Not everyone is into the idea of honoring Bill Russell’s career with a leaguewide jersey retirement

The NBA announced plans to honor Bill Russell, the late, great Boston Celtics Hall of Fame big man, by retiring his No. 6 jersey leaguewide to honor Russell not only for his achievements in basketball, but his considerable advocacy for civil rights and social justice.

Though current No. 6 wearers would be grandfathered, not everyone is happy about the decision.

They seem irked more about the timing of the announcement than the idea, however. Fox Sports Radio’s Rob Parker takes issue with Russell not getting the honor while alive. Parker is not alone in that sentiment, but the balance between an honor and a pre-emptive obituary is a precarious one.

How best to honor the living, then?

Hear out Parker for yourself, and decide if what he as to say about honoring Russell (and athletes more generally) makes sense.

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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire