Celtics Reveal ‘City Edition’ Uniforms Honoring Bill Russell

The Boston Celtics will honor the life and legacy of an icon with two dedicated Bill Russell tribute games this season, the first of which will take place Tuesday night in their season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden.

Russell died July 31 at age 88.

The Celtics announced in August the nights would consist of special activities, including the reveal of a Russell tribute 2022-23 “City Edition” uniform. Those “City Edition” jerseys were revealed by the organization Monday, and the significance and meaning behind them likely will have Celtics fans enjoying the finished product.

Check it out:

How Celtics Will Honor Bill Russell During 2022-23 NBA Season

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According to the organization, the Celtics wordmark on the front of the jersey was written in a script inspired by the historical Boston establishment, Slade’s Bar & Grill. Slade’s was famously owned by Russell in the 1960s. The uniforms also include eleven gold diamond icons down both sides of the uniform, signifying the number of NBA championships Russell won with the Celtics. The diamonds are overlayed on black trim, which features the famed Celtics parquet floor pattern while Russell’s retired No. 6 on the shorts, surrounded by 11 gold diamonds, signifies the most NBA titles of any player in history. The Celtics will wear the uniforms 12 times this season.

Additionally, the Celtics will honor Russell on Tuesday with performances by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc and Boston’s Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola, among other events.

A few weeks after Russell’s death, the NBA announced the decision to retire Russell’s No. 6 league-wide with franchises set to display a No. 6 patch on their respective jerseys this season.

The Celtics will host the second Bill Russell tribute night on Feb. 12, his birthday, against the Memphis Grizzlies.