensive tactics and elegant athleticism playing as a center. He boasts the record for winning an unprecedented 11 NBA championships within a span of 13 seasons, following consecutive national titles at the University of San Francisco in 1955 and 1956, and a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team in 1956. Russell, who guided Boston to eight successive NBA titles from 1959 to 1966, was so emblematic of success that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was named in his honor in 2009.
His extensive list of achievements includes five NBA Most Valuable Player accolades, 12 NBA All-Star picks, and 11 All-NBA Team recognitions. Russell was included in all four NBA anniversary lineups (25th, 35th, 50th, and 75th) and was officially inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. A four-time NBA rebounding leader, he holds the second position in league history for total rebounds (21,620) and rebounds per game (22.5) during regular-season play. The Celtics retired his No. 6 jersey in 1972.
Russell’s influence on the NBA resonated far beyond his athletic successes. In 1966, he made history as the first Black head coach in both the NBA and major professional sports in the U.S. Upon assuming the role as a player-coach, he steered Boston to successive NBA championships in 1968 and 1969.
Throughout and after his extraordinary basketball career, Russell fervently championed the principles of equality, respect, and inclusivity. He marched alongside Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in support of civil rights and remained unwavering in his conviction that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity. For his athletic accomplishments and lifelong dedication to social justice, he was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, the highest civilian honor in the nation.
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