Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James plays against the Boston Celtics during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
NBA Superstar LeBron James is set to be the last player to wear the No.6 Lakers Jersey
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced on Thursday that the number worn by the 11-time champion, civil rights activist, and a person who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and a coach ‘Bill Russell’s No.6 jersey has been permanently retired by all 30 teams.
Players who currently wear No.6 including the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James will be the last player to wear the jersey but this number won’t be issued again, the league said.
All NBA players will wear a patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys this season, the league said, and every NBA court will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer’s table.
Popular NBA Show “The Arash Markazi” host Arash took to Twitter and stated that James will be the last Lakers player ever to wear the No.6 jersey.
After the news came in of Jersey’s retirement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement regarding the permanent retirement of the No.6 jersey and also about Bill Russell’s legacy.
“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserves to be honoured uniquely and historically,” Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognised.”
The Boston Celtics have “separate and unique recognition for him on their uniforms” planned, the NBA said.
Russell died on July 31 at the age of 88. He was the most prolific winner in NBA history, an 11-time champion during a 13-year career — winning the last two of those titles as a player-coach — and the first Black coach in any of the major U.S. pro sports to win a championship.
He marched with Martin Luther King Jr., stood with Muhammad Ali, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama.
Nobody has worn No. 6 for the Celtics since Russell’s final season, 1968-69. Russell is one of 12 players currently inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame who wore No. 6 at some point in their careers.
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