Why are NBA players wearing 6 patch and why is a 6 on the Celtics court?

Fans watching the NBA Playoffs have noticed a 6 patch on players jerseys and a 6 on the Celtics court in Boston. But why is that there?

Everyone knows that the NBA Playoffs get the eyes of more fans than at any point in the regular season. The basketball is just better with the stakes finally raised, which means more attention being paid to it all the way through the highest of stakes in the NBA Finals.

With that, though, comes the fact that fans are noticing things they might not have seen before, specifically on players’ jerseys and on the court.

Some fans have noticed throughout the playoffs that players are all wearing a No. 6 patch on their jerseys. Moreover, other eagle-eyed fans can see that there is a big No. 6 in the lane on both ends of the court at TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics.

However, many of these fans are asking the same questions: Why are NBA players wearing the No. 6 patch and why is the No. 6 on the Celtics court?

Why is there a 6 on the Celtics court?

The No. 6 on the Celtics court was put there at the beginning of the 2022-23 season to honor Celtics and NBA legend Bill Russell, the greatest champion in basketball history who passed away in July 2022. Russell was an immense presence in the sports history of Boston, winning 11 championships in the city as one of the most dominant big men in the history of the game. It was a no-brainer for the Celts to honor the legend with the gesture on the court.

Why are NBA players wearing a 6 patch?

For the same reason that Boston has the No. 6 on the floor, NBA players throughout the league are wearing the No. 6 patch on jerseys this season and in the playoffs to pay homage to Bill Russell and the unbelievable legacy that he left with the league and the game of basketball.