On July 31, 2022, NBA legend Bill Russell passed away at the age of 88. The Hall of Famer had one of the most historic careers in league history. Russell is a 12-time all-star, 11-time NBA champion, and five-time league MVP.
To commemorate his impact on the NBA, his #6 was retired league-wide ahead of the 2022-23 season. At the time, players like LeBron James and DeAndre Jordan wore that number. However, they were grandfathered in and allowed to wear it. Jordan is no longer in the NBA, and James has since switched to #23. OKC’s Jaylin Williams wears #6. It was recently announced that he will be the final player in NBA history to wear Bill Russell’s legendary number.
Jaylin Williams has the distinct honor of being the final player to wear #6 in NBA history
With Bill Russell’s No. 6 being retired league-wide in 2022, Jaylin Williams will be the last player ever to wear the number 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oks1xXG55g
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 2, 2025
In the 2022 NBA draft, the Thunder used a second-round pick to select Jaylin Williams out of Arkansas. Upon being drafted, Williams was unsure what jersey number to wear. When he asked his dad for advice, he was told to take #6. That’s what Williams ended up taking as a rookie. Little did he know the significance of that choice years later. Hall of Famer Bill Russell passed away in July 2022.
To honor him, the league retired his #6 jersey league-wide. At the time, DeAndre Jordan wore#6, and he was grandfathered in. Thunder’s Jaylin Williams was the other player who sported a #6 jersey. The 23-year-old center has been grandfathered in to keep that jersey number moving forward. Jaylin Williams will have the distinct honor of being the final player in NBA history to wear #6.
Jaylin Williams on being the last player to wear No. 6: “I’m honored. I know the No. 6 was retired by the great Bill Russell.”
Said his dad picked out the number for him pic.twitter.com/OQwBKkxiNr
— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) October 1, 2025
This past offseason, Jaylin Williams signed a three-year, $24 million extension with OKC. He’s under contract with the team through the 2027-28 season. Over the course of three years in the NBA, Williams has appeared in 165 games and made 46 starts. He played 47 games in 2024-25 and made nine starts. Williams was part of the Thunder squad that won the 2025 NBA Finals.
The 23-year-old big man is a quality piece off the bench for Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. Williams is a solid backup center who can shoot from beyond the arc. For his career, Jaylin Williams shoots .390% from deep. That’s impressive for a frontcourt player. As he’s done in the past, Jaylin Williams will serve as a depth piece off the bench for the Thunder. Can OKC repeat as NBA champions in 2025-26?
