#6 Retired League-wide in Honor of Bill Russell

[Stark]

Figured this deserved it's own thread of discussion outside of the Bill thread.


Players like LeBron who are already wearing #6 will be grandfathered in similar to Mariano Rivera and #42.

The only other super notable player besides LeBron currently wearing #6 is Porzingis. I can see LeBron going back to #23 and everybody else switching off.

 

[foucault87]

Absolutely deserved. A giant inside and outside the game and still a contender in the GOAT debate. Love that the NBA did this

 

[-Akronite-]

Russell is an icon and while you can argue that later players have been more impactful, he’s an early pioneer in terms of gameplay, winning, coaching, and activism.

Dunno if confirmed but I saw Shams say that they will have patches and clover leaf floor decals for all teams as well. If true, FUCK that. I fucking hate the Celtics and if the point is to honor the MAN then we don’t need to pay homage to the team he happened to play for. I didn’t like when the MLB made all the 42s blue either, the point of a league-wide retirement is that this player meant something to the entire league, not just one franchise.

Trivial complaint, but wanted to say that.

 

[The Oi]

Changed my address to 155 in lieu of 166 in honor of Bill.

May cause some confusion, but it’s worth it.

 

[letgocavs]

Why does someone have to die of old age for this to happen? Why not do it while he's alive.

 

[Benway]

Why does someone have to die of old age for this to happen? Why not do it while he's alive.

My thoughts exactly. It's like a family that only gathers for a funeral.

 

[2 For The Brew]

Russell is an icon and while you can argue that later players have been more impactful, he’s an early pioneer in terms of gameplay, winning, coaching, and activism.

Not sure any other player has had more of a total impact on the NBA. He was the first black HC in any of the four major leagues and won 2 of 3 rings in that capacity.

He also proved to most people that scoring and counting stats were and are insufficient measures of a basketball player. His selflessness and individual/ team defense motivated by a desire to win above all make him the ultimate NBA team player and the ultimate winner.

He did all that in the face of brutal hostility.

His athleticism is underrated. His BBIQ was off the charts.

Show me a player with a better game attitude than his.

He led by example. His handling of a flatly racist question from the media when he became HC was masterful. He was supremely confident in who he was and what he could do, and faced down haters with dignity, class, command, determination and assurance.

None of this is directed at you. I just believe Russell has been criminally underrated and I'm glad to see him get the respect he deserves.