Who wore number 40 in NBA?

Ask anybody who has played basketball before, and one of the exciting parts of playing the game is having your jersey number and name plastered on your back. We have seen so many great players in NBA history, each coming with a number attached to their name. While some of them are very obvious, there are some other players who are the greatest players to don a specific number that we may have not known before.

Shawn Kemp

Shawn Travis Kemp Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed the Reign Man, he was a six-time NBA All-Star and a three-time All-NBA Second Team member.

Bill Laimbeer

William J. Laimbeer Jr. is an American professional basketball coach and former player.

In his National Basketball Association (NBA) career, Laimbeer was known for his 11-year tenure with the Detroit Pistons during their “Bad Boys” era. Although a solid shooter and rebounder, Laimbeer became notorious for his physical play and reputation for delivering hard, often flagrant fouls. Laimbeer played at center with Hall of Fame backcourt guards Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars and forward Dennis Rodman, winning back to back NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990 with the Pistons, and being named an NBA All-Star four times. Prior to the NBA, he played for the University of Notre Dame and Palos Verdes High School in Southern California.

After his playing career, Laimbeer served as the head coach and general manager of the Detroit Shock in the WNBA from 2002 to 2009, coaching the team to three league championships in 2003, 2006, and 2008. He was the head coach of the New York Liberty from 2013 to 2017 and the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces from 2018 until 2021. He has been named the WNBA’s Coach of the Year.

Lucius Allen

Lucius Oliver Allen, Jr. is an American former professional basketball player.

In 1999, the Topeka Capital-Journal named Lucius Oliver Allen, Jr. of Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas as the greatest Kansas high school basketball player of the 20th century. Allen was a prep All-American player under head coach Walt Shublom and was named consensus first-team all-state as a junior and senior as he led Wyandotte to back-to-back Class AA state championships in 1964 and ’65.

Prior to his National Basketball Association (NBA) career, he was a starter on two of coach John Wooden’s UCLA NCAA Championship teams, in 1967 and 1968, playing alongside Lew Alcindor. These teams are considered by many to be the greatest in men’s college basketball history. After being suspended for his senior year at UCLA for receiving a second citation for possessing a small quantity of marijuana, Allen was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1969 NBA draft and retired in 1979. As a member of the 1971 Milwaukee Bucks team, which also featured Alcindor, Allen earned an NBA championship ring.

They would both return to the NBA Finals in 1974 before losing to the Boston Celtics in 7 games. This was Allen’s last season in Milwaukee, during which he arguably played his greatest professional game, a 39 point and 6 assist effort in a loss against the Detroit Pistons on January 2. He also played with Alcindor — now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — for two seasons (1975–77) in Los Angeles, but did not win a championship in either of those years. Allen was traded the following season to the Kansas City Kings, winning the division championship in 1979, and retired from basketball after that season.

Allen played 10 years in the NBA for four teams. His highest scoring average was 19.1 points per game, during the 1974–75 season. Part of the way through that season he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers after playing with the Milwaukee Bucks since the 1970–71 season.

He was inducted into the Pac-12 Conference men’s basketball Hall of Honor on March 16, 2013.

After finishing his basketball career, which included a high school state championship, college national championship, and an NBA championship, Allen turned his attention to coaching aspiring players in the Los Angeles area.

Shandon Anderson

Shandon Rodriguez Anderson is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1996 to 2006. Growing up in Atlanta, Anderson attended the University of Georgia and played for four teams during his ten-year NBA career after being drafted by the Utah Jazz in 1996: the Jazz, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat. He played the shooting guard and small forward positions.

Anderson attended Alonzo A. Crim High School in Atlanta, then played basketball at the University of Georgia. He was drafted in the second round (54th overall) of the 1996 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz, and played for the Jazz, the Houston Rockets, the New York Knicks and the Heat. His best season was in 1999–2000, when he averaged 12.3 points per game with the Rockets. His career average is 7.8 points per game.

He is the younger brother of former Knicks and Heat player Willie Anderson.

Anderson won an NBA championship in 2006 with the Miami Heat as a backup, and subsequently retired.

Mike Bantom

Michael Allen Bantom is an American former professional basketball player.

A 6’9″ power forward/center from Saint Joseph’s University, Bantom won a silver medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics as a member of the United States national basketball team, who lost a controversial final game to the Soviet Union. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the eighth pick of the 1973 NBA draft, and he embarked upon a nine-year NBA (1973–82) career as a member of the Suns, Seattle SuperSonics, New York Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Philadelphia 76ers. He earned All-Rookie Team honors and ended his NBA career with 8,568 total points, 4,517 total rebounds, and 1,623 total assists. From 1982 until 1989, Bantom played professionally in Italy.

Since retiring as a player, Bantom has served as the licensing manager for NBA International, the NBA International director of marketing, the NBA senior vice president of player development, and the executive vice president of referee operations.

Richard Anderson

Richard Andrew Anderson is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other leagues. A 6’10”, 240 lb (110 kg) power forward, he played collegiately at University of California, Santa Barbara from 1978 to 1982.

He was selected with the 9th pick in the second round of the 1982 NBA Draft by the San Diego Clippers. His NBA career lasted until 1990; his last season being with the Charlotte Hornets. Anderson also played in Italy for Pallacanestro Cantù (1984–1986).

In the 1991 offseason he was signed by the Miami Heat but was waived prior to the 1991–92 season.

Andrew Anderson

Andrew Emil Anderson was an American basketball player. He played collegiately for Canisius College.

He was selected by the Boston Celtics in the 8th round (88th pick overall) of the 1967 NBA Draft. He played for the Oakland Oaks (1967–69), Miami Floridians (1969) and Los Angeles Stars (1969–70) in the ABA for 194 games.

James Augustine

James Augustine is a retired American professional basketball player who played as a forward. During the career he played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini before being drafted 41st overall in the 2006 NBA draft by the Orlando Magic. Later he relocated in Europe and concluded his playing career for Malaga. Augustine has played over 400 official games in different clubs. A tall, imposing sportsman, he was considered to be one of the best USA talents.

Augustine was selected with the 41st pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 NBA draft. In August 2008, after playing two seasons in the NBA and its affiliate Development League, Augustine signed with Gran Canaria of the Spanish league.

He then played for Power Electronics Valencia, UCAM Murcia, the Russian team Khimki, CSKA Moscow, and the Spanish club Unicaja.

Harrison Barnes

Harrison Bryce Jordan Barnes is an American professional basketball player known for playing with the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels before being selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft with the seventh overall pick. Barnes won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015.