Watch enough basketball games and talk to enough players and coaches and you’ll surely stumble into one of the longest-standing cliches in sports.
“We play for the name on the front of the jersey.”
The statement is often used as a way to remind people about the spirit of teamwork and togetherness every team is striving to achieve as they build toward a championship season. And while the statement is factual and the name of the team will always show up on the front, there is something else that shows up on each jersey that is far more personal: a number selected by the player when he joined the team.
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Once you get to the professional level, those numbers are not assigned. Those numbers are personal choices made by each player and there is a reason why each player selected their number. With COVID-19 restrictions cutting into media access, it took more than half the season to get a chance to talk to each player on the roster (with the exception of newly signed Greg Monroe) about their jersey numbers, but here are the stories behind the numbers of each Bucks player.
0 — Donte DiVincenzo
“I had nine my rookie year. The reason I had nine — when I first got drafted, I wanted 10. That was my college number. (Editor’s note: The Bucks’ No. 10 is retired for Bob Dandridge.) I wanted five because that was my high school number, my mom’s favorite number, but DJ Wilson had it. So at the time, I wanted zero, but I had to pick a number for media stuff by a certain day. So I picked nine because it was the only low number.
“But then the next day, they waived X (Xavier Munford, who had No. 0); he was on a two-way. But I couldn’t change because you would have to buy out all the jerseys and I wasn’t spending that money to buy out the numbers. But when Wes (Matthews) came, he wanted nine and he asked me for it. Zero was available, so that was a way where I didn’t have to pay. So, it was immediate.
“In middle school, I was zero. High school, five. College, 10. So it kind of goes right back to the beginning. Full circle.”
The Athletic: Why zero though?
“Russell Westbrook was one of my favorite players. He was like my idol. Always someone I associated with as a player.”
With No. 0, DiVincenzo’s jersey numbers have come full circle (although, the Bucks’ zero is a rectangle.) (Benny Sieu / USA Today)
3 — George Hill
“Technically, it was just me, my mom and my dad, so there were just three of us. And my great grandfather, who I was blessed to meet. I don’t have a regular grandfather because my mom didn’t know her dad and my dad didn’t know his dad, so his birthday was May 3rd. So it was an impactful number to me. And then, growing up as a kid, I really looked up to a guy like Allen Iverson.”
5 — Rodney Hood
“Initially, it was because it was me, my mom, dad, sister, brother, there were five of us. Now, it’s got a different meaning where it’s me, my wife, and my three kids, so I kind of want to stay with it.
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“I wore five at Duke, Utah, well pretty much everywhere I could get it. Besides Cleveland. Cleveland, I wore (No.) 1. And I feel like it’s just a left-handed number —if there is such a thing. A lot of left-handed guys were five, so I wanted to stick with the tradition. And I was a Jalen Rose fan growing up too, so I wanted to stick with it.”
7 — Grayson Allen
“Super-exciting answer. I wanted a single-digit number and it was six or seven. And I picked seven. I don’t know, I just felt like it looked better. (Laughs.) I just think, it felt like seven fit me better than six.”
9 — Bobby Portis
“Because D.J. Wilson had No. 5.
“I swear to God, there’s nothing behind it. Ten in college and 5 in the league, every year. I offered to pay for it, but he wouldn’t give it up. Swear to God, I was going to give him some bread for it, but he wouldn’t give it up. When I got to New York, I was No. 1. I was going to pay Dennis Smith for (No. 5), but I guess it was too late for the league. I was trying to switch numbers, but it was too late.
“And then here, I was going to switch for it, but he wouldn’t give it to me. I guess I’m No. 9 now. It’s worked out. I like nine now. Definitely worked out.”
11 — Brook Lopez
“My oldest brother Alex’s high school traveling team, he played with a point guard, Art Lee, who wore number 11 and so Alex wore 42 and Art wore 11. And they had a great connection, point guard-big man, everything. So, (Magic center and twin brother) Robin and I — Robin wore No. 42 and I wore 11 for that reason.”
The Athletic: So, you wanted to be a point guard?
“Not necessarily the point guard but I really looked up to that player. Obviously, I looked up to my older brother too, but you know, they had a great connection. They were both great players on that team. But I mean, if you talk to Darvin (Ham) or something like that everything we do at basket four (in the Bucks’ practice facility), I think there’s a lot of point guard stuff in there now in our vitamins. But yeah, that’s the reason I wore No. 11. It turned out he went to Stanford too. He was a great No. 11 at Stanford.”
13 — Jordan Nwora
“So, really my number was 33 growing up. Clearly, I can’t have that number in Milwaukee. So, I just decided the next closest thing with a 3 in it that wasn’t 23, so I went with 13.
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“I started off in middle school wearing 34 because that was my dad’s number. Then, in high school, they only had 33, so I went with 33. And then when I got to college, my mom was like, ‘It’s kind of your number now.’ So I stuck with 33 and then I got here, Kareem’s number was retired, and now I’m 13.”
21 — Jrue Holiday
“It started off with my dad used to wear 21 and then my favorite player growing up, one of my favorite players growing up was Kevin Garnett. It ain’t nothing too complicated.”
The Athletic: But you wore 11 in Philadelphia and New Orleans…
“Thad Young had 21 my rookie year and he wanted me to buy the number from him and I said, ‘Nah.’ And just wore 11. I wore 11 because my brother’s number was 22, so I went half of that. And in Philly, they have a lot of retired jerseys. They have a lot of retired numbers and then numbers that you just don’t wear, like you just don’t choose.
“And then I had 11 until I got here, but Brook has 11.”
22 — Khris Middleton
“When I was a kid, it was the closest number to 23. I couldn’t wear Jordan’s number, somebody else had it, so I chose 22 instead of 24. And it’s just me now. I’ve always felt the most comfortable. Since then, 22 has always been my number, my go-to. Except for one year in Detroit, I had to wear 32.”
23 — Wesley Matthews
“Jordan.”
At this point, Giannis Antetokounmpo inserts himself into the conversation.
GA: “Nah. No, no, no, no. two and three, it’s actually one less than three or four. So, he just got to the team and he thought about me. And then he thought about 45 because it was actually Jordan’s next number, but yeah, he wore 23 because it’s one less than 34.”
WM: “I wore 23 because that’s what I always wore. I wore (No.) 2 (in Portland) because 23 was taken by Marcus Camby. He’s an OG vet, so I couldn’t get that. But I wore 23 everywhere else. Whatever Giannis is talking about, that’s bullsh*t. (Laughs.) But high school, everything else, 23 for Jordan.”
Connaughton is the 16th player in Bucks history to wear No. 24, Holiday is the 20th to wear No. 21 and Lopez is the 21st to wear No. 11. (Jason Getz / USA Today)
24 — Pat Connaughton
“The first time I played organized basketball was at the Arlington (Ma.) Boys and Girls Club. And I was sick. I was so excited, but I was sick on the night of jersey selections. We had tryouts and then it was jersey selection the next week. And my dad brought home a red 24 shirt. It was one of those t-shirt jerseys with 24 on the back, so that was my first number. My dad picked it to start. I vividly remember it. I was in my family room at home, laying on this old couch watching TV. My mom had just made me chicken noodle soup. He came in and it was like 7:30 at night and dropped it right on me. You’re 24 now.”
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“As I got older, I stuck with 24 because it had meaning to me in that there are 24 hours in a day. And I was trying to play basketball, play baseball, play football back then. And my parents really stressed academics. I had to get the grades if I wanted to do those things, so I felt like I had to take advantage of all 24 hours in the day. Sleep for eight, nine, 10 of them, make sure I eat right, make sure I found ways to get my homework done in between classes or in a free period, so that I could go to practice at night, stuff like that.
“So, that’s really why it stuck. There’s 24 hours in a day. We all have the same 24 hours, but how I utilized those 24 hours was how I feel like I’m going to put myself in a position to accomplish the things I want to accomplish.”
28 — Lindell Wigginton
“It’s a long story, but because of my brother who passed away. I grew up wearing No. 2. My dad, my cousin, my brother, they grew up wearing No. 8. So I just combined them together and I just got 28.
“So, it hasn’t always been my number, but when I became a pro, I couldn’t get 2 or 8, so I just combined them, so that’s the reason. My brother, my family, me and my cousins, who passed away and stuff.”
34 — Giannis Antetokounmpo
“My mom was born in 1963. My dad was born in 1964. So I took the three and the four, 34. And Thanasis took the four and the three.
“A lot of people think I wear it because of Hakeem (Olajuwon), no. I wear it because of my parents. It’s just crazy because it ended (up) being the same. In Nigeria, it’s a big deal, you know. Representing Hakeem Ojaluwon’s 34, Giannis is 34. But no, it’s because of my parents.”
37 — Semi Ojeleye
“Easy. That was the number I was drafted. Just a way to remember where you started. That’s it. Pretty simple.”
The Athletic: That’s an easy one to keep, too, because no one else wears it.
“I’ve kept it everywhere. Same number. I wore 33 in high school and AAU, but 33, that’s one of those common numbers. I mean, everywhere. Larry Bird.
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“Bro, as soon as I got to Duke and realized that Grant (Hill) wore that, I was like it’s going to be tough going forward. I need to find something else, so I switched to 20, 30 and then got drafted 37 and I was like, this is perfect.”
43 — Thanasis Antetokounmpo
The Athletic: Giannis already explained why you wear 34 and 43, but how did you come to the decision to honor your parents when you were first drafted rather than picking numbers that you thought looked cool or your own favorite numbers?
“It’s just to motivate yourself, get your mind right every day. A reminder of why you play. But more than that, I wanted to get 34, but he (nods at Giannis) wanted it. (Laughs.) I’m joking, I’m joking.
“But seriously, it’s just always remembering why you play, honor your family, represent who you are, where you come from. When you’re young, you always want to play in cool numbers. Like seven or 10 or zero or stuff like that, but when you actually start doing this and grow up, you want to be unique. You want to be special and you want to have a reason behind that. When you’re grandkids and your kids see that and are like, ‘Granddad, that’s your jersey. Why did you have that number?’ They know. It’s about legacy.”
54 — Sandro Mamukelashvili
“I’ve never thought of wearing 54. My favorite number is 23 and five. So, in Italy, I took five because two plus three is five. And my favorite player was Shaquille O’Neal and he was 32 so I was going to go to five. And then my whole college career, I wore 23 because I was born on the 23rd and it’s (Michael) Jordan’s number.
“But I took 54 this year because, first of all, it’s new beginnings. And second, I was drafted 54. As a kid you always want to get drafted, that’s your dream to hear your name get it called and the Bucks gave me that chance. So I took this for two reasons. One to kind of remind all the teams that I was available 54 times before they got me and second to remind myself how blessed I am and then that I got to prove myself. I got to prove it daily. I got to get better and I got to prove to others and beat the odds where I can be the best player I can be.
“So I feel like 54 just motivates me. It became my lucky number from now on. Just I’m on a mission right now to just kind of get better every day and beat the odds. There are a lot of players that do not stay in the NBA long term, so I just want to stay there and be the best version of myself, so it’s my number now.”
(Top photo: John Fisher / Getty Images)
