Enjoy Basketball: The Best Players to Never Have a Retired Jersey

Hey Enjoyers of Basketball! Let's begin our day by reading about the incredibly niche aspects of basketball that only true lovers of this game could appreciate.

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Ever since we learned that Bill Russell's #6 would be universally retired in the NBA, we've been fixated on jersey retirements. What an interesting way to pay tribute to a player's service to a franchise! But, this got us thinking about players who were completely amazing, but never got this honor. Was their greatness spread across too many franchises? Did feuds with management get in the way? Some other niche reason? Turns out, the answer is yes, yes, and yes. Let's dive on in.

Bob McAdoo, Los Angeles Clippers

Bob McAdoo should absolutely have his jersey retired. He made 5 of his 6 All Star Games while a member of the Clippers and is a Basketball Hall of Famer. In a Clippers history defined by underwhelming achievements, McAdoo earned the only MVP award in franchise history in 1975, made the NBA 75 Team, and was a 3x scoring champion while on the roster. At this point in time, he is the undisputed Clippers GOAT and should be treated as such. Plus, he played one hell of a HORSE game against Pistol Pete:

Jerry Lucas, Sacramento Kings

Jerry Lucas made the Hall of Fame and NBA 75 Team, but does not have his jersey retired for any NBA Team. For the Cincinnati Royals, the predecessor to the Kings, he made 6 of his 7 All Star Games and during this span he averaged 20 points and a whopping 19 rebounds. That's 1960's pacing for you! On the Kings all-time list, he ranks 8th in points and 2nd in rebounds. To put Lucas' skill in Gen-Z terms, NBA 2k has him at a 95 overall. If that isn't objective, infallible proof then nothing is.

Randy Smith, Los Angeles Clippers

Another Clipper, Randy Smith played for the Buffalo Braves/San Diego Clippers for a total of 9 years during the 1970's and 80's. During this stretch, he made his only two all star games and finished FIRST all time in franchise points, and SECOND in assists. And his number isn't retired? Wild. For comparison, Hal Greer is first in points and second in assists for the 76ers and had his jersey retired. Dude was smooth as hell, especially for his time. Just watch his mixtape below:

Dolph Schayes, Philadelphia 76ers

Resume-wise, this omission is the most egregious. Ol' Dolph played his entire 15-year career with the Syracuse Nationals. In fact, he played so long with them that they rebranded in his final year with the move to Philly! We can dispute the levels of competition in the 1950's and 60's, but Schayes made TWELVE All Star Games and the NBA 75 Team, enshrining his place in history.

Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics Sonics / OKC Thunder

The Gary Payton situation is complex. He explicitly stated he does not want his jersey to hang in the OKC rafters because he is still pissed about the messy removal of the Supersonics from Seattle. Honestly, this is pretty noble and we're glad a Supersonic legend - THE Supersonic legend - is still fighting for his franchise. He's defending the city of Seattle almost as good as he defended literally every superstar in the 90's and 2000's:

Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves

This one sorta breaks the rules because KG has his jersey retired by the Boston Celtics. However, Garnett needs to be on this list because his jersey is blasphemously NOT retired by the Timebrwolves. To be clear, Garnett is far and away the best player in Timberwolves franchise history. It's funny how not close it is. It's actually the least close out of any of the 30 NBA franchises. For the T-Wolves, the Big Ticket ranks first in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, seals, games played, and minutes. He is the only player in the NBA to lead in all those categories for a single franchise!

His number will eventually get retired, but not until Glen Taylor is no longer the majority owner of the T-Wolves. Garnett remains furious at Taylor for allegedly promising Garnett a position in the Wolves' front office post-retirement but then backing out. Nonetheless, Garnett he is a straight up MAD MAN and we love it because he Enjoys Basketball! Watch his competitive insanity below:

LeBron, Lakers agree to 2-year, $97.1 million extension with 3rd-year player option

Looks like the King is staying in LA! With this deal, LeBron would have been a free agent this offseason, but this contract extension puts an end to any speculation that King James might flee the tumultuous Lakers. The deal includes a 15% trade kicker, disincentivizing a nightmare scenario in which the Lakers trade LeBron to blow up the experiment.

The ~$53 million per year pay is a bump in pay from James' previous $44.5 million. Additionally, the deal makes James the highest-earning player in NBA history with $532 million in career guaranteed money, surpassing Kevin Durant.

The deal also has heavy future implications. First and foremost, by the time the deal is up, LeBron will be 40 years old and making $55 mil. Is there a universe in which LeBron becomes overpaid? Secondly, Bronny James is entering his senior year of high school, making him NBA draft-eligible in 2024. James has repeatedly stated his desire to team up with his son on an NBA roster before he retires, but now his free agency will begin after Bronny has already been drafted and completed his rookie season.

Entire 2022-23 Schedule Announced

The NBA announced its schedule for the upcoming season, with some unique changes. Here is a breakdown of all the important dates, from Opening Day to Christmas Day to MLK Day to the International Games. The NBA is also implementing a new "Rivals Week" from January 24-28, featuring Lakers vs Celtics, Knicks vs Nets, Nuggets vs 76ers, and much more. The NBA has also announced that no games will be played on election day (Nov 8) this season to encourage fans to practice civic engagement and vote in the midterm elections.

Stars Make a Splash, but Continuity Is King in the NBA - Damian Burchardt (The Ringer)

The Unexpected: DJ's Donut's - Deandre Jordan's Donuts Video (The Players' Tribune)

‘It Was That Close’: Joe Dumars Recalls the Pistons’ Near Trade for Kobe Bryant - Howard Beck (Sports Illustrated)

The Best-Kept Secret on Every NBA Roster Heading Into 2022-23 Season - Zach Buckley (Bleacher Report)

That'll be it for us here at Enjoy Basketball. Again, be sure to check out the Essentials Clothing Collection before it sells out! We'll hang your jersey in the rafters.

- Conor Geelan

Trivia Answer: In September of 2012, Carmelo Anthony scored 26 consecutive points for the Denver Nuggets against the Minnesota Timberwolves, tallying 33 points in that third quarter and 45 for the entire game. The second most is LeBron James, who scored 25 straight points against the Pistons in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals!

Trivia Question: Who holds the record for most consecutive regular season games played without an absence?