Origin of Spurs' jersey numbers?

[jmard5]

During halftime, there were these interviews with Ginobili and Bowen on how they got (chose) their jersey numbers. I was able to read somewhere on how Ginobili got his, so it is not new to me. Bowen was sharing his story when I got cut-off.

Any kind soul share what happened with the rest of the interviews? We would also appreciate if others share what they know aside from the interview.

Thanks!

[duncan228]

I know Duncan wears 21 because it's the number his brother-in-law wore when he (his brother-in-law) played in college.

His brother-in-law taught him the game after his mother died. Worked with him for hours a day. He had no idea how tall Duncan would be and he taught him a lot of ball handling, point guard skills.

Duncan wore 21 in college and kept it when he joined the league.

[SRJ]

Horry switched from 5 to 25 to get back into his younger days. Why he wore 25 before, I don't really know.

There was a story last year during the Finals why Elson wear #16, but I forgot it. I believe it was linked to a deceased relative.

Tony Parker wears #9 because he was 9 years old when he was signed by the Spurs. True story.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

There was a story last year during the Finals why Elson wear #16, but I forgot it. I believe it was linked to a deceased relative.

Wasn't it to his brother who passed out and died during a basketball game back in the Netherlands?


Tony Parker wears #9 because he was 9 years old when he was signed by the Spurs. True story.

:lol

[carina_gino20]

Horry switched from 5 to 25 to get back into his younger days. Why he wore 25 before, I don't really know.

There was a story last year during the Finals why Elson wear #16, but I forgot it. I believe it was linked to a deceased relative.


I believe it was Elson's brother. He died during a basketball game and it was a long time before Elson could convince his mother to let him play.



Tony Parker wears #9 because he was 9 years old when he was signed by the Spurs. True story.

wasn't Tony 19?
:wtf :lol

[Lady M]

Tony Parker wears #9 because he was 9 years old when he was signed by the Spurs. True story.

Tony wore 9 when he was a little boy

[SRJ]

Naw, you guys are all wet. Tony was 9 years old and after his first game, Pop took him out for ice cream. I remember. I was there, and the little brat even beat me at Tekken. :D

[yeahone]

Naw, you guys are all wet. Tony was 9 years old and after his first game, Pop took him out for ice cream. I remember. I was there, and the little brat even beat me at Tekken. :D

lol :blah

[missmyzte]

Horry switched from 5 to 25 to get back into his younger days. Why he wore 25 before, I don't really know.
Horry's d.o.b. - 8/25/70

[jmard5]

Naw, you guys are all wet. Tony was 9 years old and after his first game, Pop took him out for ice cream. I remember. I was there, and the little brat even beat me at Tekken. :D

I swear you played Nintendo with Horry.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

I swear you played Nintendo with Horry.
Horry had a Sega. :D

[sa_kid20]

Bowen said he wears #12 becasue when he first got in the league with Boston 12 was on of the few numbers that actually wasn't retired by the Celtics and then when he went on to play with Phili, Miami, and eventually the Spurs it just so happened that #12 was available in all those places so he decided to just stick with it

[SRJ]

I swear you played Nintendo with Horry.

As a matter of fact, I did. He taught me the Konami code, but I showed him the shortcut in World 7-1 of SMB2, and the location of all the Warp Whistles in SMB3.

He owned me in Ice Hockey, but I owned him in Tecmo Super Bowl.

[samikeyp]

Horry had a Sega.

Horry had an Atari. :)

[spurspf]

But we all agree, the number 12 will no longer be available for a Spurs player, correct?

[sa_kid20]

But we all agree, the number 12 will no longer be available for a Spurs player, correct?
:tu

[ShoogarBear]

How has this thread gotten this far without a whottt anti-AJ rant?

[Freeze]

Tony wears 9 because he is a soccer fan, and in a soccer team the 9 is most of the time the best striker of the team.

[jmard5]

Tony wears 9 because he is a soccer fan, and in a soccer team the 9 is most of the time the best striker of the team.

I thought he was never into football or soccer or baseball. He just watches them if there is a world series or something.

[Freeze]

I thought he was never into football or soccer or baseball. He just watches them if there is a world series or something.

http://www.tp9.net/en/viebio2.htm
However, it was in soccer where Tony started. "I played front-centre, I loved scoring goals" he tells us. In the end, however, it was watching the evolution of Michael Jordan which helped him to decide that basketball was his sport

[jmard5]

http://www.tp9.net/en/viebio2.htm
However, it was in soccer where Tony started. "I played front-centre, I loved scoring goals" he tells us. In the end, however, it was watching the evolution of Michael Jordan which helped him to decide that basketball was his sport

Nice info. Thanks!

[timvp]

In that halftime interview, Manu basically destroyed all those AJ haters who said that Pop specifically gave AJ's number to Manu. Like I said all along, Manu picked #6 himself. whottt and other AJ haters spun it to where Pop was the one who decided that Manu was to wear number 6.

Manu wanted number 10, that was taken. He went for number 6 and that was later found to be taken. So he randomly went with 20.

:lol @ that conspiracy getting owned by Manu.

[jmard5]

How about Finley, Bonner, Barry, Oberto... and even David Robinson? I'm also wondering why he chose his jersey number as 50.

[G-Nob]

Bowen said he wears #12 becasue when he first got in the league with Boston 12 was on of the few numbers that actually wasn't retired by the Celtics and then when he went on to play with Phili, Miami, and eventually the Spurs it just so happened that #12 was available in all those places so he decided to just stick with it



Reason #2 Bowen wears #12, because it was Roger Staubach's number.

[J.T.]

Reason #2 Bowen wears #12, because it was Roger Staubach's number.

I think that part was just commentary by the narrator woman and not really part of Bowen's number story. I realize Bowen is a Cowboys fan, but the Staubach thing was a prelude to Bowen's interview and he said nothing about it when he was talking about how he picked #12.

[Bruno]

Tony wore 9 when he was a little boy

The proof :
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3817/tp1993eh2.th.jpg (http://img260.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tp1993eh2.jpg)

[MONTENEGRINO]

In that halftime interview, Manu basically destroyed all those AJ haters who said that Pop specifically gave AJ's number to Manu. Like I said all along, Manu picked #6 himself. whottt and other AJ haters spun it to where Pop was the one who decided that Manu was to wear number 6.

Manu wanted number 10, that was taken. He went for number 6 and that was later found to be taken. So he randomly went with 20.

:lol @ that conspiracy getting owned by Manu.
Manu's favorite No is 10. It is known for everybody who knows what football (soccer, as you americans call it :lol ) and DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA's name mean in Argentina... Just ask Steve Nash if you don't believe... :toast :reading

[timvp]

In that halftime interview, Manu basically destroyed all those AJ haters who said that Pop specifically gave AJ's number to Manu. Like I said all along, Manu picked #6 himself. whottt and other AJ haters spun it to where Pop was the one who decided that Manu was to wear number 6.

Manu wanted number 10, that was taken. He went for number 6 and that was later found to be taken. So he randomly went with 20.

:lol @ that conspiracy getting owned by Manu.Bump.

Where is the "Pop gave AJ's number to Manu on purpose" bandwagon?

[TMTTRIO]

here's the thing on Manu:

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
by Greg Ruder, Spurs.com

Number 20 wasn’t the number of his boyhood idol. It isn’t the day of the month his first-born was born. And it isn’t the number his father wore and passed down to his son.

“I guess you could just say I like the way it looks,” said Manu Ginobili, starting shooting guard for the San Antonio Spurs. “The interesting story is how I came to wear the No. 20 in the first place.”

Ginobili was signed by the San Antonio Spurs on July 18, 2002, after several seasons spent in the Italian league. At the press conference to announce his signing, he actually held up a jersey with the No. 6 on it.

“The only two numbers I have ever worn in my career were No. 6 and No.10. [The Spurs] originally gave me No. 6, but that was only one season after [Dallas Head Coach and former Spurs point guard] Avery Johnson had left the Spurs, and there was an outcry from the fans who supported Avery in San Antonio," says Ginobli.

Not wanting to start off his NBA career on a bad note in a new city, Ginobili willingly gave up the No. 6 and asked instead for the No. 10. The Spurs, however, had other ideas.

“[The Spurs] told me that they had just given No.10 to Speedy Claxton (signed June 26, 2002) a couple weeks before, so at that point I really didn’t have a preference. So like I said before, I guess I thought that the No. 20 just looked good, so that’s what I took!”

[wildchild]

The proof :
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/3817/tp1993eh2.th.jpg (http://img260.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tp1993eh2.jpg)

Ouah! C'est cool! :D

[Summers]

Good gracious, did Tony ever NOT have a unibrow?

Just kidding. :) What a cutie!

[exstatic]

Horry's d.o.b. - 8/25/1870
FIFY

:rollin

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

:lol

[jmard5]

Reason #2 Bowen wears #12, because it was Roger Staubach's number.

Wow, guys. These keeps on getting better and better. Here's what I found out from a little research.

Position(s): Quarterback
Jersey #(s): 12
Born: February 5, 1942 (1942-02-05) (age 65)
Flag of Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio

Perhaps his most famous moment was the controversial "Hail Mary Pass" in the 1975 playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. With seconds on the clock and the Cowboys trailing 14-10, Staubach launched a 50-yard bomb to wide receiver Drew Pearson, who caught the pass and strode into the end zone for a 17-14 victory. (Although the Vikings argued that Pearson should have been penalized for offensive pass interference on the play, no penalty was called.) After the game, Staubach quipped he prayed a "Hail Mary" before throwing the pass. The moment has been emblazoned in football folklore ever since, and the "Hail Mary pass" has entered the realm of football nomenclature.

[KEDA]

I thought that Tony picked 9 because when he saw Michael Jordan for the first time it was in the Olympics, and Jordan was wearing #9.

thats always the story I had heard

[ShoogarBear]

I kicked Horry's ass at Pong. Single paddle version.

[jmard5]

I kicked Horry's ass at Pong. Single paddle version.

I bet you also kicked Horry's ass with your multitude of Game & Watches. :lol

[SRJ]

David Robinson? I'm also wondering why he chose his jersey number as 50.

Ralph Sampson was Robinson's basketball hero, and Sampson wore #50.