When the National Basketball Association (NBA) season tips off on October 18, the league will honor one of its legends, Bill Russell. The former Boston Celtics star died in July at age 88. The league is retiring uniform number 6, which Russell wore throughout his career.
Players who currently wear number 6 may keep doing so. But starting this year, the number will never again be issued to any player. Russell is the first player to have his number retired across the entire NBA.
The 6-foot-10-inch star has often been called the ultimate winner. He led his college team to two national championships and earned an Olympic gold medal before joining the Celtics in 1956. Russell soon became the NBA’s first Black superstar. Over the next decade, he led Boston to nine NBA championships.
In 1966, while still playing for the Celtics, Russell took over as the team’s coach. That made him the first Black head coach in any major U.S. sports league. As a player-coach, he led Boston to two more titles. His 11 championships are the most of any player.
Throughout the sports world, Russell has been praised as a hero on and off the court.
“He paved the way and set an example for every Black player who came into the league after him, including me,” former basketball superstar Michael Jordan wrote in a statement.