What is the 6 on nba jerseys? During the 2023 NBA playoffs, fans may notice a No. 6 patch on players’ jerseys. After NBA legend Bill Russell died at the age of 88 on July 31, the league announced several ways it would honor the basketball icon throughout the new season.
Included in those plans were that the NBA would no longer issue a new No. 6 jersey to a player league-wide and a No. 6 patch would be embroidered onto all uniforms, among others.
What is the number 6 on NBA jerseys?
The No. 6 patch on NBA jerseys this season is a nod to Bill Russell’s legacy on the court. The Boston Celtics legend amassed 11 NBA titles, five MVPs, 12 All-Star appearances and countless other accolades while rocking the No. 6 on his back from 1956-1969.
Is everyone wearing number 6 on their jersey?
Yes, every player in the league has the No. 6 patch on their uniform to honor Russell, including every team having his number displayed above the NBA mid-court logo in a black-white-gold colorway.
Did the NBA retire the number 6?
Yes, the NBA retired No. 6 league-wide to honor Russell, which marked the first time in league history a number was retired across all organizations.
For the players who were already wearing No. 6, the NBA grandfathered their jerseys, meaning they can still choose to wear it until they retire or swap to a new number.
Why is LeBron James wearing number 6?
LeBron James first wore No. 6 with the Miami Heat when he left for South Beach in 2010. He previously wore No. 23 with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he was first drafted in 2003 and returned to that number after going back to his hometown team in 2014.
The No. 23 jersey stayed with James when he first signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. However, he swapped to No. 6 before the start of the 2021-22 campaign after also rocking the number while filming for “Space Jam: A New Legacy” that had been released that summer.
Prior to the start of 2021-22, James explained why he had made the switch to No. 6 (h/t: LeBronWire/USA TODAY):
“It’s always been a part of me, to be honest,” James said. “Six has a lot of meaning to me, from my family and numbers and things of that nature to what I believe in and things of that sort, but my mentality doesn’t change.”
Is everyone wearing number 6 on their jersey?
Yes, every player in the league will have the No. 6 patch on their uniform to honor Russell, including every team having his number displayed above the NBA mid-court logo in a black-white-gold colorway.
Did the NBA retire the number 6?
Yes, the NBA retired No. 6 league-wide to honor Russell, which marked the first time in league history a number was retired across all organizations.
For the players who were already wearing No. 6, the NBA grandfathered their jerseys, meaning they can still choose to wear it until they retire or swap to a new number.
Why is LeBron James wearing number 6?
LeBron James first wore No. 6 with the Miami Heat when he left for South Beach in 2010. He previously wore No. 23 with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he was first drafted in 2003 and returned to that number after going back to his hometown team in 2014.
The No. 23 jersey stayed with James when he first signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. However, he swapped to No. 6 before the start of the 2021-22 campaign after also rocking the number while filming for “Space Jam: A New Legacy” that had been released that summer.
Prior to the start of 2021-22, James explained why he had made the switch to No. 6 (h/t: LeBronWire/USA TODAY):
“It’s always been a part of me, to be honest,” James said. “Six has a lot of meaning to me, from my family and numbers and things of that nature to what I believe in and things of that sort, but my mentality doesn’t change.”
What happens to the remaining NBA players wearing number 6?
The NBA’s decision to retire the number across the league was well-received. Many even thought it was a heartwarming gesture by the association. However, the question that was brought up was the status of the players who are still active and wearing the number six. After this, the league addressed it logically.
According to league management, current players wearing the number are still allowed to wear the number. However, once they transition to a different team or change their jersey number, they can never go back to wearing the number six.
Players like LeBron James, Alex Caruso, and Kenyon Martin Jr. won’t be changing their numbers any time soon. The only way for them to have a different jersey number is if they get traded or signed to a different team.
Bill Russell’s legacy with the Celtics
The Celtics selected Russell with the No. 2 pick in the 1956 NBA Draft. In his 13-year career, he earned 12 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA selections, an NBA record 11 championships and five MVP awards while posting averages of 15.1 points, 22.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
Russell earned a spot on the NBA’s 25th, 35th, 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. Bob Cousy, George Mikan and Bob Pettit are the only other players to be named to all four teams.
In 2009, the NBA announced that the Finals MVP trophy would be named after Russell.
“Who better to name this prestigious award for than one of the greatest players of all time and the ultimate champion,” former NBA commissioner David Stern said at the time.
Russell is widely considered to be one of the top five players in NBA history.
NBA players to wear No. 6 this season
There are 14 players currently planning to wear No. 6 this upcoming season. Most notably, LeBron James will don his Lakers’ No. 6 for the second straight season. James switched to No. 6 last season after wearing 23 in each of his first three seasons with the Lakers. James previously wore No. 6 during his four seasons with the Miami Heat.
During the preseason, James was asked about the importance of the NBA retiring Russell’s storied No. 6 jersey.
“It wasn’t a shock, it’s what should have happened. He meant so much to the game. Not only to the Boston Celtics, but the NBA in general and also off the floor as well. He contributed to the black community, activism, his speaking, his mind, you know everything he meant to the game.
It was always a treat seeing him at games, having an opportunity to win championships and seeing him up on the panel and give me the Bill Russell Award was one of the most delightful moments of my career because I know what he meant to the game and to the history. It is pretty cool and for me to continue to build on his legacy wearing six this year to honor his legacy.”
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