The NBA has decided to permanently retire No. 6 throughout the league to honor the late basketball legend Bill Russell.
This season, NBA players will be wearing a patch on the right shoulder of their jersey to honor Russell and each court will display a tribute logo next to the scorer’s table.
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”
Current players who wear the number – most notably Lakers player LeBron James – will not have to make a change.
As the league says those who currently wear No. 6 will be exempt.
On July 31, Russell died at the age of eighty-eight years old.
He was best known for being the most prolific winner in the history of the NBA.
Russell was an eleven-time champion in his remarkable thirteen-year career.
He was also the first black coach to win a championship in pro sports history.
Beyond his NBA career, Russell was known for his civil rights activism.
He marched with Martin Luther King. Jr, and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
Russell left a huge legacy behind and has inspired countless NBA players.
Rest in peace, Bill Russell.