NBA to retire Bill Russell's No. 6 jersey throughout the league as tribute to the 11-time champion

By Matt Foster, CNN

Updated 0926 GMT (1726 HKT) August 12, 2022

The NBA announced this week it will permanently retire Bill Russell's No.6 jersey throughout the league, following his death in July.

(CNN)The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Thursday it will permanently retire Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Russell's No.6 jersey throughout the league.

Russell, who passed away on July 31 at the age of 88, won 11 NBA titles with the Boston Celtics and becomes the first player to have his number retired across all 30 teams.«Bill Russell's unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,» league commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement announcing the news. «Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill's transcendent career will always be recognized,»Silver added. Pictured in 2011, NBA legend Russell was an esteemed civil rights activist. «This is a momentous honor reserved for one of the greatest champions to ever play the game,» Tamika Tremaglio, NBPA executive director, said in a statement announcing the news. Read More«Bill's actions on and off the court throughout the course of his life helped to shape generations of players for the better and for that, we are forever grateful. We are proud to continue the celebration of his life and legacy alongside the league,» Tremaglio added.The league is not only retiring Russell's number, but also plans to honor the five-time MVP by having a commemorative patch emblazoned on the right shoulder of the teams' jerseys, while all courts will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer's table.Russell is the most successful player in NBA