On July 31, 2022, NBA legend Bill Russell died at the age of 88. The Hall of Famer had one of the most historical careers in competition history. Russell is a 12-time All-Star, 11 times NBA champion and five-time League MVP.
To commemorate his impact on the NBA, his #6 was retired for the 2022-23 season. At the time, players such as LeBron James and Deandre Jordan wore that song. However, they were grandfather and were allowed to wear it. Jordan is no longer in the NBA and James has since switched to #23. OKCs Jaylin Williams wears#6. It was recently announced that he will be the last player in the NBA history who is wearing the legendary song by Bill Russell.
Jaylin Williams has the clear honor to be the last player who wears #6 in the NBA history
With the No. 6 of Bill Russell who retired in 2022, Jaylin Williams will be the last player ever to wear the song 🤯 pic.twitter.com/OKS1XXG55G
– Bleacher Report (@bleacherreport) October 2, 2025
In the NBA design of 2022, the Thunder used a pick in the second round to select Jaylin Williams from Arkansas. When he was set up, Williams was not sure to wear any Jersey number. When he asked his father for advice, he was told to take #6. That is what Williams eventually took as Rookie. Little he knew the meaning of that choice years later. Hall of Famer Bill Russell died in July 2022.
To honor him, the competition switched its #6 Jersey League-wide. At the time, Deandre Jordan #6 wore and he was a grandfather. Thunder’s Jaylin Williams was the other player who wore a #6 Jersey. The 23-year-old center has been submitted to keep that jersey number forward. Jaylin Williams will have the clear honor to be the last player in the NBA history who wears #6.
Jaylin Williams because he was the last player who wore no. 6: “I am honored. I know the number 6 was retired by the big Bill Russell.”
Said his father had chosen the song for him pic.twitter.com/oqwbkxinr
– Clemente Almanza (@Calmanza1007) October 1, 2025
This past outside the season, Jaylin Williams drew a three -year extension of $ 24 million with OKC. He is under contract with the team during the 2027-28 season. In the course of three years in the NBA, Williams appeared in 165 competitions and 46 starts. He played 47 games in 2024-25 and made nine starts. Williams was part of the Thunder Squad who won the NBA Finals 2025.
The 23-year-old big man is a quality piece of the bank for Thunder-head coach Mark Daigneault. Williams is a solid back -up center that can shoot from outside. Jaylin Williams shoots for his career .390% of Deep. That is impressive for a front court player. As he has done in the past, Jaylin Williams will serve as a depth of the bank for the Thunder. Can OKC repeat like NBA champions in 2025-26?
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