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The NBA lost a one-of-a-kind legend when Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics passed away.
His passing was monumental, heartbreaking, and led to a lot of reflection on the career, life, and journey of Russell.
There were many people calling on the NBA to do something major to honor the man who did so much for basketball.
That is exactly what the league has done.
The life and legacy of 11-time NBA champion and civil rights pioneer Bill Russell will be honored by retiring his uniform number, 6, throughout the league. The iconic Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be the first player to have his number retired across the NBA. pic.twitter.com/OSVx02bQDl
— NBA (@NBA) August 11, 2022
It has been decided that Russell’s number, 6, will be retired throughout the league.
Moving forward, no new players will wear his number as a way to pay respect to Russell and forever keep his legacy untarnished and unrivaled.
This is a huge decision by the NBA, one that has never been made before.
Russell’s Records
Some people said that 6 should be retired due to the career that Russell had.
In his 13 years within the NBA, he won 11 championship rings, which is a feat that no one else has topped since then.
When you look at the current league and how competitive and crowded it is, it would take a miracle for anyone to even come close to that accomplishment.
But there were other people who said that Russell’s number should have been retired for reasons beyond his success in the league.
Russell was at the forefront of cries for change during the Civil Rights era and was never afraid to speak his mind.
This was a long time ago, before speaking out was something that athletes commonly did.
Russell was a forefather for a special breed of star, reflected today in athletes such as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and many more.
The number 6 will no longer be a part of the NBA in the future and that makes sense because there will never be another Russell.
