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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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Gary Payton
Gary Payton (Photo by DAN LEVINE/AFP via Getty Images) /

Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number: 20, Gary Payton

Selected second overall in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Seattle Supersonics, Gary Payton played for five different teams across 17 seasons in the NBA. He was a nine-time All-Star, made nine All-NBA teams, and was selected to the All-Defensive first-team nine consecutive times during his playing days.

Payton is Seattle Supersonics/OKC Thunder franchise leader in assists (7,384), steals (2,107), games played (999), minutes played (36,858), field goals made (7,292), and win shares (123.8). Russell Westbrook is the only player to score more and Payton’s 18,207 points for the franchise.

With a reputation for being a hard-nosed defender and a trash-talker, Payton became the first point guard in league history to be named the Defensive Player of the Year when he won the award in 1996; it was also the last time the award was given to a guard.

Payton made three trips to the NBA Finals with three different teams. He fell short both as a member of the Supersonics in 1996 and as a Laker in 2004 before winning his sole championship in year 16 as a member of the Miami Heat.

He also won two gold medals as a member of the United States Olympic basketball team, winning in 1996 and 2000. He currently ranks 10th all-time in assists with 8,966, and his 2,445 ranks fourth all-time. In 2013 Payton was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Honorable Mention: Manu Ginobili

Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number: 19, Willis Reed

Willis Reed was drafted with the eighth overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 1964 NBA Draft. He played 10 years with the Knicks before injuries forced him to retire in 1975.

He played power forward and center and was the anchor of the Knicks defense for most of his career. From 1965-1971 he averaged 20.1 points and 13.8 rebounds per game and was selected to seven consecutive All-Star games in addition to five All-NBA teams.

In 1970, Reed led the Knicks to the franchise’s first-ever championship and became the first player in NBA history to be named the All-Star Game MVP, regular-season MVP, and the Finals MVP in the same season. What this writer finds to be even more impressive, Reed played with a torn muscle in his thigh during that series and still averaged 23 points and 10.5 rebounds.

He would go on to win a second championship with the Knicks in 1973, but by that time, the knee injuries had already taken their toll, and he didn’t have as significant of a role on the team. Still, he averaged 16.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game and was named Finals MVP for a second time.

Reed’s number 19 is one of nine Knicks jerseys that hang in the rafters in Madison Square Garden. In 1982 he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Honorable Mention: Lenny Wilkens