William Felton Russell was an American professional basketball player, now Hall of Famer Bill Russell’s No.6 jersey throughout the league.
Bill Russell : Jersey Retirement | Number six | Died
A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 12, 1934 Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | July 31, 2022 (aged 88) Mercer Island, Washington, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
Russell and Henri Richard of the National Hockey League are tied for the record of the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league. Russell is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
He led the San Francisco Dons to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, and he captained the gold-medal winning U.S. national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Despite his limitations on offense, as Russell averaged 15.1 points per game, his rebounding, defense, and leadership made him one of the dominant players of his era.
Jersey Retirement
The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Thursday it will permanently retire Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Russell’s No.6 jersey throughout the league.
Russell, who passed away on July 31 at the age of 88, won 11 NBA titles with the Boston Celtics and becomes the first player to have his number retired across all 30 teams.
| Career history | |
|---|---|
| As player: | |
| 1956–1969 | Boston Celtics |
| As coach: | |
| 1966–1969 | Boston Celtics |
| 1973–1977 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1987–1988 | Sacramento Kings |
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,” league commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement announcing the news.
“Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized,” Silver added.
“This is a momentous honor reserved for one of the greatest champions to ever play the game,” Tamika Tremaglio, NBPA executive director, said in a statement announcing the news.
Bill Russell number six
Bill Russell, who died last month at 88, is getting a rare honor: His No. 6 will be retired, not just for his team, the Boston Celtics, but for the entire N.B.A.
Among major sports, only Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 in baseball and Wayne Gretzky’s No. 99 in hockey have been retired leaguewide.
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| High school | McClymonds (Oakland, California) |
| College | San Francisco (1953–1956) |
| NBA draft | 1956 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall |
| Selected by the St. Louis Hawks | |
| Playing career | 1956–1969 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 6 |
| Coaching career | 1966–1988 |
Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey is being retired across the NBA, a first for the league.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday that the number worn by the 11-time champion, civil rights activist and person good enough to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach was being permanently retired by all 30 teams.
“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.”
Died
Russell died on Sunday at the age of 88. His family posted the news on social media, saying his wife, Jeannine, was by his side.
The statement did not give the cause of death, but Russell was not well enough to present the NBA Finals MVP trophy in June due to a long illness.
| Bill Russell | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 12, 1934 Monroe, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | July 31, 2022 (aged 88) Mercer Island, Washington, U.S. |
“Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us, or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind how those moments unfolded,” the family statement said. “And we hope each of us can find a new way to act or speak up with Bill’s uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principle.
“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league.
At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps,” Silver said. “Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.”