Here is an interesting fact. The first time that a player has worn No.4 on his jersey is during the second season of the Basketball Association of America, the league that eventually became the NBA. That was during the 1947-48 season when Carl Braun wore No.4. He is one of the earliest stars of the league, having made the NBA All-Star Game five times. Braun won the title with the Boston Celtics in 1962 and made it into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Young players like Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes have the potential to make this list eventually. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best NBA players to wear jersey No.4.
Also Read: The Best NBA Players to Wear Jersey No.3
The Best NBA Players to Wear Jersey No.4
More than 300 players have worn jersey No.4 throughout the history of the league. Some of the best NBA players to wear jersey No.4 are multiple-time NBA champions and Hall of Famers. Let’s take a look.
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley was one of the best scorers of his generation. During the 1970s, Dantley routinely averaged close to 30 or more points per game. He has a career average of 24.3 points per game and four seasons of averaging 30+ points per game. The 1976-77 Rookie of the Year made the All-Star six times.
Joe Dumars
Going from an offensive juggernaut to a defensive beast, Joe Dumars might be the opposite of Dantley. While he did average 20+ in three seasons, Dumars was more known for his defense. He was one of the best players on the Bad Boys Pistons of the 1990s and a Finals MVP in 1989. The two-time champion made the All-Star team six times, and an All-Defensive team five times.
Nate Robinson
Before Mac McClung came out of nowhere and won the Slam Dunk Contest three times, Nate Robinson was the leader in that category. Nate and McClung are tied for most Slam Dunk Contest victories, the main reason he made this list. Robinson won it in 2006, 2009, and 2010. He lasted 11 years in the league and averaged 11 points throughout his career. Once his career was over, Robinson battled injuries and recently got a new life after a kidney transplant.
Chris Webber
Chris Webber is in the Hall of Fame as a five-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA player, and the 1993-94 Rookie of the Year. Webber was instrumental in the resurgence of the Sacramento Kings during the 2000s. The furthest they got was the Western Conference Finals in 2002. During his height, Webber finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in five consecutive seasons.
Ron Harper
Ron Harper is a great example of a former lead player finding success as a role player. During his early years, Harper was an excellent scorer, averaging between 18 and 22 points per game for six straight seasons. Yet, it wasn’t until he got to the Bulls that he won a championship. He has five rings, three with the Chicago Bulls and two with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Sidney Moncrief
Casual fans do not remember the Milwaukee Bucks teams of the 1980s. However, speaking of the best NBA players to wear jersey No.4, we have to mention Sidney Moncrief. He was one of the best players in the league during the 1980s. Sadly for him, that was also a period when the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers dominated the Eastern Conference.
However, for a five-year stretch, Moncrief made the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive teams in consecutive years. He also won the Defensive Player of the Year two times and averaged 20+ points in four of those five seasons.
Honorable Mentions:
- Many fans remember Byron Scott as a coach, but he is a former three-time champion and a key player during the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s.
- Michael Finley is a two-time All-Star, a great scorer of his generation, and led the league three times in minutes played with 42.2, 42, and 41.4 per game.
- Before Nate Robinson, there was Spud Webb. He was the shortest player to appear in the league at the time, and the shortest player to win the Dunk Contest.
- Jerry Sloan was the legendary coach of the Utah Jazz. As a player, he was a star on the Chicago Bulls, making the All-Defensive team six times and the All-Star team two times.
Photo credit: © David Butler II-Imagn Images
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