Bill Russell’s passing has left many devastated, and there’s no doubt that the whole basketball world will miss him. He was a pioneer of the game and contributed a lot to change both on and off the court.
There have been many people who have suggested that the NBA should find a way to honor Bill Russell and what he did for the sport. An NBA journalist suggested that the league should permanently retire his No. 6 across the NBA. While a good number of players would have to change their numbers, that could be a good way to keep Bill Russell’s memory alive.
Magic Johnson has recently spoken out in support of retiring Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey, suggesting that Adam Silver should do it “in honor” of Russell’s legacy. It is clear that this is a popular idea, and we’ll see if the league ends up doing so to commemorate the winningest NBA superstar ever.
Commissioner Adam Silver should retire number 6 across the @NBA in honor of Bill Russell’s legacy!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 2, 2022
Commissioner Adam Silver should retire number 6 across the
NBA
in honor of Bill Russell’s legacy!
Hopefully, we see the league take action soon, and there’s no question that most players and fans want the NBA to commemorate Bill Russell’s achievements. Adam Silver is a commissioner that understands just what Bill Russell stood for based on his statement on the legend’s passing, and perhaps we’ll see him announce the league’s plan for this situation in the future.
“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. 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.
“For nearly 35 years since Bill completed his trailblazing career as the league’s first Black head coach, we were fortunate to see him at every major NBA event, including the NBA Finals, where he presented the Bill Russell Trophy to the Finals MVP.”
It remains to be seen if any other players or former players end up supporting this idea of retiring Bill Russell’s No. 6 throughout the entire league. Perhaps Magic Johnson’s Tweet can kick-start some sort of discussion on this subject.
Bill Russell winning 11 championships in 13 years is absolutely insane, and there’s no doubt that this is a feat that likely won’t be surpassed by any athlete in the modern era. Hopefully, he continues to get his respect, and perhaps we’ll see Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey in the rafters for every team at some point going forward.
