What is the No. 6 patch on NBA uniforms? How league is honoring Celtics legend Bill Russell on jerseys

You can't tell the history of the NBA without Bill Russell.

On the court, Russell dominated to the tune of 39 combined All-Star selections, All-NBA selections, MVP awards and championships. Off the court, he was a civil rights icon who fought for racial justice during and after his playing career.

Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice for his contributions to the game — once as a player and once as a coach. He earned a spot on all four of the NBA's anniversary teams to date. His iconic No. 6 has long been retired by the Celtics, and it's now featured on every jersey across the league.

MORE: Bill Russell had the physicality, mentality to dominate in any NBA era

Why are NBA teams wearing the No. 6 patch on their jerseys?

Russell died at the age of 88 on July 31, 2022.

Less than two weeks later, the NBA released a statement detailing how the league was going to honor Russell's legendary career. In addition to having his No. 6 jersey retired across the league, making him the first player to ever receive the honor, it was revealed that all NBA players would wear a commemorative patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys in the 2022-23 season.

The patch features the No. 6, which was Russell's jersey number.

The Hornets provided a first look at the patch during the team's internal media day.

Day 1 of internal media day ✔️📸 pic.twitter.com/XuSUYnnRb9

— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) September 12, 2022

From Stephen Curry to Jaren Jackson Jr., many NBA players spoke about what it meant to wear Russell's No. 6 patch ahead of the season.

"He's done so much for the game, so honoring him like this is huge," said Jackson. "This is everything."

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.

MORE: LeBron shares original inspiration for switching to No. 6

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.”

Here is the complete list of players wearing No. 6 this season (current as of Oct. 10.