Shaquille O’Neal will be wearing No. 33 for the Cavs next season. He chose this number, presumably, because he’s a huge fan of Rolling Rock. Or because it’s the number he wore during high school and while dominating the paint in college for LSU.
Either way, it’s the first time the Big Witness will be wearing his
old number as a pro. When he landed in Orlando as the first overall
pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, he donned a 32. During his first year with
the Magic, 33 was already being worn by Terry Catledge, who had been
with the team since 1989. Now, I’m sure Shaq could have convinced
Catledge to give it up — through bribery or throttling —
but apparently Shaq was cool with the numerical change because, even
after Catledge left Orlando the following year, Shaq stuck with 32
through his Magic tenure.
When he joined the Lakers, he took No. 34 because 32 and 33 were
already retired by the organization in honor of Magic Johnson and
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, respectively. When he hit South Beach as a member
of the Heat, he returned to 32 and kept it as his services were shipped
to Phoenix and he became the Big Cactus.
Now it’s No. 33 on the shores of Lake Erie, and we won’t know
exactly why until Shaq stops by town for his press conference in a
couple of weeks. Even then, we might not get a straight answer.
According to the team, Shaq asked for the number, but there were no
indications why. He could have done it in deference to Joe Smith, who
wore No. 32 for the Cavs last season and may or may not be back for the
next campaign. And frankly, the Rolling Rock thing wouldn’t surprise
me.
The last time a number issue came up — and really, there was
never any real issue — was when Devin Brown joined the team. “He
had always liked/worn number 23,” said Tad Carper, Cavs Senior VP of
Communications. “As you can imagine, there was no debate or discussion
about that. Devin happily wore number 33, and played well in it, I
might add. He switched back to 23 for the Hornets last season.”
Which brings us full circle, since Devin was the last Cavalier to
wear 33. That, combined with the surprising interest in the number
choice around the blogosphere, means that the uniform number history of
the Cavs is newsworthy and timely right now. Actually, with the
exception of a few of these, there’s no earthly reason for you to know
any of this stuff, but that’s why I’m here.
• Shaq will be 12th Cavalier to wear the No. 33. The others:
Devin Brown (’08); Derrick Chievous (’90, ’91); Luke Jackson (’05,
’06); Kannard Johnson (’88); Jumaine Jones (’02, ’03); Donny Marshal
(’96, ’97); Ben McDonald (’86); Mike Sanders (’92, ’93); Paul Thompson
(’84, ’85); Bob Wilkerson (’82, ’83); Bill Willoughby (’80).
• The number that has been worn by the most different number of
Cavs? That would be No. 24, which has been worn by 13 players (Fred
Foster, John lamber, Kevin Restani, Carl Nicks, Keith Lee, Chris
Dudley, Gerald Paddio, Jimmy Oliver, Chris Mills, Andre Miller, Jason
Kopono, Donyell Marshall and Trey Johnson).
• The numbers that have been worn least (among numbers that
have been worn at least once): 7 (Bingo Smith); 29 (Mike Wilks); 34
(Austin Carr); 51 (Michael Doleac); 90 (Drew Gooden). Wilks also the
last player to choose a number that had never been used before.
• Number that has been worn at least once but is in the longest
drought of not being used: 16, last worn by Gary Alexander in 1994.
Number that had the longest drought between two different players: 19,
worn by Lenny Wilkins in 1974, and then not again until Damon Jones in
2006.
• Player to wear the most numbers: Campy Russell, who at
different times wore 20, 21 and 4. Other players to wear multiple
numbers throughout their Cavalier tenure: Steve Kerr (4 and 5); Terrell
Brandon (1 and 11).
• Most people know that Larry Nance’s No. 22 is retired, but
did you know he wore No. 6 his first year with the team?
• Numbers that have never been worn: 26, 28, 36, 37, 38, 39,
46, 48, 49, 53, 56-89, 91-99.
SECOND ONLY TO MICHAEL JACKSON
So, in what was clearly the biggest news of this week and will most
likely go down as one of the most remembered stories of the entire
year, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, passed away at the age of 50.
Obviously, in terms of the kind of worldwide awareness that drives
virtual discussion, that’s pretty freaking huge. No surprise, then,
that Michael Jackson easily topped Google’s trends for June 25, 2009.
“Michael Jackson died” and “Michael Jackson dead 2009” took the top two
spots.
Who/what was third? That would be one Christian Eyenga, the
unheralded, unheard-of pick by the Cavs in the 2009 NBA draft.
And it wasn’t just the ignorant Internet masses trying to figure out
who he was. Even Brian Windhorst of the PD was a little clueless when
it came to background information on the Congo product. His two tweets
immediately after the pick:
“Looking through draft guide now. Sorry, know nothing about
him.”
“Christian Eyenga. He’s not in the draft guide and wasn’t even in
the Spanish A League. Uhhhhh, still collecting information.”
Check out the ’64 & Counting blog for more, like Jay-Z’s
video for “D.O.A.” which features a LeBron cameo; pictures of the $3.5
mansion Bernie Kosar needs to unload; and a white throwback Cavs warmup
suit that someone really should buy me.
This article appears in Jul 1-7, 2009.
