THE PLAYERS

Behind The Numbers Gilbert Arenas 0, Wizards Marcus Banks 3, Timberwolves Mike Bibby 10, Kings Andrew Bogut 6, Bucks Kobe Bryant 8, Lakers Jarron Collins 31, Jazz Tony Delk 00, Pistons Melvin Ely 2, Bobcats Pau Gasol 16, Grizzlies Manu Ginobli 20, Spurs Drew Gooden 90, Cavaliers Grant Hill 33, Magic Royal Ivey 36, Hawks Linton Johnson 43, Hornets Dikembe Mutombo 55, Rockets Eric Piatkowski 52, Bulls Paul Pierce 34, Celtics Shavlik Randolph 42, Sixers Earl Watson 25, Sonics

Shavlik Randolph and his No. 42 jersey. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images

Shavlik Randolph

Not every player has a special reason for picking the jersey number that he wears on the court each and every night, but Sixers rookie forward Shavlik Randolph based his decision on that which matters to him the most...family.

“I wanted to wear half of my grandfather’s number, which was 84. He wore No. 84 for NC State in the mid-50s. I never met him because he died a couple of months before I was born. My parents named me Shavlik to keep his memory alive in the family.”

Randolph's grandfather, Ronnie Shavlik, was an All-America basketball player at North Carolina State and was a first round draft pick by the New York Knicks in the 1956 NBA Draft. Randolph was raised in a very family centered environment in North Carolina and being able to wear the No. 42 has become very important to him.

When asked what it would take to pry the number away from him he responded, “It’s like those commercials that are like, ‘Tickets to a certain game, 80 bucks; a jersey, 100 bucks; but watching your first NBA game is priceless.’ It’s one of those things that's important to me, that’s my number," meaning that you can't put a price on it.

Randolph had no problem rattling off other No. 42's when asked, and to nobody's surprise, named two players from Duke and two players from UNC.

“Oh yeah," said Randolph with a laugh. "James Worthy and Jerry Stackhouse (from UNC), Elton Brand and Reggie Love from Duke.”

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