In a organize sports like hockey, baseball, football and mostly basketball the one thing that is the most iconic you will see to this is the jersey numbers of every player. And mostly in the sports of basketball that so many fans are known already some legendary and iconic numbers like 23, 3, 24, 32 and number 34. The purpose of this numbers is to know the identity of every player while he is in the game.
It is much easier to call for commentators especially referees, and it is much easier to do a hand signals compare to name and letters. In this article of mine I will share to some short story on jersey numbers, and how it changed after the time has passed. And what jersey numbers are not allowed to use in the National Basketball Association.
In the early 90's or even in the 2000 era if you are watching college basketball in the Philippines such as UAAP or NCAA you will noticed that the jersey number that they are using started from number 4 until number 21. Sometimes if there is a reserved player who will replace the line up the jersey number extends to 22 until 24 depends on the scenario.
Even in the Anime Manga Series of Japan Slam Dunk you will not see a player wearing jersey number 1 until 3, it always start from number 4 until number 15 only. Even the National Team before is using the same pattern when it comes to jersey numbers and even all under the FIBA leagues but not included on those who are in the Professional League.
There number pattern is like this because of the FIBA rules that has been implemented before, because it is much easier to use on hand signals the numbers 4 until 15 compare to the much higher numbers. And while the number 1, 2 and 3 are representing the scores, 1 point if someone is shooting 1 free throw, 2 points if someone make a normal field goal and 3 points for a basket made from beyond the arc.
On 2014 FIBA has changed that rules that they are allowing players to use jersey numbers starting from number 0 until number 99. This is because of the activation of the video replay system which allowing referees to identify the players by the means of video replays.
When it comes to the NBA this is a different story, in short one professional athlete and already a superstar his jersey number that he is using has a big value already. One example is when Anthony Davis was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers supposed to be LeBron James will change his jersey number for Davis to be able to use the number 23. But the NBA and Nike did not agreed to that because the jersey number 23 of James was already distributed in the market.
Then here comes the story of the retired jersey numbers, like the number 32 of Magic Johnson, 8 and 24 for Kobe Bryant and 23 for Michale Jordan. There is a lot more retired jersey numbers in the NBA that actually can be use by other players if it will be requested by the players who want to use the jersey number and if the retired player of the said retired jersey numbers also agreed. Like in the case of the retired NBA player Larry Nance Sr. who requested to the Cleveland Cavaliers organization to let his son Larry Nance Jr. used his retired jersey number 22.
Also I just like to add this in 1995 when Michael Jordan came back from his first retirement on the sports of basketball he used the jersey number 45 MJ quoted "When I came back, I didn't want to play in the last number that my father had seen me wear, because he wasn't around, I thought of my return as a new beginning." While the number 12 that he used before was because his jersey was stolen in the locker room and his team does not bring back up so he had no choice but to wear the number 12 jersey.
Starting from number 0 until number 99, there is one number from that that is banned and not allowed to use even in College which is the number 69. Because this number had a bad interpretation which you know already for sure. One player in history who tried to use this jersey number 69 is Dennis Rodman when he was about to play for the Dallas Mavericks but it is no possible so from supposed to be number 69 he just settle for the number 70.
In fact, i don't khow much about jersey numbers, but good players chouse best number