NBA: The Father Who Won't Let His Son Wear His Retired Jersey

Across the NBA's 30 franchises, over 200 numbers have been retired. The Boston Celtics lead with 24, followed by the Lakers with 14—coincidentally, or perhaps not, these are the two teams with the most championships. The number 6 has been universally retired by all clubs in memory of Bill Russell, the late Boston legend who won 11 titles and was a fierce advocate for human equality.

Once a number is retired, it's rarely made available again. This typically only occurs with the express permission of the player themselves or their family, and with the club's agreement.

This was the situation Tim Hardaway Jr. (formerly of the Nuggets), 34, found himself in when he recently signed a one-year, $6.6 million (5.7 million euros) deal with the Miami Heat. He aimed to play for the team where his father spent six and a half seasons (1995/96-2000/01), became a league star, earned two of his five All-Star selections, and was named to both the All-NBA First and Second Teams.

These, among many other reasons, led the Miami organization to retire the number 10 jersey in 2009. However, when Hardaway Jr. publicly expressed his desire to wear that number, his father, nearing his 60th birthday and a Hall of Famer, quickly made it clear that, as far as he was concerned, that jersey would never be worn again. Not even by his son.

Despite the symbolism, Hardaway Sr. was unequivocal. “My legacy is my legacy, and he's carving his own path. While he likes to wear 10, and he loves to wear 10, that jersey is not coming down from the rafters,” he declared on a Miami radio show.

The former point guard acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, adding, “It's tough. When it's up there, you want it to stay up there, and you don't want anyone to touch it.”

However, it seems Hardaway Jr. wasn't entirely surprised by his father's decision. About five years ago, when he was close to joining the Heat before heading to the Mavericks, the family had already discussed the matter. According to his father, both he and his wife made it clear that wearing the number 10 in Miami was out of the question.

And two years ago, on "The OGs" podcast with former Heat players Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, Hardaway Sr. reiterated his stance even more emphatically. “He's never going to wear my number if he comes to the Heat. That number is never coming down. You're not wearing my jersey. You see how I walk now? It hurts when I walk. That's why my jersey is up there.”

Throughout his 13 seasons in the NBA, Tim Hardaway Jr. has worn number 10 for the Hawks, Mavericks, and Nuggets. However, he has also used other numbers, such as 5 and 3 with the Knicks and 8 with the Pistons, where he will start in 2024/25. This all comes after he wore number 10 for the University of Michigan.