Retired Numbers
by JustSomeName on May 11, 2011 11:16 AM PDT
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Some offseason talk to help the time pass until the next season starts, whenever that may be...
I was just wondering what everyone's opinion is on the requirements for the Warriors to retire someone's jersey? There have been many talks of Chris Mullin getting his jersey retired here, and deservedly so, but what are the chances of other Warrior favorites (see: Jason Richardson) to get their jerseys retired as well?
Most teams in the league tend to retire jersey numbers of players that have helped their team win big in the regular season, in the playoffs, and ultimately, in the NBA finals. But as we all know, our Golden State Warriors haven't had the best track record in the past decade or two (or three). So for a franchise that hasn't won much, how do we determine whose jersey numbers deserve to hang in the rafters? As a franchise, we obviously cannot base it on winning, since we don't really do much of that here, so how would you suggest we decide who gets their jersey retired or not? Can we base it on memories (Jason Richardson, Tim Hardaway)? Or years of service to the franchise (Adonal Foyle)? Or should it be based just on winning?
And no matter how great a player is, how many years of service does it take for them to be considered for their jersey to retired? Kevin Garnett in Boston comes to mind. Even though he played the majority of his career for the Timberwolves, he brought a championship to Boston and has kept them in finals contention for all the years following, is he more deserving to get his jersey retired in Boston or in Minnesota?
For me, the only players that deserve to their numbers to get retired here are Chris Mullin (who will more than likely get his jersey retired in the coming season) and Jason Richardson (for all the great memories and the dedication he gave to this team).
Let me know what you think about the "requirements" for the Warriors to retire a jersey and who you think is deserving of their jersey hanging in the rafters at the Oracle.
BONUS: And a little food for thought: It may not happen anytime soon, or even in any of our lifetimes, but sooner or later, every single number from 0-99 will have been retired by a franchise (will probably happen to baseball first), what will sports teams do after that? Triple digit numbers or fractions?
This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!
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Definitely Mullin. I’ve always wondered when they would finally get off their asses and hang his #17 on the rafters, but it still hasn’t happened yet.
Other guys who I’d love to see their numbers retired are J-Rich and Tim Hardaway, simply because their best years were spent with Golden State, even though the more “successful” eras in their careers were spent elsewhere.
The problem I have with Tim Hardaway
is that he seemed to bring more success to Miami than he did with the Warriors, even though his individual numbers are alot more spectacular during his time with us. It’s funny, he spent more years with us, yet Miami retired his number…
by JustSomeName on May 11, 2011 11:29 AM PDT up reply actions
*more time
my mistake, same amount of years, but he definitely played more games & minutes while he was with the Warriors
by JustSomeName on May 11, 2011 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions
I feel the same way. However, he was basically my favorite player back when I was a tot just getting introduced to basketball, so to me his tenure as a Warrior feels almost as timeless as J-Rich’s stint.
by WYK on May 11, 2011 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I was too young to fully appreciate Hardway's time with the Warriors
But the memories I have of JRich as a Warrior is pretty special. The back to back (and almost three-peat) Slam Dunk Contests he won, the apology he posted in the papers after of 05-06 season, the We Believe season are all memories that I feel makes him very deserving (relatively so, at least) for getting his number retired here.
by JustSomeName on May 11, 2011 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions
Tim Hardaway was (and still is) my favorite player of all time.
The first year I started watching basketball was when he was donning the #5 jersey. I grew up on a steady diet of killer crossovers and Tim & Chris Burgers. My favorite moment was when the W’s were killing some team and were at 119, but they needed to get to 120 to give away free pizza. There was .7 left on the clock so Gatling inbounded to Hardaway and he heaved up a 3/4ths of the court shot and swished it. The refs waved it off but they still gave free pizza anyways. It definitely should be Mullin first then Hardaway for the consecutive 20-10 seasons he put up here.
by Mr. Monday Night on May 17, 2011 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions
That's too bad
He may have been the most exciting Warriors players to watch in the last 20 years.
It's all about the killer cross-over baby!
The Warriors historically have not retired many jerseys.
Chamberlain, Meschery, Attles, Thurmond, and Barry. No one who has played since the 70’s has had the honor. However, if the new ownership wants to try and appeal to the franchise history, it could mean that there might be a few more jerseys hanging from the rafters. Looking at the names, Chamberlain, Thurmond, and Barry are a legitimately great players and hall of famers. Attles was a good player, but the reward was probably more for what he did as a head coach. Meschery is probably the most interesting name on the list. He wasn’t really an all-time great, but he was a very good player, an SF native, and went to college in the bay area. So there is some precedent for someone who’s not an all-time great getting a jersey retired.
All that said, I think the most likely person to get their number retired is Mullin. It would make sense for the team to have some pre-game ceremony commemorating his hall of fame induction, and to retire his jersey at that time.
Richardson would be neat, but I highly doubt it would happen (although there has been talk of a league wide retirement of 23 in honor of Jordan). Same with Hardaway.
Completely irrelevant side-note: I went to college at St. Mary’s, where Meshery also has his jersey retired. Now, any gym that doesn’t have a Meschery jersey hanging from the rafters seems weird to me…
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*Note: This post probably doesn't exist. The author of this post has to be dreaming. He's going to wake up and it's going to be November 1st again. Because there's no way that this really happening.*
As great as Jordan was,
I don’t see the point of retiring his number throughout the league. There have been many greats before him that are just as deserving, if not more deserving to have their number get retired league wide, Bill Russell, comes to mind. Jackie Robinson was a much more appealing case to be retired league wide in baseball since he not only broke the color barrier in baseball, but also had a very successful career, which makes him much more deserving to get his number retired league wide than say, Michael Jordan, who was definitely a once in a lifetime talent, but in the scope of the NBA, he was only a great player, didn’t really do much to bring the league to a “new level” as Jackie Robinson did for baesball
by JustSomeName on May 11, 2011 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Well technically
there aren’t any jerseys hanging up. I’ve never seen anyone’s jersey hanging up in Oracle. Their names are just lit up. I do think Chris Mullin definitely deserves to have his jersey retired, he’s going into the Hall of Fame and the bulk of his career was with Golden State so that should be a no brainer. I only see Richardson’s jersey getting retired if he finishes his career with the Warriors in some way really.
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by GSW9 on May 11, 2011 1:21 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
i don't understand
why mullin hasn’t had his number retired yet. now that he’s a hall of famer there is absolutely no excuse to not see his #17 in the rafters. and fan favorites should not have their numbers retired. i was a big richardson fan, but there’s absoultely no way his number should be hung up
Cohan never wanted to so they never retired his number
Lacob has stated that Mullin’s jersey will be retired some time next season
by JustSomeName on May 11, 2011 7:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Mullin's our only guy the last 25 years or so
The only other guy who’s contributions really merit consideration is Sprewell, but he obviously blew it.
by Uwe Blog on May 11, 2011 9:21 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
As for the requirements...
It could be all of the above. A player could spend his whole career being a role player on the team and his jersey can be retired for his loyalty and his, uhm, intangibles as a role player. If it applies to a role player, it would certainly apply to an important starter like J-Rich. Or he could just spend a few seasons on the team but help the team win a championship. Guys like Shaq (for the Heat) and like you said, KG. They were instrumental during the championship run and, although they were arguably the 2nd most important part of the team, without them they still won’t have a championship. And finally, a player could spend majority of his career on the team as the franchise player or at least as a star player who contributed to the winning. It doesn’t have to be a championship. Just to bring them into serious contention. He may not necessarily start or finish his career there, but the time he spent there bringing wins and division championships must be taken in to consideration. BUT provided the player’s relationship with the team has been good throughout the years. Guys like KG (for the Wolves, this time) and Patrick Ewing, Malone-Stockton, Gary Payton and other guys who not necessarily won a championship with their teams but still led them through years of contention.
OH! Those are really cool! (OH! Those are really cool!)
I can't to see what kind of shoes Michael Beasley wears! (I can't to see what kind of shoes Michael Beasley wears!)
OH! I love Michael Beasley's hair! (I can't wait to see Michael Beasley play defense!)
Lol, were you being serious when you suggested J-Rich’s #23? I’m surprised that the NBA hasn’t retired the #23. I think they should.
by DownGoesFrazier30 on May 12, 2011 12:46 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
Never understood why people always wanted jordan’s number to be retired league wide. Yes, he was an out of this world, once in a lifetime talent but it’s not like he did anything to bring the sport to the next level like Jackie Robinson did for baseball by breaking the color barrier in the majors, and not only that, he was a great player in his own right
by JustSomeName on May 12, 2011 1:02 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Wow. A lot of people when Jordan was playin were watching the NBA because of him. I don’t know if you were lucky enough to watch Jordan play but saying he “did nothing to bring the sport to the next level” is just silly. Just look at the NBA’s tv ratings during those years Jordan retired to play baseball..
by DownGoesFrazier30 on May 12, 2011 3:49 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
He was the greatest of all time, that alone is enough.
by DownGoesFrazier30 on May 12, 2011 3:50 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I mean, if that’s the criteria to retire a number league wide, shouldn’t George Mikan’s number be retired league-wide? Maybe Chamberlain or Russell? Magic and Kareem? Possibly Lebron in the future? I think you can make a good case for any of those guys being “the greatest of all time”, at one point in basketball history.
I don’t like the idea of retiring a number league wide. Michael Jordan’s has very little impact on the Warriors, for instance. Why would we honor his jersey?
by Missing Barry on May 12, 2011 7:00 AM PDT up reply actions
THIS
Michael Jordan was even asked if he thinks 23 should be retired league wide and he flat out said NO, that it’d be disrespecting all the great players that came before him and all the great players that will be coming after him. I’m sure if the league was even considering it, they’d need his approval, and apparently, he doesn’t approve and never will. So it won’t be happening anytime soon.
by JustSomeName on May 12, 2011 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions
I could care less if it does or doesn’t happen to be honest.
by DownGoesFrazier30 on May 12, 2011 8:03 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
31
Rob Kurz’s number must be retired
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Agreed
Anyone that hits a game winning three in the preseason should get their number retired
by JustSomeName on May 12, 2011 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
Adonal Foyle needs his number retired for being such a good person.
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Steph Curry and Reggie Williams all day baby!
by GovernorStephCurry on May 12, 2011 5:10 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
I have a player
how about Baron Davis? Sure he was only here for 4 years or so but he lead us to the playoffs to one of the biggest upsets in sports history. He was also a guy we all loved and was a very good player. I think the way he left may keep that from happening but worth a thought, no?
Golden State Warriors Fan 4 Life!!!
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Get Marc Gasol this summer Lacob!
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Meh.
4 years of on and off inspired/uninspired play wouldn’t qualify him to get his number retired here, just my opinion. At least with JRich, he was here for several more years and poured his heart and soul into this team, he was our leader on and off the court and represented this team as well as any player in the past 20 years, even stating in the past he wanted to retire a Warrior.
by JustSomeName on May 13, 2011 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions
I sure hope so, and not a half-assed "retire a warrior" like Chris Webber did
Hopefully, he can come back for a year or two while he’s still (somewhat) effective, maybe that 3rd guard off the bench for Monta and Steph. But with the way he’s played the past couple years, I’m sure he’ll be commanding a pretty hefty sum for his services relative to the new CBA
by JustSomeName on May 17, 2011 1:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Just of note
People saying Mullin should have his number retired. You know there is no reason to speculate. Lacob already said it will be and he was shocked it hadn’t been down already.
This is good news.
Hopefully it’s sooner than later.
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