Showing posts with label Boston Celtics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Celtics. Show all posts

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Bill Russell's No. 6 jersey to be retired throughout NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced today that they will honor the life and legacy of 11-time NBA champion and civil rights pioneer Bill Russell by permanently retiring his uniform number, 6, throughout the league. The iconic Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be the first player to have his number retired across the NBA.

“Bill Russell’s unparalleled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be honored in a unique and historic way,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “Permanently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcendent career will always be recognized.”

“This is a momentous honor reserved for one of the greatest champions to ever play the game,” said NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio. “Bill’s actions on and off the court throughout the course of his life helped to shape generations of players for the better and for that, we are forever grateful. We are proud to continue the celebration of his life and legacy alongside the league.”

In addition to retiring Russell’s number, the NBA will pay tribute to the Boston Celtics’ legend throughout the 2022-23 season. All NBA players will wear a commemorative patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys, and every NBA court will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer’s table. The Celtics, for whom Russell played his entire career and coached, will have a separate and unique recognition for him on their uniforms, to be announced soon.

Russell’s jersey number, which he wore for his entire 13-season career from 1956-69, will not be issued again by any NBA team to any player. Players who currently wear No. 6 will be grandfathered.

Regarded as the ultimate winner and model teammate, Russell transformed the game with his dominant defense and graceful athleticism at the center position. He won a record 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons, which followed back-to-back national championships at the University of San Francisco (1955 and 1956) and a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team (1956). Russell, who led Boston to eight consecutive NBA championships from 1959-66, was so synonymous with success that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award was named for him in 2009.

His myriad accomplishments included five NBA Most Valuable Player awards, 12 NBA All-Star selections and 11 All-NBA Team honors. Russell was named to all four NBA anniversary teams (25th, 35th, 50th and 75th) and inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975. A four-time NBA rebounding champion, he ranks second in league history in total rebounds (21,620) and rebounds per game (22.5) in the regular season. The Celtics retired his No. 6 jersey in 1972.

Russell’s impact on the NBA extended far beyond his playing achievements. In 1966, he was hired by the Celtics as the first Black head coach in the history of the NBA and major U.S. professional sports. As a player-head coach, he guided Boston to back-to-back NBA championships in 1968 and 1969.

During and after his extraordinary basketball career, Russell passionately advocated for the values of equality, respect and inclusion. He marched for civil rights with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and was steadfast in his belief that all people should be treated with dignity. Russell was awarded the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his athletic feats and lifelong commitment to social justice.

Saturday, June 04, 2022

Boston Celtics wear shirts in support of Brittney Griner

Members of the Boston Celtics wore T-shirts with "WE ARE BG" written across them at Saturday's practice ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in support of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, who remains detained in Russia.

"The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner, we just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA," Grant Williams said. "She's been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college, and in the amount of impact she's had on young female athletes, USA and overseas.

"We hope to have her back in the U.S. and reunited with her family and do what she loves and bring that love and tenacity she always plays with on the court."

Williams, a vice president within the National Basketball Players Association, said the shirts were a collaboration between both the NBPA and WNBPA, as a way to show support for Griner as she continues to be held in Russia, where she's been in custody since early February.

"They sent them overnight to get them here for today," Williams said. "They did a phenomenal job, and want to credit them to make that process happen. We just wanted to do that as a team. It was one of those things where no one questioned it. Everyone said, 'Let's do it.' Everyone put the shirt on immediately when we got them, fresh off the box. They were ironed and good to go. So we wanted to show that love and support."

The 6-foot-9 center has been in custody since being detained at an airport in mid-February, with the United States government saying Griner has been wrongfully detained.

[SOURCE: ESPN]

Friday, December 31, 2021

Boston Celtics legend Sam Jones dies at 88

Boston Celtics legend Sam Jones has died at the age of 88, the team confirmed to the Associated Press. Jones had been hospitalized in Florida. The team held a moment of silence before Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns in honor of Jones.

Jones was a key figure in Boston's dynasty in the 1960s, winning 10 NBA championships in total as a member of the Celtics. Only Bill Russell, with 11, won more. Jones made five All-Star teams and averaged 17.7 points per game across 12 seasons in the league. Called "Mr. Clutch" during his career, Jones hit a number of game-winning shots during his career and consistently raised his scoring in the postseason.

Jones was the No. 8 overall pick in the 1957 NBA Draft after a decorated career at North Carolina Central. He was thereafter inducted into both the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and NAIA Basketball Hall of Fame before eventually earning enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. He was part of the NBA's 25th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams. Jones coached briefly after his retirement, including as an assistant for one season with the New Orleans Jazz.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Sam Jones

Sunday, May 20, 2018

NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell released from hospital

Basketball Hall of Famer, and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell was released from the hospital Saturday after an overnight stay for dehydration.

Russell later posted a tweet which included a photo of him holding a glass of water. He indicated that he was OK and ready for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Sunday, January 07, 2018

NBA star Kyrie Irving renovates his High School's gym

One of New Jersey's proudest basketball programs got new life when St. Patrick's High School reopened in 2012 as Patrick School — but the new building didn't include a gym.

The team practiced in random gyms and warehouses around the state and country, even once resorting to working out in a gym in Virginia with peach baskets instead of backboards and rims.

The program finally got a gym when it moved to a new building in Hillside in 2016, but it still needed serious work. Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving, one of the program's most prominent graduates, made sure the work got done.

Irving paid to have Patrick School's gym renovated and build the team a new locker room, lounge and weight room. The new facilities were unveiled to the team during a ceremony on Saturday.

Along new rims backboards, padding, paint and signage featuring Irving's new slogan, "Once a Celtic, always a Celtic," the new gym features banners with the names and numbers of famous Celtics. Irving is obviously featured along with legends like Shaheen Holloway, Samuel Dalembert, Al Harrington and DeAndre' Bembry along with players from last year's Tournament of Champions-winning team like Nick Richards, Marcus McClary and Jamir Harris. Legendary coach Kevin Boyle's name is on the wall as well.

“A lot of great players have played here,” Patrick School coach Chris Chavannes said. “They’re not even aware of the fact that they’re names are raised up there. The person who started this all was Kevin Boyle and he’s not even aware of the fact that his banner’s up there. So I’ll always be forever grateful, not just to Kyrie and all the alumni and kids who played here, but to Kevin Boyle who started the program. We will never, ever forget that. If it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t be here now.”

Irving has had a presence with the program since getting to the NBA. He sent gifts to the staff and students during the holidays last winter, and came back to the school to play pick-up games this past summer. He made sure every Patrick School player was there during that open gym, and that they all got time on the court with him. During these sessions, he noticed specific things that needed to be improved in the gym, including protective padding.

"When Kyrie played here in the summertime, as he was walking out he turned to one of his guys and said, 'We're going to improve the place,'" Chavannes said. "For him to remember and actually get it done for Christmastime, it was amazing."

[SOURCE: NJ.COM]