Celtics unveil "City Edition" uniforms honoring Bill Russell
BOSTON -- The Celtics unveiled the team's City Edition uniforms for the upcoming season, which will honor the life and legacy of Hall of Famer Bill Russell.
The dark green uniforms feature a gold motif to symbolize Russell's incredible career with the Celtics, where the NBA legend won 11 championships in 13 years.
"However, it was the barriers that he broke not only on the court, as the first Black head coach and a member of the first all-Black starting five, but off the court that truly made him 'The Gold Standard,' a consistent reminder of what it truly means to be a Celtic," the team said in Monday's release. "Beginning with the season opener, the team will wear this year's City Edition uniform – a project the league and team had been collaborating on with Russell himself in recent years – a total of 11 times to reflect with the 11 NBA Championship teams he was a part of."
Here's a look at the uniforms:
If you're wondering where the Celtics wordmark on the front of the jersey came from, it's script inspired by the famous Slade's Bar & Grill on Tremont St. in Boston, which was famously owned by Russell in the 1960s. The 11 diamonds down the side of the uniform signify the 11 championships that Russell won with the C's. The shorts have Russell's No. 6 is on the belt buckle, and 11 more gold diamonds.
The Celtics will first wear their City Edition uniforms on Tuesday, when they tip off the 2022-23 NBA season against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. A pregame ceremony to honor Russell will include performances by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc and Boston's Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola.
The Celtics will also host a second Bill Russell tribute night on February 12 -- Russell's birthday -- against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The NBA has retired Russell's No. 6 league-wide, and every court will have a No. 6 on the floor throughout the season.
