1) Wilt Chamberlain (Warriors, 76ers, and Lakers)

Though he played only five seasons in Los Angeles, honoring Chamberlain with a 1983 jersey retirement was an easy decision for the Lakers, as the star center was Finals MVP on the 1972 title team. The 76ers had no qualms either in 1991 about retiring #13 to honor Chamberlain, who was three-time league MVP and a champion with the franchise. But things were a little more complicated for the Warriors. Sure, his first MVP award, his 100 point game, and many of his other records came while wearing a Warriors jersey. But Chamberlain left in 1965 under acrimonious terms, with many teammates, fans, and media members ready to be rid of the talented but enigmatic superstar. When Chamberlain passed away suddenly from heart failure in 1999, the Golden State franchise figured the time was right to finally honor him properly. Early in the ’99-’00 season, the Warriors held “Wilt Chamberlain Night” (appropriately, on a night they were hosting the 76ers) featuring a halftime ceremony in which his #13 jersey was raised. Thus, Chamberlain became the first player in NBA history to have three retired jerseys, a fitting distinction for the league’s ultimate nomadic superstar. The #13 Warriors jersey had been unused for six years prior to the retirement, with Šarūnas Marčiulionis the last to don it in ’92-’93.

2) Shaquille O’Neal (Lakers, Magic, and Heat)

Wilt Chamberlain’s spiritual successor O’Neal hit the jersey retirement trifecta in 2024, when the Orlando Magic finally retired his #32, 28 years after he last suited up for the franchise. The lengthy delay was not just due to O’Neal’s controversial 1996 exit but also the Magic franchise’s stubborn aversion to jersey retirements in general. A 35th anniversary season was the impetus for Orlando management to finally relent, and O’Neal’s #32 was retired in February of 2024 in a postgame ceremony attended by former teammates Penny Hardaway, Nick Anderson, and Dennis Scott. Many Orlando fans still took umbrage with the decision, deriding the honoring of a player who spent just four seasons with the franchise and didn’t earn MVP or a title in that time. There was no such trepidation for Lakers fans, who saw their three-time Finals MVP’s #34 (chosen in 1996 because #32 was retired for Magic Johnson) retired in 2013, or Heat fans, who cheered on his #32 jersey raising in 2016, despite his time with the franchise lasting just three seasons, which included a 2006 title.

3) Nate Thurmond (Warriors and Cavaliers)

In 11 seasons with the Warriors, Thurmond became the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder, made seven All-Star appearances, was named All-Defensive four times, and was the heart-and-soul of two NBA Finals teams. In one-and-a-half seasons with the Cavaliers, Thurmond averaged 5.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while shifting in and out of the lineup due to seemingly constant knee problems. But guess which franchise retired his jersey first? Apparently itching to start raising some numbers into the Richfield Coliseum rafters, the Cavaliers honored Thurmond with a retirement of #42 in December of 1977, less than a year after he had played his last game. The Warriors followed suit a few months later with a retirement ceremony late in the ’77-’78 season. What gives? Well, Thurmond was especially beloved by Cleveland fans for several reasons, including his Ohio roots (he attended high school in Akron and played college ball at Bowling Green), his hustling style of play, and his contributions to the ’75-’76 “Miracle at Richfield” team, filling in as starting center for an injured Jim Chones. When you have a franchise history as sparse and disheartening as the Cavs did for 40 years pre-LeBron James, you take your heroes where you can get them.

4) Clyde Drexler (Trail Blazers and Rockets)

When the time came for the Rockets to retire Clyde Drexler’s jersey during the ’99-’00 season, the former All-Star didn’t have much of a commute. The lifelong Houstonian was just down the road, coaching his alma mater the Houston Cougars. Though Drexler was born in New Orleans and his NBA career was mostly encompassed by his connection to Portland, it was the city of Houston that truly defined him. He had starred for Ross Sterling High School in the city, then was part of the legendary “Phi Slamma Jamma” at Houston University. In 11-and-a-half seasons with Portland, Drexler was an All-Star eight times, led the Trail Blazers to two NBA Finals, and left as the franchise’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, and steals (he still holds that last one). No one was surprised when the Trail Blazers retired his #22 in a halftime ceremony in March of 2001. The stunner was that the Rockets had come first, retiring #22 in honor of Drexler in February of 2000. His connection to the community was an obvious factor but there’s also no denying Drexler’s contributions to the 1995 Rockets championship. Thanks to the quick turnarounds, Drexler became the last #22 in both franchise’s histories.

5) Julius Erving (Nets and 76ers)

They may have been forced to sell Erving to the 76ers in 1976 due to financial constraints, but the Nets wouldn’t get beat to the punch on honoring him. When the NBA legend announced his impending retirement heading into the ’86-’87 season, his old ABA team got busy making plans for a jersey retirement. When Erving and the 76ers were in town in early April, his #32 Nets jersey was raised to the rafters in a pregame ceremony. Perhaps flustered by the emotional celebration, the 37-year-old Erving struggled against his former team, shooting 2-of-12 from the field in a 113-109 New Jersey win. Granted, Erving had never played for the Nets in their then current home of New Jersey, but his three seasons with the New York Nets included three league MVP awards and two ABA titles. When the 1976 merger was flatlining their budget, the Nets had to sell Erving’s rights to the 76ers ahead of the ’76-’77 NBA season. #32 was already retired in Philadelphia in honor of Billy Cunningham, so Erving chose #6 in honor of his hero, Bill Russell. The 76ers raised #6 to the rafters in 1988, in a ceremony that also included an unveiling of a statue of his likeness outside The Spectrum arena.

6) Vince Carter (Raptors and Nets)

No player in NBA history has transitioned from zero retired jerseys to multiple ones as quickly as Carter. Both of his jersey raising ceremonies happened during the ’24-’25 season, with the Raptors honoring him in November followed by the Nets in January. It’s indicative of how Carter’s lengthy career thawed most of the lingering tensions with the Raptors fans he left behind and the Nets fans he failed to ever fully win over. The Toronto ceremony was the more emotional affair, with Carter wiping away tears multiple times as he was feted by the fans who once considered him public enemy number one. His trade demands now far in the past, Carter is now remembered more for his impact on not just the Raptors but Canadian basketball in general, inspiring the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, and more. Carter’s #15 had remained in heavy rotation over the interim years, especially in Toronto, where Jorge Garbajosa, Anthony Bennett, and Amir Johnson had donned it. Carter was technically the final player ever to wear #15 in a New Jersey Nets jersey, but three different Brooklyn Nets play did wear it before its retirement.

7) Oscar Robertson (Kings and Bucks)

With three relocations (plus a sojourn in Omaha), two name changes, and limited success in the franchise’s history, the Kings have always had an interesting relationship with jersey retirements. But that certainly hasn’t slowed them down. Bob Davies’ #11, Maurice Stokes’ #12, and Jack Tywman’s #27 represent the Rochester Royals years, Tiny Archibald’s #1 and Sam Lacey’s #44 are from the Kansas City years, while Mitch Richmond’s #2, Chris Webber’s #4, Peja Stojakovic’s #16, and Vlade Divac’s #21 are in the current Sacramento iteration. For the franchise’s 15 seasons as the Cincinnati Royals, there’s only Robertson’s #14. Undoubtedly still the franchise’s all-time biggest superstar (and its only MVP), Robertson left under conspicuous circumstances, traded to the Bucks in 1970 after literally suing the NBA out of despondency over his situation in Cincinnati. Just a few weeks after shipping him to Milwaukee, the Royals quietly retired his #14 jersey with no fanfare or even a ceremony. There were no such qualms for the Bucks, who opened the ’74-’75 season with a pregame ceremony and jersey retirement (of #1) honoring Robertson, who quarterbacked the team to a 1971 title.

8) Jerry Sloan (Bulls and Jazz)

There’s been plenty of solid but unspectacular NBA players who blossomed into great coaches and there’s been quite a few legendary players who struggled with coaching. But Sloan is the only person revered enough to have their jersey retired by one franchise as a player and one as a coach. Granted, the Jazz one only sort of counts, as it’s jersey #1,223, a number that can’t be utilized by any player but rather represents the number of wins Sloan compiled, a record for any NBA coach with one team. The ceremony happened in January of 2014, about three years after Sloan retired unexpectedly during the ’10-’11 season, amidst rumors of strife with star player Deron Williams. When the longtime Utah institution is now indelibly linked with the Jazz franchise, Sloan was previously best known for his exploits on the court in Chicago. An expansion draft pick of the Bulls in 1965, Sloan was their first big star, beloved by fans for his shooting touch and defensive intensity. In 1978, two years after his retirement, Sloan’s #4 jersey became the first ever retired by the Bulls franchise.

9) Elvin Hayes (Wizards and Rockets)
10) Moses Malone (76ers and Rockets)

While the Rockets quickly honored Clyde Drexler for his late career contributions to a title team, they faced a reverse dilemma with Hayes and Malone. Hayes was the first big star in a then nascent Rockets history, lending instant credibility to the franchise after they drafted him #1 overall in 1968. Hayes was scoring champion as a rookie and an All-Star in his first four seasons. He was also notoriously difficult, butting heads with coaches and keeping a cold distance from teammates. Houston’s trade of Hayes to the Bullets in 1972 is considered one of the worst in NBA history, getting only veteran Jack Marin in return. The haul for Malone a decade later was almost as measly (Caldwell Jones and a first rounder), and even more egregious for a reigning MVP. This time it was simply a financial decision, with new ownership unwilling to meet Malone’s reasonable demand for $2 million per year in salary. Hayes and Malone led the Bullets and 76ers respectively to titles, solidifying themselves as franchise legends and easy picks for jersey retirement. The Rockets were more wavering but eventually followed suit. Malone’s #24 went up into the rafters in 1998, honoring his status as, amongst other things, the first league MVP in Rockets history and catalyst for the 1981 NBA Finals run. Hayes had to wait until 2022 to see #44 lifted to the rafters but the case was solid, not just for his ties to the city as a college star at University of Houston, but for returning to the Rockets as a free agent to close out his career.

---

Bound for dual citizenship?: 15 other NBA players who may eventually have multiple retired jerseys

Kevin Garnett: His #5 was retired by the Celtics in 2022 but Garnett’s signature team, the Timberwolves, are yet to retire anyone’s number; the only MVP winner in franchise history seems like an optimal choice
Jerry Lucas: Arguably the greatest player in NBA history without one retired jersey let alone multiple, Lucas is likely to eventually be honored by the Kings while the Knicks could follow suit for his part in the 1973 title
Al Horford: A four-time All-Star for the Hawks and top 10 in franchise history in rebounds and in blocks, Horford also became beloved in Boston in the second half of his career, which included a 2022 title
Carmelo Anthony: This one’s a long shot, as Anthony’s #15 Nuggets jersey is now being worn by Nikola Jokic and the Knicks have thus far only retired the numbers of players who led them to the NBA Finals
Dennis Rodman: Yes, he was technically honored by the Bulls with an induction into their “Ring of Honor” but Rodman’s #91 jersey is still available, whereas the Pistons took his #10 permanently out of rotation
Lenny Wilkens: The Sonics retired his #19 years ago but the Hawks have yet to honor one of their first superstar players, albeit from their St. Louis days, and his #32 also belongs to Dan Roundfield
Kevin Durant: The Nets and Suns obviously won’t be rushing to honor him but the Warriors are a lock to retire Durant’s jersey, while the Thunder will likely feel obligated to do so, maybe after Russell Westbrook
Tim Hardaway: His jersey was retired by the Heat but Hardaway is indelibly linked with the Warriors, where his number could reside next to Run-TMC teammate Chris Mullin’s #17
Mitch Richmond: Similar to Tim Hardaway above, Richmond has been honored with a retired jersey by the Kings but not the Warriors, where his #23 has since become synonymous with Draymond Green
Chris Paul: He has a case for three different franchises, as Paul was the first superstar in Pelicans (then Hornets) history, a Clippers legend, and quarterbacked the Suns to an NBA Finals appearance
Dennis Johnson: The Celtics honored Johnson’s #3 almost immediately after he retired, while the SuperSonics had 16 years to follow suit but opted not to; perhaps an NBA return to Seattle will rectify that
Kevin Love: While his Cavaliers #0 is basically a shoo-in for retirement, Love’s #42 in Minnesota will have to wait for the franchise to start retiring jerseys for anyone
Jason Kidd: Now that he’s coach of the Mavericks, one has to assume Kidd’s feud with Mark Cuban has ended and his Mavs jersey will eventually join his Nets #5 in the NBA arena rafters
George Mikan: The Lakers finally retired his #99 in 2022, which is a worthy gesture, but Mikan was a Minneapolis institution and the Timberwolves should acknowledge as such
LeBron James: Seems like as good a bet as anyone to join Pete Maravich, Shaquille O’Neal, and Wilt Chamberlain in the retired jersey trifecta club

---

11) Michael Jordan (Bulls and Heat)

No, that’s not a typo. When Jordan made his comeback with the Wizards 2001, he could espy his own jersey high above the court in Chicago whenever the Bulls hosted Washington. Then in April of 2003, to honor his “significant contributions to the sport of basketball,” the Heat also retired #23 for Jordan. The timing was of significance. Jordan was in Miami for the fourth-to-last game of his career, having announced his second retirement at the conclusion of the Wizards’ season, and Pat Riley felt obligated to acknowledge it. Honoring a legendary player league wide was also en vogue, with the MLB retiring Jackie Robinson’s #42 for all teams in 1997, followed by the NHL taking Wayne Gretzky’s #99 out of rotation in 2000. Perhaps the Heat organization expected the other 29 teams to follow suit and pull #23 as well, but no such luck. That left Jordan awkwardly in the rafters at the Kaseya Center and, even worse, all by himself for a while, until Alonzo Mourning’s jersey was retired in 2009. Five different players did get to wear #23 for Miami before it was pulled, the last being Cedric Ceballos in ’00-’01. It’s otherwise remained popular across the league since 2003, with LeBron James, Draymond Green, Jason Richardson, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, and Anthony Davis amongst the star players to wear it.

12) Bob Lanier (Pistons and Bucks)

Another classic case of a player’s signature team getting beat to the punch on a jersey retirement and even worse, it took the Pistons almost a decade to catch up. When Lanier was traded from Detroit to Milwaukee in 1980, he left as the franchise’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, and All-Star appearances. But there was some resentment from Detroit fans and the media, as Lanier had failed to lead the team to any postseason success and had asked for a trade during a rebuild. His case certainly didn’t get helped a couple years later, when a scuffle in a Pistons-Bucks game ended with Lanier punching and breaking the nose of Pistons center Bill Laimbeer. Though he spent just four-and-a-half seasons with the franchise, much of it marred by knee issues, the Bucks wasted no time honoring Lanier. Just a few months after his 1984 retirement announcement, they lifted his #16 jersey to the rafters in a halftime ceremony. Adding insult to injury, the Bucks organization specifically picked a home game against the Pistons for the occasion, then defeated Lanier’s former team. The Pistons finally followed suit in 1993, in what was considered a reconciliation between the franchise and its former star, who joined his longtime teammate Dave Bing as the first two Pistons with retired jerseys. Perhaps Detroit finally winning a title in 1989 made it easier for all to be forgiven. No Pistons player had worn #16 since 1980 anyway.

13) Earl Monroe (Wizards and Knicks)

Limping towards their second consecutive 50-loss campaign, the Knicks seemed light years away from contention late in the ’85-’86 season. But at least fans could gaze up into the Madison Square Garden rafters and view a championship lineup. When Monroe’s #15 was retired by the Knicks in March of 1986, he became the fifth and final member of the starting lineup of the ’72-’73 title team to be honored as such. One of those teammates, Dave DeBusschere, had planned out the “Earl Monroe Night” ceremony but in the interim had been fired from his Knicks front office job. When he joined Monroe on the court to give a speech, jaded Knicks fans gave DeBusschere a standing ovation, a strong indication of their feelings towards the current franchise management. While New York was where Monroe became a champion and true legend, it was a Bullets jersey he chose for his 1990 Hall of Fame induction. It still took the franchise a while to reciprocate, in part because all of Monroe’s time came when the team was based in Baltimore and also because his trade to New York had been the result of a threatened ABA defection. The then Washington Wizards finally went through with the ceremony in 2007, lifting up Monroe’s #10 jersey alongside Gus Johnson, Wes Unseld, and Elvin Hayes. While #10 was Monroe’s preference, he had to switch to #15 in New York in deference to his legendary back court mate, Frazier.

14) Dikembe Mutombo (Nuggets and Hawks)

Once he was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2015, Mutombo’s two signature franchises scrambled to get his jersey retired. First up was the Hawks, who signed the finger-wagging big man as a free agent in 2001. Over four-and-a-half seasons in Atlanta, Mutombo earned his second and third Defensive Player of the Year awards, made three All-Star teams, and lead the NBA in rebounding once. But for anyone who’s not a Hawks fan, you likely think of Mutombo in a Nuggets jersey first. It took another year for Denver to retire his #55, in a ceremony that took place in their home opener in ’16-’17. Perhaps there was some trepidation due to an earlier Nuggets legend who also wore #55, Kiki VandeWeghe. No matter, as Mutombo got his well-deserved halftime ceremony. Not only was Mutombo the best #55 in Nuggets or Hawks history, he was easily the greatest in NBA history to consistently don that number, with only VandeWeghe even really coming close.

15) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Bucks and Lakers)

Having announced his retirement at the conclusion of the ’88-’89 season, Abdul-Jabbar was feted all season long, not just by the Lakers but also by opposing teams. The Lakers could have just pulled his #33 jersey and retired it then and there once the season ended, but they took their time to plan out a ceremony honoring their legendary center. Acquired via trade in 1975, Abdul-Jabbar spent 14 seasons in Los Angeles, earning three league MVP awards, one Finals MVP, and manning the middle for five championship teams. The Lakers obviously were missing his presence in the post but were getting along just fine without him. On the night Abdul-Jabbar’s jersey was retired in a halftime ceremony, the Lakers defeated the Hornets to improve to 49-16. They would ultimately win 63 games but were subsequently knocked out in the Conference Semifinals in an upset loss to the Suns. The Bucks waited a little longer to retire #33, doing so in a 1993 ceremony that was combined with a tribute to the ’70-’71 team which Kareem led to a championship. On hand were many of those ’70-’71 teammates, including Oscar Robertson and Jon McGlocklin, who already had retired jerseys up in the rafters.

16) Pete Maravich (Jazz, Hawks, and Pelicans)

October 30, 2002 was arguably the most memorable day in New Orleans pro basketball history. The Hornets, fresh off their relocation from Charlotte, made their regular season debut in the New Orleans Arena, the first NBA game in the city in 17 years. Their opponent, the Jazz, were the last major pro team in the Crescent City, having relocated themselves to Salt Lake City in 1979 (in the interim, the NBA would occasionally schedule neutral site games in New Orleans, the most recent happening in 1985). In another bit of historical significance, the new Hornets owners decided to add some additional fanfare by retiring Maravich’s #7 jersey. This was setting an interesting precedent, because Maravich never played for the Hornets but they were acknowledging his contributions to the city, not the franchise. Other “replacement” teams in Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Washington, and Chicago likely took notice, though no one to date has followed suit in this unique distinction. It was a posthumous honor, for the record, as Maravich passed away in 1988 from heart failure. He was able to attend when the Jazz retired his #7 jersey in 1985, then was represented by his wife when the Hawks followed suit in 2017. Maravich became just the second player with three retired NBA jerseys, following Wilt Chamberlain and later joined by Shaquille O’Neal.

17) Charles Barkley (Suns and 76ers)

As has been a theme on this list, Barkley’s jersey retirement by the 76ers featured a heavy dose of catharsis with its veneration. To wit: 10 years prior, Barkley had a jersey retirement controversy that exemplified his contentious relationship with Philly management, media, and fans. Barkley wanted to wear #32 in the ’91-’92 season to honor his close friend and recent retiree, Magic Johnson. He got the blessing of Sixers legend Billy Cunningham to have the number un-retired for this purpose, but fans saw this as yet another example of Barkley’s disrespect for them. Fast forward a decade and the universally beloved power forward got a standing ovation from 76ers fans as his #34 jersey was retired late in the ’00-’01 season, in a ceremony featuring appearances from Cunningham and Moses Malone, and a performance by Kenny Rogers. Perhaps it was also a good luck charm, as the Sixers subsequently reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1983, right before Barkley was drafted. Three years later, Barkley was honored by the Suns, the team for which he won league MVP and led to the 1993 NBA Finals. This was also not without controversy, as Barkley had left the Suns in 1996 after criticizing general manager Jerry Colangelo to the press. While Suns fans didn’t seem deterred by that incident, Barkley was apparently holding a grudge towards Phoenix up until they honored him with the jersey retirement (and he reportedly reconciled with Colangelo). Having previously stated that he would be entering the Naismith Hall of Fame as a 76er, Barkley shifted course after this, ultimately choosing the Suns.

18) Bill Russell (league wide)

In April of 1997, to honor the 50th anniversary of his breaking of the baseball color barrier, the MLB honored Jackie Robinson by retiring his #42 league wide. No NBA figure has ever quite reached the combination of talent and social impact that Robinson accomplished, but Russell certainly came closest. The 11-time champion, original Black head coach, and social justice fighter passed away in 2022 and the NBA soon after announced that his #6 was being retired league wide. Six franchises had already retired #6, including, of course, the Celtics themselves. But that honoring from the Celtics came with some caveats. The franchise originally retired Russell’s jersey in a 1972 ceremony that was closed off to the public, due to Russell’s resentment over the racist treatment he received from Boston fans during his career. The legendary center eventually relented 27 years later, attending a public jersey re-retirement ceremony at the new FleetCenter (now TD Garden) and accepting a standing ovation from Celtics fans with tears in his eyes. One last note on Russell’s league wide jersey retirement: 18 active players were still wearing #6 at the time and were allowed to keep it until they retire. LeBron James was the most high profile #6 and opted to change back to his usual #23 but as of the ’25-’26 season, the Thunder’s Jaylin Williams is the only active player still in #6.

---