Andrew Pace
The jersey numbers of basketball players are often retired by teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) when the players are considered to have made significant contributions to the team's success or have experienced untimely deaths during their careers. The jersey numbers of men's basketball players are also a topic of interest in the context of the Olympic Games, where players often switch up their jersey numbers due to old international rules restricting players to numbers 4-15 to facilitate communication through hand signals between game officials.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players on the U.S. men's basketball team for the 2024 Olympics | 15 |
| Jersey numbers of the U.S. men's basketball team for the 2024 Paris Olympics | Steph Curry: No. 4, Anthony Edwards: No. 5, LeBron James: No. 6, Kevin Durant: No. 7, Derrick White: No. 8, Tyrese Haliburton: No. 9, Jayson Tatum: No. 10, Joel Embiid: No. 11, Jrue Holiday: No. 12, Bam Adebayo: No. 13, Anthony Davis: No. 14, Devin Booker: No. 15 |
| Jersey number of Kobe Bryant | 10 |
| Jersey number of Michael Jordan | 9 |
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What You'll Learn
Michael Jordan's jersey number
Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, wore three different jersey numbers throughout his illustrious career. The first and most iconic of these was the number 23 jersey, which he wore for the Chicago Bulls for 13 seasons. Jordan became synonymous with the number 23, and his legendary status in the sport has ensured that the number is now almost exclusively associated with him.
Jordan's affinity for the number 23 began during his time playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels in college. As a freshman, Jordan was a member of the Tar Heels' national championship-winning team in 1982, and he continued to dazzle and entertain crowds with his scoring prowess and defensive prowess after turning professional with the Bulls in 1984.
On February 14, 1990, Jordan briefly donned the number 12 jersey for a game against the Orlando Magic. This unexpected number change occurred because Jordan's usual number 23 jersey had been stolen from the locker room. Despite the irritation this caused Jordan, it did not affect his performance, as he scored 49 points in a losing effort.
After retiring from basketball in 1993, Jordan made a comeback in March 1995, this time wearing the number 45 jersey. This was the number he had worn during his 18-month hiatus from the NBA when he played baseball. Jordan returned to the number 23 jersey for the remainder of his career after just one game with the number 45, and he bowed out of the sport for good at the end of the 2002-03 season.
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Kobe Bryant's Olympic jersey number
Kobe Bryant was an American professional basketball player who spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential players in the sport's history. Bryant won five NBA championships and numerous other awards, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for "Dear Basketball" in 2018. Tragically, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, in 2020.
During his career, Bryant wore two different jersey numbers: 8 and 24. He started his career with the Lakers wearing the number 8 jersey. In an interview, Bryant explained that this number represented his relentless drive to prove himself and establish his place among the best players in the league. He achieved remarkable success with this number, winning three NBA championship titles and appearing in eight All-Star games.
Midway through his career, Bryant made the decision to change his jersey number to 24, which held a special significance for him. Number 24 was his first high school number, and returning to it was a way for Bryant to reconnect with his basketball roots. This number also symbolised his growth and increased maturity as a player. With the number 24 jersey, Bryant won his final two NBA championship titles and appeared in ten All-Star games.
Bryant's jersey numbers have become iconic, and he is the only player in Lakers history to have two jersey numbers retired by the team. The numbers 8 and 24 forever hang in the Staples Center, symbolising Bryant's enduring legacy with the franchise.
While I could not find specific information on the jersey number Bryant wore during the Olympics, it is known that he won gold medals with the U.S. Olympic teams in 2008 and 2012. His impact on the game of basketball continues to be felt, with players like Jayson Tatum choosing to wear Bryant's Team USA jersey number 10 at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics to honour his idol.
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USA Basketball players wearing different numbers at the Olympics
The USA Basketball teams, both men's and women's, have a tradition of wearing different numbers at the Olympics compared to their professional numbers. This is due to an old FIBA rule that restricted players to numbers 4-15 to make it easier for game officials to communicate with hand signals. While FIBA dropped this rule in 2014, Team USA has kept the tradition alive in international play, including the 2024 Paris Olympics.
USA Men's Basketball Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The USA Men's Basketball Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics will see only two players wearing their NBA jersey numbers: Anthony Edwards (No. 5) and Bam Adebayo (No. 13). Notable players who changed their jersey numbers for the Olympics include:
- Steph Curry, who will wear No. 4 instead of his Golden State Warriors No. 30
- Jayson Tatum, who will not wear his Boston Celtics No. 0
- Kevin Durant, who usually wears a number other than his listed No. 7
USA Women's Basketball Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The USA Women's Basketball Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics will see none of the players wearing their WNBA jersey numbers. Notable players who changed their jersey numbers for the Olympics include:
- A'ja Wilson, who will wear No. 9 instead of her Las Vegas Aces No. 22
- Breanna Stewart, who will not wear her New York Liberty No. 30
The Significance of Numbers 4-15
The tradition of wearing numbers 4-15 in USA Basketball is not just a matter of convenience for officials but also carries a sense of legacy and history. As Craig Miller, a USA Basketball spokesman, explained, "We like the idea of there being a legacy with the number... The 4-15 is tradition, and we can track who's worn them. A lot of famous players who have gone on to great careers started by wearing a number five or a 12, for example." This sense of legacy and honour can motivate athletes to give their all, knowing they're part of something bigger.
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NCAA men's basketball retired numbers
The NCAA has never retired a jersey number across the entire league, unlike other major US sports leagues. However, individual teams can and do retire jersey numbers. Duke University and Murray State University have retired 13 jersey numbers each, the most of any Division I programs.
The UCLA Bruins, the competitive name for the University of California, Los Angeles's men's college basketball program, have won the most NCAA Division I national championships of any school. They have retired nine jersey numbers in honour of ten former players. These include:
- Jamaal Wilkes (52)
- Reggie Miller (31)
- Don Barksdale (11)
- Jackie Robinson (42)
- Hazzard (42)
- Michael Warren (12)
- Walt Hazzard (12 and 42)
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33)
- Bill Walton (32)
- Kenny Fields (25)
The North Carolina Tar Heels have also retired eight jersey numbers, with banners representing the numbers of 43 former men's basketball players hanging from the rafters of the Smith Center. Some of these players include:
- Michael Jordan (23)
- Tyler Hansbrough (50)
- Jack Cobb (23)
- Phil Ford (12)
- James Worthy (52)
- Antawn Jamison (33)
- Lenn Rosenbluth (10)
- George Glamack (20)
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1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team
The 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, also known as the "Dream Team", is considered the best basketball team of all time. It was the first year that professional players were allowed to compete in the Olympics. Before the 1992 Olympics, FIBA rules barred players from the United States' National Basketball Association from participating in Olympic tournaments, and only amateurs were eligible for the U.S. Olympic teams. The Americans wanted to redeem themselves from their loss in the 1988 Summer Olympics, where they settled for bronze—their worst finish in the history of the Games.
The team featured active NBA stars such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Charles Barkley. Of the twelve players on the team, ten were named in 1996 among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and eleven have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The team was so dominant that head coach Chuck Daly did not call a single timeout during the tournament, and they won every game by more than 30 points.
The first ten players for the team were selected on September 21, 1991: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls, John Stockton and Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz, Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers, Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics, Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks, Chris Mullin of the Golden State Warriors, David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs, and Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers. On May 12, 1992, Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers was chosen over Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons for the final professional roster spot.
As an acknowledgment to the previous amateur system, the U.S. basketball committee decided to include one collegiate player on the team: Christian Laettner of Duke University. Laettner was the Naismith College Player of the Year and scored the game-winning basket as time expired in the 1992 NCAA Eastern Regional final. His college success and coach Mike Krzyzewski's endorsement ultimately secured his position on the team.
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Frequently asked questions
Michael Jordan wore the number 9 jersey for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
This stems from an old international rule that restricted players to numbers 4-15 to make it easier for game officials to communicate with hand signals. Although FIBA dropped the rule in 2014, USA Basketball still uses numbers 4-15 for its men's and women's teams to maintain a level of tradition.
Only two players on the US Men's Olympic Basketball Team for the 2024 Olympics will wear their NBA jersey number: Anthony Edwards (No. 5) and Bam Adebayo (No. 13).
