Why is there a number 6 painted on the Celtics’ court?
Boston has again advanced to the Eastern Conference finals after defeating the 76ers in a seven-game series.
Last year the NBA and the basketball world suffered the loss of sports legend Bill Russell. The 6′10 center passed away peacefully with his wife by his side at the age of 88 last year.
During the period from 1956-57 through 1968-69, he was a part of the Celtics team for 13 seasons and achieved a remarkable feat of winning 11 championships, which is a record in itself. In addition to his accomplishments on the court, he advocated for civil rights and social justice causes.
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Following his death, the NBA announced several measures to honor Bill Russell. One of the ways they plan to do this is by permanently retiring his No. 6 jersey. Players who are currently wearing the No. 6 jersey will be allowed to continue wearing it until they retire from the sport.
But why do the Celtics have the number 6 painted on their court?
This is a tribute to Bill Russell’s exceptional performance in the paint during his time with the team. It is worth noting that this is the first time that numerical text has been displayed within that area on an NBA court.
Love the new court look and the 6 for Bill Russell 😍☘️🫶🏻 #Celtics #Bleedgreen pic.twitter.com/3KzsvPBMjG
— Bri Marie D (@BriMarieD) October 5, 2022