The NBA has retired the No. 6 jersey in honour of the late basketball legend, former Boston Celtics player Bill Russell. The No. 6 has not been worn by any Celtics player since 1972, following Russell’s 13-season career, where he won 11 championships. Most teams have retired numbers of notable players in the past; this is the first time a number is retired for all teams in the league.
According to nba.com, 16 players wore the No. 6 jersey during the 2021-2022 season. A grandfather clause lets players already using the number continue doing so, which means the likes of LeBron James and Kristaps Porziņģis can continue to play wearing No. 6.
During Russell’s NBA career between 1956 and 1969, the two-time Hall of Famer used a No. 6 jersey exclusively. However, that's not always the case for those who play for multiple teams throughout their careers.
A player might have to forgo their current number if someone else is already using it or if that number is retired for the team they’re joining. James, who, like Russell, used No. 6, did not always do so. Across his 19-year career playing for Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and now the LA Lakers, he’s switched between the numbers 23 and 6.
Despite already using the number, some current players may still opt to hang up their No. 6 jerseys in honour of Russell. When No. 26 was retired in honour of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, the league made the exception to allow players to switch to a different number mid-season.
Though there’s no word which players will change numbers, there are incentives for a player to make a switch beyond showing respect.
NBA.com recently revealed a list of the 15 most popular jerseys sold via its online store during the 2021-2022 season: James, James Harden and Steph Curry land the top three spots. According to Investopedia, merchandise sales bring in more than a billion dollars for the league each season.
Switching numbers could mean another boost in jersey sales for some, though it's unclear if it affects a player’s bottom line. Reports suggest players may get up to 50 per cent of the revenue from merchandise; however, earnings from merch sales are factored into the player’s salary cap.
In other instances, negotiations, sometimes involving cash incentives, happen when a player joins a team where the number is already in use.
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