“Bill Russell’s unprecedented success in court and a pioneer in the field of civil rights deserves to be recognized in a unique and historic way,” Silver said in a statement. “His retirement as a permanent sixth-placed on every NBA team ensures that Bale’s superlative career will always be appreciated.”
Existing NBA players wearing the number 6 – including Lakers star LeBron James – will be allowed to continue, but teams cannot release the number to new players.
Major League Baseball was permanently retired at number 42 in honor of Robinson in 1997, half a century after breaking the color barrier in the sport. Russell became the first black coach in the NBA in 1966, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2011.
The NBA, named Finals Player of the Year after Russell in 2009, will honor his career throughout the 2022-23 season. In addition to the jersey memorial patches, a court badge bearing the Celtics’ clover logo with the number 6 will be located near the scorer’s table at each yard.
“Bill’s actions on and off the court throughout his life have helped shaped generations of players for the better and for this we are forever grateful,” said Tamica Trimaglio, NBA Executive Director. “We are proud to continue celebrating his life and legacy alongside the league.”
Russell No. 6 was previously retired from the University of San Francisco, where he won NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956, and by the Celtics, with whom he played his entire 13-year NBA career from 1956 to 1969.
Retiring the shirt at the league level is just the latest honor to be acknowledged storied profession. At USF, Russell was a two-time All-American player and was a MVP in the 1955 NCAA Tournament. After winning a gold medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Russell was a five-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, and 11-time NBA MVP with a team Celtics.
After his retirement, Russell was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and coach, was named to the 25th, 35th, 55th, and 75th Anniversary Teams of the National Basketball Association and received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.
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