Basketball season is a favorite among JB students.  Most people in the stands think the numbers on the back of the player’s jerseys are just random, but many have a deeper meaning.

Standing tall at 6’9″ ,  Colton Hartman (11). has the number 40 stitched on his jersey. He has been playing basketball since he was five-years-old. Hartman picked this number because his dad had the same number in his basketball career.  

 “It was my dad’s number so that’s why I picked it,” said Hartman.

While some players pick their number because of family, there are some who pick it because of their favorite NBA players.  Syrus Maldonado (12) has had the number three since his freshman year to his senior year. Number three is also the same number as his favorite point guard, Chris Allen, who plays for Oklahoma City Thunder. 

“ I wore it my entire high school basketball career, and it’s the number of my favorite point guard,” said Maldonaldo .

While Maldonado represents number three because of his favorite point guard, some numbers represent when the played first started to enjoy the sport.  Bryce Hissong (10) was assigned number 42 while playing basketball in sixth grade. It was the first year he started doing well and started to enjoy playing. He carried the same number throughout middle school. When he started playing for the high school he picked the number 24 because it’s 42 backwards. Others pick their number because they have the same one for a different sport.

“The numbers 42 and 24 represent enjoyment while I play basketball,” said Hissong.

Others pick their number because they have the same one for a different sport. Carley Dinsmore (10) has the number five for both soccer and basketball. Everyone would be used to seeing her represent the number five of her jersey for both sports.

“I thought it would be cool to have the same number for basketball and soccer,”  said Dinsmore.

Each player’s number means something to them. Whether it’s for a family member, enjoyment, or their favorite pro basketball player, they picked it for a reason. Most players pick a number and keep it throughout their basketball career.