Rookie Butler Picks New Jersey Number With Jazz
Aug 16, 2021, 4:20 PM
Utah Jazz rookie Jared Butler in his new jersey (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jared Butler will be wearing a new number when he makes his NBA debut with the Utah Jazz.
The guard formerly wore number 12 with the Baylor Bears, but the number is unavailable as it hangs in the Vivint Arena rafters honoring Hall of Famer John Stockton.
At the NBA’s rookie symposium, Butler debuted his new jersey number, donning number 13 for his preseason photo shoot.
Jazzy Jared 😎 pic.twitter.com/ViCyipUDL4
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) August 15, 2021
Butler is just the seventh player in Jazz history to wear number 13. Former first-round pick Tony Bradley was the last to sport 13. The lucky number was also worn by Elijah Millsap, Mehmet Okur, Keon Clark, Mark Jackson, and John Amaechi.
Newcomer Rudy Gay has traditionally worn number 22 during his NBA career but has opted to switch back to number 8 which he wore during his time with the Sacramento Kings.
Number 22 hasn’t been a particularly lucky number in Jazz history as despite being worn by 19 different players, no player has stuck on the roster for more than two seasons while wearing it since Carey Scurry in 1988.
Number 8 meanwhile was worn in Utah most famously by All-Star Deron Williams, and most recently by guard Shaq Harrison.
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Hassan Whiteside had donned a few numbers during his career, including 33, 21, and most recently 2o with the Kings. Traditionally Whiteside has preferred number 21 dating back to his college days, though he picked 20 last season as the Kings retired 21 to honor Vlade Divac.
Eric Paschall will also have to choose a new number for the first time in his playing career. The forward wore number seven in Golden State which the Jazz retired to honor Pistol Pete Maravich.
In college, Paschall wore number 4 which the Jazz retired to honor Adrian Dantley. The big man wore number 11 in high school which coincidentally is a combination of 4 and 7, and would be available on the Jazz current roster.
