The NBA has effectively banned the jersey number 69, although there is no official written rule explicitly forbidding it. The number 69 is widely associated with a sexual position, which makes it inappropriate for the family-friendly image the NBA wants to maintain. As a result, no player has ever worn number 69 in an official NBA game
. A notable incident involved Dennis Rodman, who requested to wear number 69 when he joined the Dallas Mavericks in 2000. The NBA commissioner at the time, David Stern, immediately vetoed this request, and Rodman was instead assigned number 70. This episode highlights the league's stance on the number 69
. Additionally, the number 6 has been retired league-wide in honor of Bill Russell, a legendary player and civil rights activist, so no new players can wear number 6 either
. In summary:
- Number 69 is unofficially banned due to its sexual connotation and the NBA's desire to maintain professionalism.
- Number 6 is officially retired across the NBA to honor Bill Russell.
- Dennis Rodman attempted to wear 69 but was denied by the league.
These are the only two numbers effectively banned or retired league-wide in the NBA.
