NBA History: All 3 players who have had their jersey retired by a franchise they didnt play for

When a player has made a huge impact on the team’s performance, his jersey number is retired by the franchise honoring his contribution. Just like showcasing the championship banners, franchises do showcase their star performers by raising their jerseys to the rafters. So getting your jersey retired by a team is one of the biggest honors a player can ever get. While only a chosen few have been bestowed with that honor in the 76 seasons, fewer have their jerseys retired by multiple teams they played for and rarest have transcended the sport to such an extent that teams they never played for ended up retiring their jerseys.

The latest one to get that honor was, of course, the late great Bill Russell. His jersey was retired by the Celtics upon his retirement, and it is now league-wide retired following his demise. Such was the influence of one of the best champions of the league.

With such an honor, Late Bill Russell became only the 3rd player across the major American Sports leagues to get that honor. It was Jackie Robinson in the MLB and Wayne Gretzky in the NHL who had such monumental recognition in their respective sports.

Also in NBA, there were 2 other players whose jersey numbers were retired by a team they didn’t play for – Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

Miami Heat recognizing Michael Jordan’s contribution to NBA

After GOAT Michael Jordan retired from basketball, it wouldn’t take much to predict that Chicago Bulls would retire his No. 23 jersey. But after Jordan played for one final time, Miami Heat, a team that he never played for, retired the No. 23 jersey. Jordan entered the league in 1984 with Chicago Bulls. He led the Bulls to 6 NBA titles and a rare double three-peat.

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In 2001, he came back once again but played for Washington Wizards. And in 2003 he announced his “final” retirement, playing his last game in NBA against Miami Heat on 11th April. It was when the Heat announced that no members of their team would be wearing No. 23. With this amazing gesture, the Miami Heat became the first team to do so. It was done before their game against the Wizards in Jordan’s final season in the NBA. Jordan repaid their faith, by scoring the match-winning 25 points in a 91-87 victory that day.

Pat Riley said on that day, “In honor of your greatness and for all you’ve done for the game of basketball – and not just the NBA, but for all the fans around the world – we want to honor you tonight and hang your jersey, No. 23, from the rafters. No one will ever wear No. 23 for the Miami Heat. You’re the best.”

Interestingly this was the first jersey that Miami Heat had retired since its inception in the NBA.

Dallas Mavericks honoring Kobe Bryant for his impact on NBA

The team’s owner, Mark Cuban, said in a statement Sunday they would be retiring the number to honor Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers legend who died Sunday in a helicopter crash. In a statement on Twitter, Cuban said the 41-year-old former Lakers’ legacy “transcends basketball,” and that the Dallas Mavericks will no longer issue a number 24 jersey to a player. 5-time NBA Champion Kobe certainly had a close relationship with Mark Cuban outside the NBA also, and they both had mutual respect for each other.

It takes a truly special individual to have made such an impact on even those who they were never directly associated with, and these three men certainly fit the bill in that regard.

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