How Warriors Will Honor Celtics Icon Bill Russell Prior To NBA Finals Rematch

All NBA teams will retire Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey in honor of his legacy, but the Golden State Warriors will highlight the Boston Celtics legend’s local connections before the NBA Finals rematch Saturday.

Russell died at the age of 88 on July 31. The Basketball Hall of Famer was remembered for his contributions on and off the court, specifically the actions that made him a civil rights icon.

The NBA retired Russell’s No. 6 but allowed multiple players to be grandfathered in if they so chose to. Teams have worn a No. 6 patch, and the Celtics did the same along with an addition to the parquet floor to honor Russell.

Russell was born in Monroe, La., but his family moved to Oakland, Calif., where Russell spent his teenage and college years. It is that legacy the Warriors will honor during the pregame ceremony Saturday night.

“His number is being retired around the NBA, but the significance here is that Bill was from Oakland, played high school ball there, and played at (University of San Francisco), NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole wrote. “He made such an impact on the Bay Area that it feels more special here than it would in any other city, other than Boston.”

Russell won two NCAA champions in 1955 and 1956 while at USF, and he won the gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics with the United States basketball team while in college.

Poole reported Russell’s daughter, attorney Karen Kenyatta Russell, will share a few thoughts during the pregame ceremony, as will former Warriors COO Rick Welts, whose friendship with Russell spanned nearly 50 years.

The pregame ceremony for Russell will be held prior to the 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff.