Wayback Wednesday: Famous Numbers, Not So Famous Players

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at some famous jersey numbers that were worn by players who weren’t so famous, and the video games where you’ll find them.

There was a commemorative magazine published not long after the Chicago Bulls won their fifth NBA championship. As an avid fan, I read it cover to cover until it was no longer pristine. On top of recapping the championship season, the magazine delved into the history of the Bulls. I was fascinated to learn that although Michael Jordan became the last and most famous Bull to wear number 23, he was the seventh player in club history to don it. You have to remember that in 1997, such information wasn’t readily available and accessible in less than a minute!

That tidbit of Bulls and MJ trivia has stuck with me. The longer I’ve been a basketball fan, and the more players that I’ve seen come and go, the more I’ve seen other stars end up sharing their number with far less distinguished NBA alumni. Like so much other historical trivia, these examples frequently present themselves whenever I’m revisiting an old video game, and see players in the rosters that I haven’t thought about in years. While they may not have reached the same level of fame and success as the stars who donned those jerseys, there’s still that connection to their famous peers and their iconic numbers. Let’s take a look back…way back…

Milwaukee Bucks #34

The Famous Player: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Not So Famous Players: David Noel (2006-07), Reece Gaines (2004-06)

So, #34 for the Milwaukee Bucks has actually been worn by a handful of star players through the years. In the 80s – and for a single season return in 1996 – it belonged to Terry Cummings. A season later, Ray Allen got that number, and had it until he was traded to Seattle in 2003. Obviously, now that he’s an MVP, Finals MVP, and NBA Champion with the Bucks, #34 is undoubtedly Giannis Antetokounmpo’s number, but Allen and Cummings are still great company. Most NBA history buffs would likely be able to point out that all three players wore that number for Milwaukee. They’d really have to know their stuff to recall that David Noel and Reece Gaines wore it too.

Or indeed, they could dust off an old basketball video game and browse the rosters! Gaines, the 15th pick of the famous 2003 Draft, wound up with the Bucks halfway through his second season. His third and final year, represented in games such as NBA Live 06 and NBA 2K6, featured his stint as the Bucks’ #34. I remember Noel from winning a college dunk contest that also featured James White, and I expected both to be entertaining players to watch in the NBA. Neither would go on to have long careers, with Noel only playing a single season for the Bucks, as seen in NBA Live 07. However, he was the last Milwaukee Buck to wear #34 before Giannis.

Los Angeles Lakers #8 & #24

The Famous Player: Kobe Bryant
Not So Famous Players: Doug Christie (#8, 1993-94), George Lynch (#24, 1993-94), Randolph Keys (#8, 1995), Fred Roberts (#24, 1995-96), George McCloud (#24, 1997), Shea Seals (#24, 1997-98)

Before Kobe Bryant wore #8 for the first half of his legendary career with the Los Angeles Lakers, no other players had worn it for more than two seasons. Jim Brewer wore it from 1980-82, while Randolph Keys was the last player before Kobe to wear it, doing so in 1995. There are no official video game representations of those players wearing the number that Kobe made famous, but Doug Christie’s year wearing #8 is represented in the 16-bit version of NBA Live 95. Christie isn’t exactly obscure of course thanks to his time with the Sacramento Kings – which included a rivalry with Kobe and the Lakers – but to state the obvious, he wasn’t close to Kobe’s level!

A total of 21 players wore the second of Kobe’s famous numbers, #24. This includes Kermit Washington, who infamously severely injured Kobe’s future coach Rudy Tomjanovich, and George Lynch, who was traded to clear the cap room to sign Shaq. He wore #24 the same year Christie was #8, as seen in NBA Live 95. Fred Roberts wore #24 for the Lakers during the 1996 season (NBA Live 96), the year before Kobe was drafted. George McCloud wore it for a half a season in 1997, and Shea Seals donned it 1998, both as teammates of Kobe. As such, Kobe has a connection to a handful of players who previously wore both of his famous numbers in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Lakers #6

The Famous Player: LeBron James
Not So Famous Players: Chucky Brown (1991-92), Jelani McCoy (2001-02), Maurice Evans (2006-08), Josh McRoberts (2011-12), Earl Clark (2012-13), Kent Bazemore (2013-14), Jordan Clarkson (#6, 2014-18), Derrick Williams (2017-18), Lance Stephenson (2018-19)

I’m splitting up LeBron’s two famous numbers – both of which he’s worn for the Los Angeles Lakers – because several not so famous players have worn them! That’s not to say that they’re all obscure names, but they’re not in his league; not that there’s any shame in that, of course! Chucky Brown – who’s now tied for the second most teams played for in league history after Ish Smith broke the record he shared with Joe Smith and Jim Jackson – was the first Laker to don #6 in 1991. A decade later, Jelani McCoy became the first Laker to win a championship while wearing #6 in purple and gold. Brown’s stint can be seen in Tecmo NBA Basketball, while McCoy’s is in NBA 2K2.

Over the next couple of decades, #6 proved to be a popular choice on the Lakers, with the contemporary NBA Live and NBA 2K titles capturing a snapshot of all the players that wore it. Maurice Evans wore it while playing with Kobe, as did Josh McRoberts, Earl Clark, Kent Bazemore, and Jordan Clarkson in consecutive years. Clarkson was later teammates with LeBron in Cleveland, while Bazemore played with him in LA in a return stint in 2022. Derrick Williams took the number after the Cavs traded him for Clarkson, and Lance Stephenson wore it while LeBron sported #23 in 2019. And so, like Kobe, LeBron has shared his Lakers numbers with players that he’s connected to.

Los Angeles Lakers #23

The Famous Player: LeBron James
Not So Famous Players: Reggie Jordan (1993-94), Mario Bennett (1997-98), Von Wafer (2005-06), Gary Payton II (2017-18)

Similar to Giannis and his #34 for the Milwaukee Bucks, LeBron shares his famous numbers on the Lakers with a couple of other noteworthy players. Eddie Jones was an All-Star while wearing #6, after changing from #25 when that number was retired for Gail Goodrich. Likewise, Cedric Ceballos wore #23 for the Lakers for a few years in the 90s, and three-time Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams also wore it for a season and a half in LA. While none of them are close to LeBron in the grand scheme of things, they’re more significant than some of the other players who wore #23 before LeBron took his talents – and both of his famous numbers – to Tinsel Town in 2018.

Those players include Reggie Jordan during the 1994 season; the same year that George Lynch and Doug Christie had Kobe’s famous numbers. Fire up the original Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside, and you’ll see Mario Bennett wearing #23 on the Lakers alongside Shaq and Kobe. Speaking of Kobe’s teammates, a rookie Von Wafer donned #23 in his only season with the Lakers, which you can see in NBA Live 06 or NBA 2K6. The last player to wear #23 before LeBron was Gary Payton II, in the 2018 season. The Lakers will be retiring both of LeBron’s numbers eventually, which will make it even weirder to see far less famous players wearing them in old video games.

Miami Heat #6

The Famous Player: LeBron James
Not So Famous Players: Terry Mills (1997-99), Luke Jackson (2007-08), Blake Ahearn (2008), Mario Chalmers (2008-2010)

 When LeBron switched to #6 on the Lakers, it wasn’t actually the first time that he shared a number with Eddie Jones in a stint with the same team. It also happened in 2010 when he took his talents to South Beach and changed his jersey number. Of course, his familiar #23 was unavailable, having been retired in honour of Michael Jordan. LeBron’s #6 will undoubtedly one day join MJ’s half-Bulls, half-Wizards jersey in the rafters, making him the last Miami player to wear it. In the history books, he already shares the number with a handful of far less famous former Heat players, including one of his own teammates that he won two championships with in Miami.

Mario Chalmers wore #6 during his first two seasons with the Heat, and then switched to #15 once LeBron arrived. It’s easy to forget that, so games like NBA Live 09 and 10, and NBA 2K9 and 2K10, provide a fun reminder when you revisit them. Prior to Chalmers being drafted by the Heat, two players wore #6 during the course of the 2008 season: Luke Jackson and Blake Ahearn. Official roster updates for NBA Live 08 and NBA 2K8 represent their stints wearing #6 in Miami. A decade earlier, Terry Mills – who I generally remember for his time with the Detroit Pistons – wore #6 for a couple of seasons with the Heat, as seen in titles such as NBA Live 98 and 99.

Cleveland Cavaliers #23

The Famous Player: LeBron James
Not So Famous Players: Tyron Corbin (1987-88), Rod Higgins (1993-94), Derek Anderson (1997-99)

 It wasn’t my intention to celebrate LeBron’s career in this feature, but when you’re a future Hall of Famer that changes teams and numbers a few times during your career, it’s inevitable that you’ll share your number with several far less famous players! As far as his original team is concerned, LeBron is unsurprisingly the last player to wear #23, and there’s no way that they won’t be retiring his jersey. Even after The Decision and before his return in 2014, it seemed like that would happen one day, when cooler heads prevailed. In any event, although no Cavs player has worn #23 since LeBron – understandably so – ten players had that number in Cleveland before he arrived.

Just focusing on the not so famous players that are still relatively well-known – and can also be seen in video games over the years – Derek Anderson is the one that I remember the most. He was part of a young core that surrounded Shawn Kemp in Cleveland in the late 90s, a squad you can play with in games such as NBA Live 98 and 99, and NBA Action 98. Tyron Corbin, who I generally associate with the Utah Jazz or Atlanta Hawks, also had a brief stint with the Cavs from January 1987 to February 1988, during which he wore #23. Future NBA GM Rod Higgins also wore it in his year with the Cavaliers, as you’ll notice when you revisit NBA Live 95 16-bit.

Golden State Warriors #30

The Famous Player: Stephen Curry
Not So Famous Players: Billy Owens (1991-94 & 2000), Clarence Weatherspoon (1998), Bill Curley (2000-01)

There’s no doubt that Stephen Curry will be the last Golden State Warriors player to wear #30, a number his father Dell also wore for his entire career. He’s not the first All-Star or noteworthy name to wear it for the Warriors, though. Bernard King wore it during his two-year Golden State stint, which included an All-Star season in 1982. John Starks wore it as an undrafted rookie in the 1989 season, before he made his mark wearing #3 for the New York Knicks. Between then and Curry wearing his family number, a handful of far less successful players had it. First was Billy Owens, the third overall pick in 1991. Indeed, he donned #30 in both of his Warriors stints.

Owens’ first stint wearing #30 for the Warriors lasted from 1991 to 1994, as seen in games such as NBA Live 95. He was a decent player and a double digit scorer for most of his career, but didn’t quite live up to expectations (or get close to Curry’s status). After his second stint in 2000, the number went to Bill Curley; a name you may recall from my coverage of players with phantom stints. Between Owens and Curley claiming the number, Clarence Weatherspoon had it for half a season in 1998. That stint can be seen in the original rosters for NBA Live 99, though the official update for the PC version moved him on to Miami, so it’s all too easy to overlook.

Chicago Bulls #45

The Famous Player: Michael Jordan
Not So Famous Players: Ed Nealy (1988-89 & 1993), Paul Shirley (2003-04), Luke Schenscher (2005-06), Rasual Butler (2010-11), Denzel Valentine (2016-21)

Another fond memory I have from the early days of my basketball fandom is watching the NBA Home Video profiling Michael Jordan, Above & Beyond. There’s a clip from the 1996 All-Star Weekend on it, in which he jokes with Alonzo Mourning about #45 – which Zo wore in that game, since Patrick Ewing had #33 – stating that it’s “a bad luck number”. His Airness might have a point there, as no other players have enjoyed much success while wearing it in Chicago! MJ’s former teammate Ed Nealy is an arguable exception, since he was part of their championship team in 1993. He saw limited court time during that stint though, and wasn’t on their Playoff roster.

Nevertheless, he’s been included on the 1993 Bulls in multiple iterations of NBA 2K at this point. Denzel Valentine is the most recent Bull to wear #45, and while he may have been a bust, his selection made for one of the best puns I’ve ever heard during the NBA Draft. The late Rasual Butler’s tenure with the team in 2011 – as seen in NBA 2K11 – was wasted thanks to Tom Thibodeau’s stubborn rotation. Paul Shirley and Aussie Luke Schenscher each wore #45 for a single season in the mid 2000s, but at the end of the day, a rusty MJ easily had the best Bulls run sporting #45. On the virtual hardwood of course, my MyPLAYER has done quite well while wearing it!

Denver Nuggets #15

The Famous Player: Nikola Jokic
Not So Famous Players: Danny Fortson (1997-99) Keon Clark (2000-01), Chris Andersen (2001-03), Anthony Randolph (2012-14)

If you’ve been watching the NBA since the mid to late 2000s, you’ll likely associate #15 on the Denver Nuggets with two players: Carmelo Anthony, and now Nikola Jokic. While there is precedent for teams to retire numbers in honour of multiple players, at this point, Jokic probably has that distinction wrapped up in Denver. Nevertheless, Melo’s time wearing #15 for the Nuggets is still noteworthy, and he’s a future Hall of Famer. The same can’t be said for the other Nuggets who have worn that number. Danny Fortson’s tenure with the team was brief, but as you can see in NBA Live 98 and 99, the undersized rebounding ace wore #15 before it was famous.

His teammate for a year, Keon Clark, switched to the number during the 2000 season. The Birdman, Chris Andersen, then had it from 2001 to 2003, just prior to Melo’s arrival in the Mile High City. Melo of course then wore it until he was traded to the Knicks in 2011. Before it became Jokic’s number however, Anthony Randolph – an NLSC Forum favourite – had it from 2012 to 2014. While a team won’t necessarily make a number unavailable until it can finally be retired, the fact that #15 was given to another player so quickly after Melo’s departure suggests that Jokic will eventually lay sole claim to it in the rafters. He’s certainly the most successful Nugget to wear it!

Toronto Raptors #15

The Famous Player: Vince Carter
Not So Famous Players: Jorge Garbajosa (2006-08), Amir Johnson (2009-15), Anthony Bennett (2015-16), Greg Monroe (2018-19), Eric Moreland (2019)

Speaking of iconic 15s that were given away after an acrimonious split, the Toronto Raptors didn’t see fit to keep Vince Carter’s number out of circulation following his trade to the Nets during the 2005 season. On top of being the most famous Raptor to don #15, Carter was also the first, coming to Toronto ahead of only their fourth year in existence. It’s all water under the bridge now, but as NBA Live 10 reminds us, there was ill-feeling towards Vinsanity for years after he demanded a trade out of Canada. Mind you, it remains to be seen if the Raptors will see fit to retire #15 in his honour, especially since five other players have worn it since he left the Great White North.

In fact, the Raptors didn’t waste much time giving #15 to another player. Revisit a sim game from the mid 2000s, and you’ll see Jorge Garbajosa wearing it. After he left, the number went to Amir Johnson, who actually wore it in more games for Toronto than Carter did (451 to 403)! It’s also been worn by Anthony Bennett during the 19 games he spent with his hometown team. Most recently, it was worn by Greg Monroe early on in the 2019 season, while Eric Moreland finished the year wearing it in Toronto, which also earned him a championship ring. #15 for the Raptors will nevertheless always be associated with Carter, regardless of whether or not it’s raised to the rafters.

Miami Heat #3

The Famous Player: Dwyane Wade
Not So Famous Players: Khalid Reeves (1994-95), Bruce Bowen (1997), Jamie Watson (1999), LaPhonso Ellis (2001-2003)

A member of the star-studded Hall of Fame Class of 2023, Dwyane Wade was bound for Springfield – and to have his jersey retired by the Heat – after leading Miami to their first title in 2006. He’s easily the most accomplished #3 in Heat history, though Steve Smith also had a respectable career and was instrumental in their first Playoff run. Smith is still a distant second to Wade among Miami’s number 3s, and the rest are even further behind him. Bruce Bowen literally only played a minute in #3 when he debuted with Miami in 1997, though he also had a second stint in which he wore his more familiar #12, a number that has since been retired by the San Antonio Spurs.

Funnily enough, Bowen’s stint wearing #3 in Miami is represented by virtue of the ’97 Heat being in NBA 2K! As for the other Heat alumni who wore #3, Khalid Reeves had it as a rookie in 1995, after Steve Smith was traded two games into the season. It was his best year in the NBA, and he was out of the league before the age of 30. Still, you’ll see Reeves wearing #3 in NBA Live 95 PC. Jamie Watson wore it during a brief stint with the team in 1999, though he was gone before he could be added in the roster update for NBA Live 99 PC. Long-time Nugget LaPhonso Ellis also wore it in Miami from 2001 to 2003, as you’ll see in the sim titles released during those years.

Orlando Magic #32

The Famous Player: Shaquille O’Neal
Not So Famous Players: Otis Smith (1989-92), Jeremy Richardson (2008-09), Justin Harper (2011-12), C.J. Watson (2015-17)

Otis Smith was actually the first Orlando Magic player to wear #32, and did so from their inception. He was out of the league by the time Shaq debuted and became the second Orlando player to sport the number, though at the 1992 Draft, it looked as though the Diesel was going to keep his #33 from LSU. Veteran Terry Catledge still had dibs on it though, so even though he was (seemingly) the team’s star of the future, Shaq had to pick a new number. He actually considered switching to #33 a few years later to free up #32 for Jon Koncak, but Koncak declined, quipping that he could see a bunch of #32 jerseys being destroyed by fans if he ended up taking it from Shaq!

Kak’s quip has stuck with me, in part because I appreciate the self-awareness of it, but also because Shaq wouldn’t wear #32 for the Magic beyond that season. As such, a lot of fans’ apparel became outdated anyway! Not only that, but a few other players have worn #32 for the Magic since. Orlando hasn’t retired the number – and likely won’t, at this point – but they haven’t given it out too often. Jeremy Richardson wore it in 2009, making for an unusual sight in NBA Live 09 and NBA 2K9. Justin Harper also wore it for a season in 2012, captured in roster updates for NBA 2K12. C.J. Watson is the most recent #32 for Orlando, seen in games set during the 2016 and 2017 campaigns.

Phoenix Suns #32

The Famous Player: Amar’e Stoudemire (Or Jason Kidd, or Shaq)
Not So Famous Players: Taylor Griffin (2009-10), Brandan Wright (2015), Davon Reed (2017-18) Jimmer Fredette (2019)

You could argue that Amar’e Stoudemire’s career wearing #1 for the Phoenix Suns was the more impressive run, with more All-Star appearances. He certainly played more games with that number, but it’s Devin Booker’s now. To that point, it’s no surprise that the Suns decided to retire his #32 instead. Of course, before Amar’e entered the league, Jason Kidd spent a few years sporting it in Phoenix, and Shaq had it while teaming with Amar’e in 2008 and 2009. Apart from that, it’s also been the number of several far less famous players. In fact, it was still up for grabs as recently as 2019, when Jimmer Fredette wore it for his final six games in the league to date.

After Shaq left Phoenix for Cleveland ahead of the 2010 season, #32 went to Taylor Griffin; Blake Griffin’s older brother, who was drafted in the second round when Blake went first overall. Forget famous jersey numbers for a moment; it’s easy to forget that Blake Griffin has a brother who also played in the NBA! Browsing the rosters of NBA Live 10 or NBA 2K10 may jog your memory, though. Additionally, journeyman Brandan Wright claimed #32 on the Suns in 2015, while Davon Reed wore it as a rookie in 2018. When you see them wearing it in clips or video games however, it’s tough not to think of more famous Suns players who wore #32.

Los Angeles Lakers #34

The Famous Player: Shaquille O’Neal
Not So Famous Players: Stan Love (1973-75), Tony Smith (1990-95), George Lynch (1995-96)

Yes, long before Shaq wore a purple and gold jersey emblazoned with #34, Kevin Love’s father Stan – whose brother is Mike Love of the Beach Boys – sported it in the 70s. While we’re throwing it way back, Hall of Famer Clyde Lovellette also wore the number for the Lakers during their Minneapolis days. A handful of other players have also worn it for a season or two. However, the two most recent players who wore #34 for the Lakers before Shaq are Tony Smith and George Lynch. Notably, Lynch was #34 when he was traded to clear cap space for Shaq in 1996, essentially giving up his jersey along with his roster spot. As mentioned above, he also once wore Kobe’s #24.

Tony Smith, meanwhile, had the number immediately before Lynch, wearing it for the Lakers through his first five seasons in the league. That also gives Smith the second-longest tenure wearing #34 for the team behind Shaq. It’s funny to go back to NBA Live 95 – or a game from earlier in the 90s – and see someone else wearing #34 for the Lakers, now that it’s synonymous with one of the team’s most successful eras and biggest free agent signings! Unlike the Magic, the Lakers didn’t let anyone else wear Shaq’s number after him, even though they didn’t part ways on the best of terms. He’s obviously a Laker Legend though, and now #34 is officially off the table.

San Antonio Spurs #21

The Famous Player: Tim Duncan
Not So Famous Players: Sidney Green (1990-1993)

Tim Duncan is the twelfth and final player to wear #21 for the San Antonio Spurs, with seven players having already worn it by the mid 80s. When Alvin Robertson came along in 1984, he became the most noteworthy Spur in the #21 jersey for some time. In the mid to late 90s, just prior to it becoming Duncan’s number, it was worn by two former All-Stars entering the twilight of their careers: Sleepy Floyd in 1994 and Dominique Wilkins in 1997. Floyd’s Spurs stint can be found in the 16-bit version of NBA Live 95, while Nique’s one-year sojourn in San Antonio made it into NBA ShootOut ’97, as well as the official 1997 roster update for NBA Full Court Press.

The Human Highlight film is an all-time great though, and Floyd was a fine player for many years with an All-Star appearance in 1987. What about someone far less famous who wore a number that now belongs to a far more significant player in the history of the Spurs? That would have to be Sidney Green, who had #21 from 1990 through to 1993. Green had some fantastic teammates, including a young Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Patrick Ewing, and David Robinson to name a few. His best year was MJ’s disastrous second campaign, but other than that, he was never a star. His time wearing #21 for the Spurs is captured in Bulls vs. Blazers and Tecmo Super NBA Basketball.

Boston Celtics #34

The Famous Player: Paul Pierce
Not So Famous Players: Rick Carlisle (1984-87), Kevin Gamble (1988-94), Doug Smith (1995-96), Frank Brickowski (1996-97)

As you might expect from a team with a storied history such as the Boston Celtics, there have been some significant players who wore #34 before it belonged to Paul Pierce, as well as some less famous names. Xavier McDaniel claimed it in 1995, after Kevin Gamble – who wore it from 1988 to 1994 – went to the Heat. Minneapolis Laker Legend Clyde Lovellette had it for a season in 1964, making him the first #34 in team history. That’s generally forgotten now of course, as is the fact that Doug Smith wore it in 1996, while Frank Brickowski had it in 1997. Reggie Hanson also wore the number for eight games after signing with Boston late in the 1998 season.

Revisit games such as Bulls vs Blazers and Tecmo Super NBA Basketball through to NBA Live 97, and you’ll see Gamble, Smith, and Brickowski wearing #34 on their Celtics green. Of course, with Paul Pierce’s lengthy Celtics tenure – and the number undoubtedly being solidified as his following the championship in 2008 – it’s easy to forget about those not so famous players wearing what is now one of the most famous numbers in club history. As with the other examples on this list, it looks wrong when you see other players wearing Pierce’s #34, even though it’s historically accurate! It’s part of the novelty of browsing the rosters during a retro gaming session, though.

Dallas Mavericks #41

The Famous Player: Dirk Nowitzki
Not So Famous Players: Sam Perkins (1984-86), Terry Tyler (1988-89), Brian Howard (1991-93)

There have only been four players who have worn #41 for the Dallas Mavericks, with Dirk Nowitzki easily being the most famous and accomplished. Appropriately, the first player to wear Dirk’s number for the Mavs was another big man with range: Sam Perkins. Big Smooth wore #41 for his first two seasons, before switching to #44 for the next four. While that’s a fun connection, Dirk didn’t choose the number to honour Perkins. He’d worn #14 playing for Germany – inspired by Charles Barkley’s number with the Dream Team – but Robert Pack had that number when Dirk arrived in Dallas. As Dirk later recalled, Pack wasn’t keen to give up the number, so Dirk reversed his!

As for those earlier 41s for the Mavericks, Perkins tends to be remembered by fans that were around in the 90s, albeit for his time with the SuperSonics (or possibly the Lakers). There’s also no official video game representation of Perkins sporting #41 in Dallas. What about the other two players? Terry Tyler and Brian Howard – who wore #41 for one year and two years respectively – are both far less famous. If it wasn’t for Basketball Reference, it’s unlikely that most of us would know or recall that they shared Dirk’s famous number! Nevertheless, you can find Howard wearing #41 for Dallas in NBA Showdown, some six years before Dirk began making it famous.

A Few Other Not So Famous Players With Famous Numbers

Fans of the NBA in the 90s will undoubtedly recall Charles Barkley wearing #34 for the Phoenix Suns, but Chris Morris had that number in 1999, as seen in NBA Live 99. Mid 90s NBA Lives also remind us that Derrick Alston had #21 before Joel Embiid had far more success wearing it for the Philadelphia 76ers. Shawn Kemp’s #40 Sonics jersey is iconic, but a few years after he left Seattle, the team gave that number to Joseph Forte; see for yourself in NBA Live 2003 or NBA 2K3! Jimmy Butler has become the most famous #22 in Miami, easily eclipsing Sean Marks, Robert Hite, and most recently Luke Babbitt. It’s likely that Butler’s jersey will eventually be retired.

Kevin Garnett’s #5 has been retired by the Celtics, long after it was worn by Bill Walton as a member of the 1986 championship team. 19 less famous players have also worn #5 in Boston, including Ron Mercer, Jerome Moiso, Gerald Green, Kedrick Brown, and Michael Stewart. A rift with management has delayed the Timberwolves from retiring KG’s #21, but if they can end that dispute, there’ll be no debate that he deserves it over Lance Blanks and Stacey King, who also wore it in Minnesota. Also, before Kevin Durant sported #35 as a two-time NBA Finals MVP in Golden State, it had been worn by Jud Buechler, Brian Cardinal, and for one season, Erick Dampier.

Oh, and while Michael Jordan never wore his famous #23 for the Heat, Tyron Corbin, Gary Grant, and Rex Walters did, along with Cedric Ceballos, who as previously noted, shares the number with LeBron James on the Lakers. See, we can go on and on here! Although we associate the all-time greats with their iconic numbers, they also belonged to far less famous players before they had them…or after they had them, as is sometimes the case! It’s just more trivia, more interesting NBA history, that you’ll be reminded of when you go retro with your basketball gaming. As always, that alone makes it worth firing up the classics, browsing the rosters, and playing a few games.

The post Wayback Wednesday: Famous Numbers, Not So Famous Players appeared first on NLSC.