You see numbers from 0 to 99 on the court, but the NBA has strict rules about what players can wear. Here is why you’ll never see #69 or #6 in a game again.

When you tune into an NBA game, it looks like players have total freedom to pick whatever number they want, right? You see everything from Jayson Tatum rocking #0 to Jae Crowder sporting #99.

But the truth is, the NBA rulebook—and some unwritten league standards—make picking a jersey number more complicated than you might think. From unofficial bans to historic tributes, here are three mind-blowing facts about NBA jersey numbers.

1. The Number 69 is Unofficially Banned

You will not find it in the official rulebook, but no player in the history of the NBA has ever worn the number 69 in a regular-season game.

The league’s unofficial ban was tested in the year 2000. When rebounding legend and defensive menace Dennis Rodman signed with the Dallas Mavericks, he submitted a request to wear 69.

NBA Commissioner David Stern wasn’t having it. He swiftly vetoed the request, forcing Rodman to pivot and choose number 70 instead. To this day, the number 69 remains completely untouched.

2. Number 6 is Retired League-Wide

While the ban on 69 is unwritten, the ban on number 6 is entirely official and rooted in the deepest respect.

In 2022, the NBA made an unprecedented decision: they permanently retired the number 6 across all 30 teams. This was a historic tribute to honor the incredible basketball legacy and the monumental civil rights work of the late, great Bill Russell.

Because of this league-wide retirement, the number 6 will never be issued to a new rookie or traded player ever again. (Note: Players who were already wearing #6 when the rule was enacted were grandfathered in and allowed to keep it).

3. High School Rules Don’t Apply in the Pros

If you played high school or even college basketball, you likely remember a very strict rule: You cannot wear a digit higher than 5.

This means numbers ending in 6, 7, 8, or 9 (like 16, 27, or 88) are completely banned at lower levels of the sport. Why? Because basketball referees need to be able to easily signal a player’s number to the scorer’s table using only two hands.

A common myth is that this rule applies to the pros, but the NBA completely ignores it. The league relies on a different system for stat-tracking and referee signaling, which is exactly why modern superstars are free to rock high numbers like Luka Dončić in #77.

Want more bizarre sports facts and history trivia? Check out the latest shorts on the Knowledge Infinity World YouTube channel!