When the Utah Jazz raise a commemorative No. 12 up to the Delta Center rafters Monday night in jersey-retirement ceremonies, honoree John Stockton will become the 158th person to be honored in such a "retirement-recognition" event.
While most of the NBA's 30 franchises have retired numbers in honor of jerseys worn, championships won or victory totals achieved, some have started to hoist commemorative banners. The Los Angeles Lakers raised two banners three seasons ago in honor of their Minneapolis roots — one for the five titles the franchise won before moving west in 1960 and the other bearing the names of the Minneapolis-era Hall of Famers. And the Chicago Bulls punctuated their six-championship reign during the 1990s with a banner saluting former general manager Jerry Krause and a "COACH" for former head coach Phil Jackson.
The Phoenix Suns, who retired five jersey numbers in early franchise history, now honor former standouts by listing their names and numbers in a "Ring of Honor" at American West Arena. The move, done by other pro sports franchises, commemorates supserstars but also allows jersey numbers to be reused at a later date.
How well do you know the NBA star players, coaches, team officials and accompanying numbers that have been honored over the years? Try your hand at the 14 questions — get them all right and you may deserve your jersey to be retired somewhere sometime by someone.
1. When the Utah Jazz retire Stockton's No. 12, it will be the sixth number retired in franchise history. Name the five individuals and corresponding numbers previously honored by the Jazz in retirement ceremonies — and name them in chronological order of retirement.
Pete Maravich, No. 7 (in 1985); Frank Layden, No. 1 (in 1988); Darrell Griffith, No. 35 (in 1993); Mark Eaton, No. 53 (in 1996); and Jeff Hornacek, No. 14 (in 2002).
2. As the NBA's newest franchise, the first-year Charlotte Bobcats obviously haven't retired a jersey number yet. Name the four other NBA franchises that also haven't retired a jersey number to date.
The Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic and Toronto Magic.
3. Name the NBA franchise with the most retired numbers — and related retired icons — and how many individuals that franchise has so honored.
The Boston Celtics, with 23 honored individuals. That includes jersey numbers for Robert Parish, Walter Brown, Arnold "Red" Auerbach, Dennis Johnson, Bill Russell, Jo Jo White, Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, Tom "Satch" Sanders, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Don Nelson, Bill Sharman, Ed Macauley, Frank Ramsay, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Larry Bird and Reggie Lewis; a microphone in honor of legendary broadcaster Johnny Most; and the letters "LOSCY" for Jim Loscutoff.
4. The "LOSCY" banner has hung in Boston in honor of Loscutoff, who declined to have his jersey number retired so that a future Celtic player could wear it. The jersey number was in fact later used and then retired in honor of another Boston superstar. Name Loscutoff's jersey number and the player who later wore it and had it retired.
No. 18 — Dave Cowens.
5. Two jersey numbers are the most commonly retired numbers in the NBA, each having been honored by seven different franchises. Name the two numbers.
Nos. 22 and 32.
6. Only one former player has had his jersey retired by three different franchises. Name the player and the three franchises.
Wilt Chamberlain had his No. 13 retired by the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Golden State Warriors.
7. When the New Orleans Hornets retired No. 7 in honor of Pete Maravich, they were honoring a player who starred earlier in their hometown — but who played for a different franchise (the New Orleans/Utah Jazz). One player had his number retired by a franchise despite never playing for that franchise nor any other franchise with ties to that city. Name the player, the jersey number and the city.
In April 2003, Miami retired No. 23 in honor of NBA superstar Michael Jordan, who played for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. It is the only number the Heat have retired so far.
8. Besides Chamberlain, Maravich and Jordan, seven other former NBA standouts have had their numbers retired by two different teams. Name the seven players with double-retiree benefits and the teams that retired their numbers.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee Bucks and Lakers; Charles Barkley, Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns; Clyde Drexler, Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets; Julius Erving, New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers; Bob Lanier, Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons; Oscar Robertson, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings (then Cincinnati Royals); and Nate Thurmond, Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.
9. Only two of the multiple-honored players have had two different jersey numbers retired by two different teams. Name the two players, each with his two different jersey numbers and the teams that retired them.
Julius Erving — No. 32 by the Nets and No. 6 by the 76ers; and Oscar Robertson — No. 1 by the Bucks and No. 14 by the Kings (then the Cincinnati Royals).
10. The New York Knicks is the only NBA franchise that has retired the same jersey number twice. Name the number and the two players who wore that number and were honored with retirement ceremonies.
No. 15 — worn first by Dick McGuire and later by Earl Monroe. it was retired first in Monroe's honor and repeated later in recognition of McGuire.
11. The Boston Celtics retired jersey No. 1 for franchise found and first owner Walter Brown and No. 2 for former coach/president/general manager Red Auerbach for being second only to Brown as the most significant person in the Celtics organization. Also, as mentioned above, Chicago has honored Krause and Jackson and the Jazz Layden. Six other coaches or franchise founders have had numbers retired by teams — name the six individuals, their teams and their retired numbers.
Doug Moe, Denver Nuggets coach, No. 432 (total victories); Chuck Daly, Detroit Pistons coach, No. 2 (NBA titles won while in Detroit); Bob "Slick Leonard, Indiana Pacers coach, No. 529 (victories); Red Holzman, New York Knicks coach, No. 613 (victories); Larry Weinberg, Portland Trail Blazers founder, No. 1; and Jack Ramsay, Trail Blazers coach, No. 77 (the year Portland won its NBA title).
12. Four players — whose careers were cut short by each's untimely death — have had their jersey numbers retired by the teams they were playing for at the time of their passing. Name the four, their numbers and their respective teams.
Reggie Lewis, No. 35, Boston Celtics; Malik Sealy, No. 2, Minnesota Timberwolves; Drazen Petrovic, No. 3, New Jersey Nets; and Bobby Phills, No. 13, Charlotte (now New Orleans) Hornets.
13. As mentioned above, Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most is honored in Boston with a retired "microphone." Name the four other broadcasters or public-address announcers and the teams that have honored each.
Chick Hearn, Los Angeles Lakers; Dave Zinkoff, Philadelphia 76ers; Bill Schonely, Portland Trail Blazers; and Bob Blackburn, Seattle SuperSonics.
14. Several years before last season's relocation to New Orleans, the Hornets retired jersey No. 6 in honor of "Sixth Man" — the Charlotte fans. Name the other franchise that retired a number — and the jersey number — in honor of its home crowd.
The Sacramento Kings retired No. 6 for "Sixthman."
E-MAIL: taylor@desnews.com