BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 01: Boston Celtics Legend Bill Russell attends the statue unveiling in his honor at Boston City Hall Plaza by artist Ann Hirsch on November 1, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics will open the 2022-23 season with a ceremonial jersey as a tribute to the late great Bill Russell.
Coming off an NBA Finals appearance, the Boston Celtics enter 2022 with the memory of the legendary Bill Russell on their minds and their uniforms. The franchise announced Monday that they would be sporting a ceremonial jersey in their rotation as a tribute to Russell’s memory and the 11 championships he won while with the organization.
The new “City Edition” uniforms were created with Russell playing a large part in the design. Naturally, the Twitter world had a lot to say about this design, some even calling it a similar look to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Not a Celtics fan, but these are 🔥! Russell was very humble and also one of the greatest of all time!
— DesertDoom (@FoodGod05978239) October 17, 2022
The Boston Celtics will honor Bill Russell’s memory with a ceremonial tribute jersey
Although it is disappointing that Bill Russell could not see another Boston Celtics title before he passed, he was present for the 2008 championship and has seen all the great memories the franchise has had over the years and endured so much on and off the court during his playing tenure.
Bill Russell’s impact on the game of basketball and the country should be forever commended. Though some will jump to the high heavens to call out Boston for their tributes now after the treatment they gave him at points during his tenure, that’s in the past and this is a way to demonstrate how much he truly means to this organization.
The Celtics are doing the right thing and they have a team that Mr. Russell would undoubtedly be proud of. There are shooters and hard-nosed defensive players willing to go out and perform at their peak every night. The best way to honor Bill Russell would be to win the NBA Championship and right the wrongs of the previous year.