Photo: Boston Celtics
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Boston Celtics unveiled new uniforms Monday that are meant to honor the life of team legend Bill Russell.
The new dark green jerseys with gold trim are meant to honor Russell, who died in July, and his lifetime accomplishments on and off the court. The team said the gold on the jersey is meant to honor his legacy that spanned through the "Golden Era" of Celtics' basketball, but also that Russell represented the "Gold Standard" of what it meant to be a Celtic.
The Celtics announced the new jerseys in a video on Twitter Monday.
The lettering on the jersey is meant to be a script recognizing Slade's Bar & Grill, a Boston restaurant that Russell owned in the 1960s. The sides of the jersey have 11 gold diamonds that represent Russell's 11 NBA championships.
The diamonds are overlayed on a black trip mean to symbolize the Celtics' parquet floor. The belt buckle on the shorts has Russell's retired No. 6, along with the 11 diamonds.
Photo: Boston Celtics
The Celtics open the season on Oct. 18 and will honor Russell before the game with a special ceremony including performances from Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc and Boston’s Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola. The team will also give out the Bill Russell Mentoring Award to a person in the community who has helped as a mentor in some way.
The Celtics will also hold a special tribute night for Russell on his birthday, Feb. 12.
WBZ's Brain Antonelli (@GuPogs) reports.
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