Retiring a jersey number is the highest honor an NBA franchise can bestow. It means no one else will ever wear that number for that team again. But the history of retired numbers is full of surprises, controversies, and trivia gold.
The League-Wide Retirement
In August 2022, the NBA retired Bill Russell's number 6 across all 30 teams. It was only the second time a major North American sport retired a number league-wide (after Jackie Robinson's 42 in baseball). Russell's impact on basketball — and on civil rights — made him the obvious choice for this honor.
Teams with the Most Retired Numbers
Boston Celtics lead the pack with 24 retired numbers, including legends like Bill Russell (6), Larry Bird (33), and Paul Pierce (34). The Celtics have so many retired numbers that new players are running out of options.
Los Angeles Lakers have retired 13 numbers, including Wilt Chamberlain (13), Magic Johnson (32), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33), and Kobe Bryant (both 8 and 24).
New York Knicks have 12 retired numbers, honoring franchise icons like Walt Frazier (10), Willis Reed (19), and Patrick Ewing (33).
Double Retirements
Some players have had their numbers retired by multiple teams:
- Wilt Chamberlain: Warriors (13) and Lakers (13)
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Bucks (33) and Lakers (33)
- Shaquille O'Neal: Lakers (34) and Heat (32)
- Charles Barkley: Suns (34) and 76ers (34)
- Clyde Drexler: Trail Blazers (22) and Rockets (22)
- Oscar Robertson: Bucks (1) and Kings (14)
The Most Common Retired Numbers
Some numbers appear on retirement banners more than others:
- Number 32 is one of the most commonly retired, worn by Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Bill Walton, and Kevin McHale among others
- Number 33 is retired by numerous teams, thanks to Kareem, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Patrick Ewing, and Alonzo Mourning
- Number 23 has been retired for Michael Jordan by both the Bulls and the Heat (even though Jordan never played for Miami — it was a tribute)
Unusual Retirement Stories
The Heat retired 23 for Michael Jordan even though he never played for Miami. Pat Riley did it as a sign of respect. It's one of the most unique retirement gestures in sports history.
The Jazz retired number 1223 — representing the date 12/23 — for longtime broadcast team Hot Rod Hundley. It's not a real number, but it's on the banner.
The Celtics retired number 2 for Red Auerbach, their legendary coach. He never wore the number as a player — it represented the two fingers he used to hold his victory cigars.
Numbers Nobody Can Wear
With so many retirements, some teams have limited options for new players:
The Celtics have retired numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 44. That's a lot of numbers off the table.
Why It Matters for Trivia
Retired numbers come up constantly in trivia because they connect players to teams in unexpected ways. Knowing that the Celtics retired Jerry West's number? That's wrong — the Lakers did. Knowing that Shaq's number is retired by two teams? That's the kind of detail that separates casual fans from trivia experts.
Test your knowledge of NBA jersey history in 2 Truths 1 Lie and Connections, where team affiliations and player honors are common categories.