Top 10 NBA Players with multiple retired jerseys
One of the greatest honors to bestow upon a player is to have there jersey hanging in the rafters. It is a testament to the players' legacy that is even greater than championships, the fame, and the money and it is also an assessment made by a team that a player did so much for them that no one can ever wear that number ever again.
Over the course of history, there are been a plethora of players who have made such an impact on the franchise and the local community that goes beyond the hardwood. There are some players like Tim Duncan who played for the same franchise their whole career.
Taking nothing away from them, there have been some amongst those elite players that have been able to accomplish a legacy with not one but multiple teams, earning the right to have their jersey retired by two different franchises after they retire.
We have created a list of top 10 NBA players who had more than one of their jerseys retired. Since we can only choose 10 such players, this list has been created and ranked according to the accomplishments and the impact that these players had with their respective franchises, and the legacy that they left when all was said and done.
Honorable Mentions
Before we dive into the top 10 list, let us take a brief look at some of the honorable mentions.
Pete Maravich, famously known as 'Pistol Pete', was undoubtedly one of the most gifted offensive players in NBA history averaging over 24 points per contest for his career. His ball-handling wizardry and court vision was second to none.
Maravich spent majority and peak years of his career playing for the New Orleans Jazz which was relocated to Salt Lake City in 1979. Therefore, his number 7 jersey ended up getting retired by the city's previous as well as the current franchise. The Atlanta Hawks, where he played the initial years of his career, also recently retired Pete's number 44 jersey.
Nate Thurmond was inserted into the starting spot to fill the void left by Wilt Chamberlain when he decided to take his talents to the Los Angeles Lakers, and he didn't disappoint. Thurmond broke Chamberlain's record of career rebounds.
He is the Philadelphia Warriors' third all-time leading scorer and the all-time leader in defensive win shares. During the twilight years of his career, Thurmond became the vocal leader for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was a fundamental part of their Finals run. Therefore, his jersey number 42 has been retired by both these franchises in honor of his contribution.
Bob Lanier was drafted by the Detroit Pistons. In his 10 year tenure with the Pistons, Lanier was a beast, averaging 22.7 points, 11.8 boards, and 2 blocks per game. He was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1980. Although his numbers took a great dip, the leadership he brought helped the Bucks win 5 division titles.
The great Michael Jordan spent the majority of his career playing for the Chicago Bulls who retired his number 23 jersey. Although he never played for the Miami Heat, the franchise has his jersey hanging in the rafters to honor his contribution to basketball.