Bulls’ Alex Caruso can’t change uniform number to honor Bill Russell

Alex Caruso switched numbers when he left the Los Angeles Lakers for the Bulls, and he considered changing his number for the second year in a row.

Caruso wore No. 4 when he played in Los Angeles, and wore No. 6 in Chicago last season. He told reporters that he wanted to honor the late Bill Russell, who died in July, by no no longer wearing No. 6.

However, because the Bulls wing ranked in the top 75 in jersey sales, the league told him that he couldn’t change his number again. His jersey was simply too popular to make the change worth it for those who bought his uniform.

The Bulls ranked fourth-best in jersey sales for the second half of last season, per the NBA. Caruso didn’t crack the top 15, though that isn’t too shocking as the other players are superstars.

The league announced plans to retire Russell’s jersey league-wide, though players like Caruso and James who currently wear No. 6 will be allowed to keep their number if they choose.

All players in the NBA will wear a No. 6 patch on their uniforms next season. Caruso will be the last player in franchise history to wear No. 6 for the Bulls.

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