I read an interesting blog about the least popular number in college basketball during my coffee this morning. It made me think of why I have worn the numbers I have during my career. Numbers have never been a big thing for me but there has always been a reason I have worn the numbers I have had. Lets take a little trip throughout my number career.
Maltby Middle School # 54 - This one is kind of funny. In middle school the bigger jerseys are the higher numbers. Well, I was always a big kid so I was destined for a higher number. I could have picked a few different numbers but I picked 54 because that was the channel number for MTV. Sounds like a good choice right?
Brighton High School JV #33 - I played JV basketball as a freshman in high school so I was low on the totem poll when it came to picking jersey numbers. I wanted #34 but someone had already taken that. My second choice was #32 but that was taken by another older player. My last choice was #33 because that was Grant Hill's number and I loved GH growing up (even though he was a Duke guy.) It was my last choice but a good one and one that would stick.
Brighton High School Varsity #25 - My sophomore year in high school I played on the Varsity team. For those unfamiliar with Brighton, there was a "superstar athlete" named Drew Henson that went to the school. He was drafted by the Yankees out of high school and was the starting quarterback at the University of Michigan before ultimately choosing baseball as his career path. Drew happened to play basketball too (big surprise) and he wore #25. Since I wanted to be successful like Drew, and #33 was taken, I decided that 25 would be a good choice to wear.
Brighton High School Varsity #33 - Since I was a sophomore playing varsity basketball I had a lot to learn. Jason Razavi and Eric Hutchins were 2 guys that kind of took me under their wing and helped me out when times were tough. I really looked up to both of them. They weren't the best basketball players but worked really hard and kept a great attitude. To honor Eric Hutchins I decided to wear his #33.
Marquette University #33 - I kept on wearing 33 after high school because I was successful in the number and I grew to really like it.
Lugano Tigers #11 - I had planned on wearing 33 after college but I found out that the numbers 4-15 are the only numbers that players can wear in Switzerland. It was kind of cool because I was starting a new chapter in my basketball life and I was able to start with a new number. I didn't really care what number I wore but when I saw the available numbers I knew I wanted 11. I thought it would be a good number because Isaiah Thomas wore it and I have no problem with Zeke.
Sion Herens #4 - I had to switch numbers again because 11 was already taken by another teammate. I decided to pick #4 because Chris Webber had worn it and I had wanted to take a low number since I had to pick a high number in middle school.
SAM Massagno #15 - I didn't get to pick my number this year because I came in as a replacement 2 games into the season. I really enjoyed my first year in Massagno and I played very well in the number so I had decided to keep the number for my second year with the club.
ADA Blois #15 - I enjoyed 2 successful seasons wearing 15 so I decided to stick with the number in France. It is not a very exciting or interesting story but that is what it is.
Numbers aren't very important in sports but they are kind of an interesting thing. I will try and stick with 15 the rest of my career but if it is not available then I will switch to something else and life will go on just fine.
