Bill Russell Gets The Ultimate Honor From The NBA

BYAlexander Cole1281 Views
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Bill Russell
This latest honor is fitting for the legendary Celtics star.

Bill Russell is one of the most legendary men to ever step on an NBA court. He won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics, and he was one of the most honorable players in league history. He was an activist who always stuck to what he believed in, and despite the racism he faced at the hands of NBA fans, he continued to push forward and win championships against legends like Wilt Chamberlain.

Russell sadly passed away recently, and over the last few weeks, he has received numerous tributes from those he touched. Now, the NBA is making Russell the first player to have their jersey number retired across the entire league. As Shams Charania reports, no one will ever be able to wear the number 6 again. 



For those at home who might be wondering, players like LeBron James and Alex Caruso will not have to change their numbers. This is a rule that is being "grandfathered" in, which means if you already have that number, you can still wear it. Once a player with that number leaves a team, that team can longer assign the number 6.


Some feel like wearing a player's number is a great way to honor them, but in that same breath, retiring the jersey just speaks to what that person meant to the league. Regardless of your feelings on this, it is great to see the NBA doing something like this for one of its most important players.


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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