What are NBA Jersey Number Rules
The last thing you probably think when you watch an NBA game is, “What’s the story behind that player’s jersey?” All NBA players wear their custom basketball uniforms. And they have a number that helps their teammates, opponents, referees, and fans find them. But did you know that the rules for jersey numbers can be very complicated? And do you know how much a player thinks about what number to put on their jersey?
This article will explain the rules for NBA jerseys. And tell some of the most interesting stories about the numbers worn by famous players.
Some Rules for NBA Jersey Number
There are a few rules about NBA jersey numbers. The players on an NBA team can wear any number they want. There are only a few rules about what numbers you can wear at the NBA games. The NBA lets you use fifteen different numbers, from 0 to 99 and even 00! As long as your finger falls within those ranges, there are no rules about which finger you have to wear. This also includes jerseys with two digits, like 12 or 23, if they are available on your team’s roster.
Some of the NBA’s rules about jersey numbers have changed since the league began in 1946 when there were no written rules about what numbers to wear.
1. The NBA only allows two-digit numbers on the back of their Jerseys.
NBA number rules state that you can only wear one to two digits on your NBA jerseys. NBA players are not allowed to wear numbers higher than ninety-nine for NBA games. The NBA has attempted to make changes in the past but met with a lot of pushback from fans. In the NBA, you can only use numbers with two digits. One example is that you can have 00 but not 000. So, the NBA players can choose any number from 00 to 99.
2. The new player must ask to use the retired number
If a player moves to a team, his jersey number is also retired. The new team and player must write to the retired player and ask permission to use the number. This is less likely to happen when a player has just retired because it would be rude. You also need a big ego to go to a team like the Boston Celtics and ask to wear Larry Bird’s number 33.
3. NBA Jersey Numbers are not by Position
The numbers on NBA jerseys have nothing to do with where the player is on the court. Most NBA teams have a group of players who play the same position. These players wear numbers close to each other so that referees can tell them apart on the court. The NBA does not have rules about what numbers of players at different positions have to wear. You will see that some guards can wear 0–25, while others can only wear forty or higher. It all depends on where their jersey falls on their team’s roster. There are no rules about wearing certain numbers to NBA games.
4. The Number 69 banned on NBA uniforms
The NBA has to say yes to any request for a certain jersey number. The “uniform rule” of the NBA only says that certain ads on jerseys are not allowed at NBA games. Players can wear any number they want. But the NBA will not let players wear the number 69 because it is an offensive slang term. NBA players can wear jersey numbers from the 1970s or 1980s, but the number 69 is not allowed. As a point of reference, no player in the NBA has ever worn the number 69.
5. NBA players can change the numbers on their jersey
Players in the NBA can change the number on their custom basketball uniforms. During the off-season, they can change what number is on their jerseys. When Michael Jordan came out of retirement after three years, he went from being 23 years old to being forty-five. But there have been others, like Kobe Bryant, who, at one point in his NBA career, changed his No. 24 jersey. Most NBA players do not change the numbers on their jerseys, but if someone wants to, the NBA has to give their permission first.
6. Iconic NBA Jersey Numbers
The numbers 23, 24, and 45 are special because some of the NBA’s most famous players over the years using them. There are many more like them, and NBA teams honor them by retiring their jerseys so that no current or future basketball star will ever wear those numbers again in an NBA game. Michael Jordan (23 years old), Kobe Bryant (24 years old), and Shaquille O’Neal (33 years old). LeBron James (23/32 years old), Magic Johnson (32 years old), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33 years old), and many others have played for NBA teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
1-Why is seven an illegal number in basketball?
2- Can you wear a retired number in the NBA?
3- What does it mean to retire a number NBA?
4- What is the most retired number in the NBA?
Final Words
The NBA Jersey Number Rules are not difficult, but you do need to know them. This will help you avoid confusion or problems when watching a basketball game at home or on TV. So, get ready to cheer on your favorite team with your unique custom basketball uniforms.
