Maybe he and the NBA can come to some mutual understanding, and he can be allowed to wear a hexadecimal jersey number.
what serious rocket fan doesnt know all the retired jerseys hanging at the Toyota Center. The rockets aren't like the celtics retiring every single number possible they only retire numbers of great players to the franchise. There are only a handful its not hard to remember at all 22 23 24 34 45 CD I'll let you fill in which players the numbers are for. one hint: Scottie Quitten isn't one of them and Jordan isnt either
We fans like to get excited over nothing, especially during off-seasons. In my opinion, there is no deserving or not for certain numbers. If the number is retired, player shouldn't and probably won't ask for it. Because not only will he not get it, but also make him look bad. If the number is used by an active player, new player should probably not and will probably not ask for it. What for? Just because some fans (old school or new school or no school) believe he's more "deserving"? If the new player really really wants a number which is wearing by an active player, he could discuss with that player, and it's up to that player whether to give up that number. It's not something random fans can demand. It doesn't really matter whether it's Yao or TMac or Novak, as active players, they deserve some respect from teammates. You can "justify" any number for "deserving". As the number 1 ghetto, Ron could "deserve" 1 as well. If TMac is willing to give it up, I don't have any problem with it. But that will make Ron look bad for trying to start controversy. Same thing for 11, if Novak is wearing it, unless Novak offers it, it would make Ron look equally bad as if TMac or Yao or Shane is wearing the number. Except for getting some unnecessary noise around the organization, I don't see the purpose of Ron to demand any active in-use numbers. As a big fan of Ron myself, I don't want to see that happen. But I am not sure about other fans. It's really funny for fans to claim a new player to deserve more of certain number than any active player who's wearing that. I am pretty sure the same people will give up a seat gladly, when he/she sits at a table enjoying dinner, someone else totally healthy, walks in and tells him/her how much more he deserves that table. To make a sound argument, he even pulls another guest and say that guy agrees with him too.
73 is a legendary number so far.....he wears it every day.....its already his most identifiable number.........
