Ron artest jersey numbers and the logic behind them.
If you have been following the NBA and particularly Ron Artest for at least a few years, you probably have noticed that this guy loves to have a new jersey number every time he goes to a new team. In fact he also has changed uniform numbers “Kobe style” (switching your number while playing for the same team). If Kobe changed his number in order to sale more new uniforms than Ron had different reasons…
#15
This number didn’t have any weird logic to it and he was wearing it for many years. This was his uniform number in college, in Chicago and in Indiana. He was wearing it in honour to his father. So why did he change it? Here comes the funniest part – he was wearing it for many years until his dad told him that he in fact wore a different number (#51). I guess they don’t talk very often.
#23
So after Ron Ron found out that he has worn #15 all those years for nothing, he chose to honour Micheal Jordan. That’s obviously a very popular choice and many players wear number 23 on their jerseys. Back then he just wasn’t as creative as he become later.
#91
Ron was still playing for Indiana when he chose to change his number for the second time. This time he decided to wear number 91 in honour of Dennis Rodman. This number suited him for obvious reasons – Rodman was the bad boy of the 90`s and Ron was his descendant. He sticked to his image and got into a brawl.
#93
Ron was traded to the Sacramento Kings in the 2005-06 season and that meant it was time for a new uniform number. This time Artest chose #93, as a tribute to his roots. Artest was born in one of the toughest NY neighbourhoods – Queensbridge. He thought number 9 looked similar to letter q and number 3 looked similar to upper case B. Well there are some similarities between 93 and qB but still it’s a strange choice. There are also other theories. Once in an interview Ron Artest said that he chose this number because of the hip-hop album Souls of Mischief- “93 ‘Til Infinity!” as the album was a symbol for unlimited future. I have also heard people saying that he had the number because he signed a deal with the German shoe brand K1X, founded in ‘93. You can just choose the explanation which you like the most.
#96
When Artest left the Kings he went to Houston. Of course he wanted to change his number once again. This time he took number 96. This is also linked to his native projects of Queensbridge. Apparently it was the numbers-letters thing again as the 96 looks like qb. Or maybe number 96 symbolizes the number of buildings in the Queensbridge Projects? Or maybe he just loves the 96 bulls very much? He had already worn #23 and #91, so now he just grabbed the #96 which represents the whole team.
#37
Last summer Ron changed his jersey for the fifth time as he joined the Los Angeles Lakers. We all expected he will come up with something new, not Queensbridge related when choosing his new uniform number and he didn’t dissapoint. Micheal Jackson had recently passed away and he wanted to honour him and so he chose to wear number 37. I guess even for hardcore Micheal Jackson fans it would take a while to figure out how number 37 is associated with their idol. It turned out that Micheal’s album “Thriller” was on top of the pop charts for exactly 37 weeks. That’s a very strange tribute indeed.
So that’s the story and let’s hope Ron Artest will change his jersey number at least a few more times because he makes NBA more fun. Not just this jersey thing but also his other activities (you know, running naked around the town and stuff). Keep it up Ron Ron!
P. S. Special thanks to thesportcount.com!
nba, 
ron artest, 
indiana pacers, 
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los angeles lakers
I think ay Rockets he wanted #69 but NBA didn´t allowed it, so he taked #96.
At Lakers 37 is just the simetric of 73, the number that Dennis rodman had at Lakers.