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NBA to retire number 6 in honor of Bill Russell

The NBA will permanently remove the number 6 of its 30 franchises in honor of the legendary center of the Boston Celtics Bill Russell, who died on July 31 at the age of 88, reported the liga American basketball.

“The incomparable success of Bill Russell on the track and his civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way. Permanently retiring the number 6 from the franchises ensures that Bill’s career is forever recognized,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

“It’s a time honor for one of the greatest champions who ever played basketball,” he said. Tamika Tremaglioexecutive director of the Players Association of the NBA.

Bill Russell conquered 11 titles of the NBA in 13 seasons in the league, all lived with the Boston Celtics jersey, between 1956 and 1969. He is the most successful player in the history of North American sports.

Grown up in the ‘college‘ of San Franciscowhere he won two titles NCAA with the Donswas chosen by the Celtics in the 1956 draft and opened a glorious stage that led to the rings of 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 and 1969.

Eight of those eleven titles came consecutively and with Russell as a great protagonist.

Russell was also the first African-American coach in the history of the NBA, accepting a player-manager position from 1966 to 1969, when Red Auerbach moved to the franchise’s front office. That stage led to the 1968 and 1969 titles.

Total, Russell reached twelve finals of the NBA in his thirteen years in the league. He was five times MVP of the NBA12 times All-Stara four-time rebounding leader (he averaged 22.5 per game in his career) and has been a member of the NBA Hall of Fame since 1975.

With information from EFE

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