And then there was one. The NBA announced in 2022 that the No. 6 jersey was retired league-wide to honor Bill Russell after his death. After the last group of players were grandfathered in, there’s only one player left who will don the number.
That’s Jaylin Williams. The penultimate player in that special group was DeAndre Jordan, who is no longer on the Denver Nuggets. The Oklahoma City Thunder will be the last NBA franchise to have an active player with the No. 6 jersey.
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Williams joined the Thunder in the 2022 NBA draft as the No. 34 pick. Since then, he’s developed into a quality role player who ranges from starter to third-string center. He helped OKC capture an NBA championship when he was a matchup weapon in the playoffs.
After being signed to a contract extension, expect Williams to remain in OKC for a while longer. He’s a locker room favorite that can seamlessly fit whatever role the Thunder need out of him. That type of depth is valuable on an NBA champion.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Jaylin Williams will be the final NBA player who wears a No. 6 jersey