Andrew Pace
Retiring jersey numbers is a way to honour key contributors to a basketball team, including players, coaches, fans, broadcasters, and announcers. This tradition is practised in several sports, including basketball, where it is common for NBA teams to retire jersey numbers, win totals, or microphones. Once a number is retired, it is typically no longer available for future players to wear, although exceptions can be made with the original player's permission. The decision to retire a number is often made when a player leaves the team, retires from the sport, or passes away, and it serves as a tribute to their achievements or memorable career. As of April 2025, Bill Russell is the only NBA player to have had his number retired league-wide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for retiring numbers | To honour key contributors, including players, coaches, fans, broadcasters, and announcers |
| Who can retire numbers | Teams or leagues |
| Retiring numbers by teams | Taking jersey numbers out of circulation so that no future player from the team may wear it |
| Retiring numbers by leagues | Retiring a number across the entire league, with players already wearing the number allowed to continue doing so |
| Permission to wear retired numbers | Future players can ask for permission from players whose jerseys are retired |
| Display of retired numbers | Hanging banners with the retired numbers on the rafters inside the team's home arena |
| Examples of retired numbers | Bill Russell's No. 6, Dennis Rodman's No. 10, Michael Jordan's No. 23, Wilt Chamberlain's No. 13, Pete Maravich's No. 7 |
| Informal retirement of numbers | Teams may informally take a jersey out of circulation without formally retiring it, with the understanding that it will never be issued again |
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What You'll Learn
Why do teams retire jersey numbers?
Retiring jersey numbers is a way for teams to honour key contributors, including players, coaches, fans, broadcasters, and announcers. Retiring a number signifies that no other player from that team may wear the number again as a tribute to the player who once represented it. In some cases, teams may retire numbers in honour of tragedies involving the team's city or state. For example, the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team retired the number 58 in honour of the 58 victims killed in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.
Retiring jersey numbers is also a way to commemorate players who have died or had their careers cut short due to serious injury or illness. For instance, the Toronto Maple Leafs retired Ace Bailey's #6 after he suffered a career-ending head injury, and the New York Jets did not reissue the #90 of Dennis Byrd following a career-ending neck injury.
In some cases, players may be granted permission to wear a retired number, either by the original player or the team. For example, Grant Hill received permission from Adams to wear #33 for the Suns, despite it being retired for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
While retiring jersey numbers is a way to honour exceptional players, it can also become a problem for teams if done too frequently, as it may lead to a limited number of available digits. Some teams, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, have a policy of honouring jersey numbers rather than retiring them, allowing future players to still wear the number while still recognizing the contributions of past players.
Overall, retiring jersey numbers is a way for teams to recognize and pay tribute to key contributors, whether they are players, coaches, or fans, by ensuring that their number is taken out of circulation and no longer worn by future players.
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Who decides if a number is retired?
The decision to retire a number in basketball is typically made by the team or the franchise. This is done to honour key contributors, including players, coaches, fans, broadcasters, and announcers. In the National Basketball Association (NBA), teams often retire jersey numbers, win totals, or microphones. Retired jersey numbers are usually no longer available for future players to wear, although they can ask for permission from the players whose jerseys are retired.
In some cases, the decision to retire a number may be made by a specific individual or group within the team or franchise, such as the owner or management. For example, Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss announced that the team would retire LeBron James' jersey number.
It is worth noting that the NBA has retired numbers league-wide on rare occasions. For instance, Bill Russell's number 6 jersey was retired across the entire NBA. This honour is typically reserved for players who have made an extraordinary impact on the league, such as Wayne Gretzky in the National Hockey League.
Additionally, there have been instances where a number is retired by a team that the player never played for. For example, Michael Jordan had his number 23 retired by the Miami Heat, despite never playing for that team.
The decision to retire a number is a significant honour and tribute to the player or contributor, recognising their impact and legacy within the franchise or league.
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Which numbers are retired across the NBA?
Retiring an athlete's number is a way to honour them, usually after they have left the team, retired from the sport, or passed away. This honour is bestowed upon players who have had highly memorable careers, died prematurely, or have had their careers ended by serious injury. In the NBA, jersey numbers are retired, and teams usually display these numbers by hanging banners on the rafters inside their home arena.
Bill Russell is the only player to have had his number retired league-wide. His No. 6 jersey was retired by the NBA on August 11, 2022, 12 days after his death. Russell had previously had his number retired by the Celtics on March 12, 1972.
Other notable players who have had their jersey numbers retired include:
- Michael Jordan (No. 23 retired by the Bulls and Heat)
- Dennis Rodman (No. 10 retired by the Pistons and No. 91 appears in the Bulls' Ring of Honor)
- Oscar Robertson (No. 14 retired by the Kings and No. 1 by the Bucks)
- Jerry Sloan (No. 4 retired by the Bulls and No. 1,223 by the Jazz)
- Nate Thurmond (No. 42 retired by the Warriors and Cavaliers)
- Lenny Wilkens (No. 19 retired by the Sonics)
- Elgin Baylor (No. 22 retired by the Lakers)
- Shaquille O'Neal (No. 34 retired by the Lakers, No. 32 retired by the Heat and Magic)
- Wilt Chamberlain (No. 13 retired by the Warriors, 76ers, and Lakers)
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (No. 33 retired by the Bucks and Lakers)
It is worth noting that the Los Angeles Clippers do not have any retired numbers as of April 2025.
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Can players ask to wear a retired number?
Retiring a player's number is a way for a team to honour them. This usually happens after the player has left the team, retired from the sport, or passed away. Once a number is retired, no future player from the team may wear it, and it is often displayed in the team's home venue. However, there are instances where players can ask to wear a retired number, and it is up to the original player or the team to permit it.
In some cases, players who are still active and wearing a jersey number that gets retired are usually allowed to continue wearing that number for the remainder of their playing career with that team. For example, in 1987, when the Boston Bruins retired jersey number 7 to honour Phil Esposito, the Bruins' captain, Ray Bourque, who was wearing the same number, continued to wear it until he decided to change it. If the player later becomes a coach or manager for the same team, they may also be allowed to wear the retired number if the sport requires these roles to wear uniform numbers.
There are also instances where players who are already wearing a number that is retired league-wide are allowed to continue doing so. For example, when Jackie Robinson's number 42 was retired league-wide in 1997, players wearing the number at the time, such as Mariano Rivera, were allowed to keep it until they retired. Similarly, when the NBA retired Bill Russell's number 6 jersey league-wide in 2022, players already wearing the number were allowed to continue doing so.
Some teams also choose to honour jersey numbers instead of retiring them, where a banner is raised to honour the player, but future players can still wear the number. This is done to avoid the challenge of having too many retired numbers. For example, the Leafs only retired numbers when a player died or suffered a career-ending injury while playing for the team and instead chose to honour other jersey numbers.
While it is uncommon for players to ask to wear a retired number, it is possible for them to do so with permission from the original player or the team. However, it is important to note that the decision to retire a number is a significant honour, and players should approach such requests with humility and respect for the retired player's legacy.
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What are some examples of retired numbers in the NBA?
Retiring a jersey number is one of the greatest honours a basketball player in the NBA can receive. It recognises that no other player from that franchise may wear the number again as a tribute to the player that once represented it. Teams usually display these numbers by hanging banners on the rafters inside their home arena.
Bill Russell is the only player to have had his number retired league-wide. His number 6 jersey was retired by the Celtics in 1972, and then again across the entire NBA in 2022, 12 days after his death.
Dennis Rodman had his no. 10 retired by the Pistons, and his no. 91 appears in the Bulls' Ring of Honor. Oscar Robertson had his no. 14 retired by the Kings, and his no. 1 by the Bucks. Jerry Sloan had his no. 4 retired by the Bulls, and no. 1,223 by the Jazz, signifying his total victories as their coach. Nate Thurmond had his no. 42 retired by both the Warriors and Cavaliers. Lenny Wilkens had his no. 19 retired by the Sonics, and his name appears in the Cavaliers' Wall of Honor.
The Lakers have also honoured their most notable players during the stint of the franchise in Minneapolis. Although their numbers are displayed on the banners, only the No. 22 and No. 34 are officially retired, for Elgin Baylor and Shaquille O'Neal respectively.
A handful of players who had notable careers for multiple teams have had their numbers retired by each team. Pete Maravich, Michael Jordan, and Bill Russell had their numbers retired by teams they never played for. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had his no. 33 retired by both the Bucks and Lakers. Wilt Chamberlain had his no. 13 retired by the Warriors, 76ers, and Lakers.
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Frequently asked questions
Retiring the number of an athlete is a way to honour a player, usually after they have left the team, retired, or passed away. Once a number is retired, no future player from the team may wear it, unless the original player permits it.
Some examples of retired jersey numbers in the NBA include:
- Michael Jordan (No. 23)
- Wilt Chamberlain (No. 13)
- Dennis Rodman (No. 10)
- Bill Russell (No. 6)
- Pete Maravich (No. 7)
Yes, a player's jersey number can be retired by multiple teams. For example, Wilt Chamberlain had his No. 13 retired by the Warriors, 76ers, and Lakers. Pete Maravich has been honoured by three different franchises.
Yes, a player's jersey number can be retired by a team they didn't play for. For example, Michael Jordan had his No. 23 retired by the Miami Heat, despite never playing for them.
Yes, a jersey number can be retired by a team while it is still being used by another player. For example, the Detroit Pistons retired the number of Chauncey Billups (No. 1) while it was still being used by Reggie Jackson.
