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Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number 00-99

By Larry Hammonds

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant(L) and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan(R) talk during a free-throw attempt during the fourth quarter 17 December at the United Center in Chicago. Bryant, who is 19 and bypassed college basketball to play in the NBA, scored a team-high 33 points off the bench, and Jordan scored a team-high 36 points. The Bulls defeated the Lakers 104-83. AFP PHOTO VINCENT LAFORET (Photo by VINCENT LAFORET / AFP) (Photo credit should read VINCENT LAFORET/AFP/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant(L) and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan(R) talk during a free-throw attempt during the fourth quarter 17 December at the United Center in Chicago. Bryant, who is 19 and bypassed college basketball to play in the NBA, scored a team-high 33 points off the bench, and Jordan scored a team-high 36 points. The Bulls defeated the Lakers 104-83. AFP PHOTO VINCENT LAFORET (Photo by VINCENT LAFORET / AFP) (Photo credit should read VINCENT LAFORET/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Saben Lee
Saben Lee (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number: 38, Saben Lee

I know what you’re probably thinking, how does a rookie who’s played predominantly off the bench make the list? Well, there are two reasons. The first is Saben Lee has been impressive in his short time in the league. The other reason is only six other players have worn the number 38, and all have been underwhelming, to say the least.

Lee, the 38th in pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, was part of a draft-day trade sending him to the Detroit Pistons. He’s only started seven of the 45 games he’s appeared in with the Pistons, but he still recorded at least five assists in 15 games, including a 20 points and seven assists performance in a win against the Toronto Raptors. The 6’2″ point guard has also scored in double figures six times and has recorded at least two steals nine games.

At the moment, he has Killian Hayes in his way, but at the very least, Lee has the potential to be a solid backup in the league.

Honorable Mention: Kwame Brown

Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number: 37, Metta Sandiford-Artest

In true Artest fashion, upon joining the Lakers, he chose to wear the number 37 on his jersey, which he said was in honor of Michael Jackson who’s Thriller album was at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for 37 straight weeks.

His first season with the Lakers and first time wearing the number 37 was the most successful year of his 17-year NBA career. His statistical production took a hit, but he finally achieved the ultimate goal and won an NBA championship.

Down 3-2 in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Sandiford-Artest came alive over the last two games scoring 35 points to go with 11 rebounds while shooting 38.4 percent from behind the arc. He specifically had a masterful performance in a thrilling Game 7, scoring 20 points with 5 rebounds and 5 steals. He scored 6 points in the final quarter, including a clutch 3-pointer with one minute left in the game.

He would change his number back to 15 the next season, but when he returned to the Lakers for the 2016 season, the number 37 returned with him. He played two more seasons with the Lakers before retiring in 2017 and becoming a development coach for the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G-League affiliate.

Honorable Mention: Nick Van Exel