The National Basketball Association today announced that they will honour the legacy of Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, by retiring his No. 6 jersey for all 30 teams.
The move will make Russell the first player in NBA history to have his jersey retired league-wide.
Additionally, all NBA players will wear a commemorative patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys during the 2022-23 season, and every court will display a shamrock-shaped logo with Russell’s No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer’s table.
Starting with the 2022-23 season, no NBA team will be allowed to issue No. 6 to any player. Players who currently wear No. 6 — such as Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, may continue to do so.
The NBA previously recognized Russell’s contributions when it named the Finals MVP Award after him in 2009.
