Boston Celtics honor Bill Russell by adding his No. 6 to the parquet paint
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Boston Celtics honor Bill Russell by adding retired number 6 to the squad with season-long tribute that pays tribute to NBA legend’s ‘dominant game in the paint’
- The Celtics painted Bill Russell’s No. 6 in paint on their legendary parquet floor
- 11-time NBA champion civil rights activist Russell died at age 88
- Celtics unveiled a new home parquet court ahead of the season to honor him
- Boston will be paying tribute to Russell in a variety of other ways throughout the season
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The Boston Celtics painted Bill Russell’s number 6 in paint on their legendary parquet floor in tribute to the Hall of Famer, who passed away this summer.
11-time NBA champion and civil rights activist Russell died on July 31 at the age of 88.
The Celtics unveiled a new home parquet court ahead of the 2022-23 season to honor him with the season-long tribute to his “dominant game in the paint.”
Boston added the number 6 to both lanes, marking the first time numeric text within that area has been displayed on an NBA court.
The franchise shared a photo of the tribute on the pitch showing the area painted green with the No. 6 in a lighter shade across the top.
The Celtics added the caption: “Look for a special tribute to Bill Russell on the prosecutor’s office this season.”
The Boston Celtics have painted Bill Russell’s number 6 in their court’s free-throw lanes in tribute to the Hall of Famer who died this summer
Boston revealed the tribute on social media when they shared a photo of the painted No. 6
Eleven-time NBA champion and civil rights activist Russell died in July at age 88
Boston will pay tribute to Russell in several other ways throughout the season, including two nights in his honor. The first on October 18 for the season opener and a later on February 12, which would have been his 89th birthday.
The Celtics will also wear special Russell-themed jerseys for some of their games and their regular uniforms will also have something special to honor him.
The league also announced its own tribute to Russell last month as it revealed that Russell’s jersey number was being retired.
After calls to withdraw the number in honor of one of the most influential basketball players, the NBA and NBPA decided in August to never release a number 6 shirt again.
The number 6 will never be issued by the NBA again after the league revealed they will be discontinuing the number in tribute to Boston Celtics legend Russell (pictured playing in 1967)
“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 Thursday.
“The permanent retirement of his number 6 on every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”
The number 6 had already been knocked out by the Celtics in 1972, but Russell is the first player to have his number removed in the entire league.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and other current wearers of the No. 6 will be able to continue wearing it because they will be grandfathers. However, a new shirt with that number will no longer be handed out.
LeBron James wears No. 6 at the Lakers and will be able to keep it because it will be grandfather
All NBA players will wear a patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys this season, the league announced Thursday, and all NBA courts will have a clover-shaped logo with the number 6 on the sidelines near the scorer’s table to also commemorate Russell. .
Russell’s 11 titles with the Celtics came in one of the sport’s most dominant eras between 1956 and 1969, but while playing for Boston, he endured significant racism and abuse.
Russell used his position to advocate for equality throughout his life. Notably, he was present at the 1963 Washington March, when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, and he supported Muhammad Ali when the boxer was pilloried for refusing to enlist in the military.
Russell also won an Olympic gold medal in Melbourne with the United States in 1956 and two NCAA titles in San Francisco in 1955 and 56, success that paved the way for him to become a five-time NBA MVP and twelve-time All-Star.
His early success paved the way for him to become a five-time NBA MVP and twelve-time All-Star
Russell pictured in 1956 shortly after coming from San Francisco to sign for the Celtics
Russell’s 11 titles came between 1956 and 1969 in a dominant era for the Celtics in basketball. In 1966, Russell was named the team’s player-coach by outgoing coach Red Auerbach (right)
Russell averaged 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds over 13 seasons (1956-69) with the Celtics. He was first inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1975 and then again as a coach in 2021.
In addition to his civil rights work, he is considered one of the greatest winners in American sports history and the greatest defensive player in NBA history.
The Louisiana native has also left a lasting impression as a black athlete in a city — and country — where racing is often a flashpoint.
In 2011, Russell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama – the highest civilian honor in the United States.