Getting your jersey number retired is up there with the greatest moments in the life of an athlete. It means there is no way to narrate the story of the franchise without mentioning your contributions to it, and it takes a special athlete to make that kind of impact on the team.
While a chosen few can stake their claim to that, not many can say they have had a league-wide impact like the late great Bill Russell. The ultimate winner on the court, Russell won 11 NBA championships in his career and while that in itself is an incredible feat, he perhaps made even bigger contributions off the court, as he was an activist at a time when athletes speaking on issues was more frowned upon than it is now. Considering all of what he did, an NBA journalist suggested that the league should honor Russell on his passing by retiring his legendary No. 6 permanently.
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While it may seem a bit too much at first to permanently retire a number like this across the league, it is not unprecedented in American sports. Major League Baseball icon Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947 as he became the first African-American to play in the league in the modern era and they honored him in 1997 by retiring his no. 42 across the league.
Russell always expressed a great deal of admiration for Robinson, who was a hero to him, and it would be a special moment if the NBA does decide to follow the MLB’s footsteps. Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement on his passing in which he called Russell the ultimate winner and he added that his influence on the NBA will be felt forever. It would be a touching tribute to a great player and, more importantly, a great man if this does happen.
