Who Wore Number 12 In The NBA?

Did you know that there have only been twelve players who have worn the number twelve in the NBA? Here’s a list of those players.

Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan, who best known for his time with the San Antonio Spurs, wore number 12 during his 19 year NBA career. Duncan was drafted by the Spurs in 1997 and went on to play for them until his retirement in 2016. He won five NBA championships with the Spurs and was a two-time NBA Finals MVP.

Early Life

Early Life
Timothy Theodore Duncan was born on April 25, 1976, in the U.S. Virgin Islands to Ione and William Duncan. He has two older sisters, Cheryl and Tracy, and one younger sister, Scottie. Growing up, Duncan was easygoing but competitive, a beloved member of his close-knit community. He played tennis and badminton as a child and began playing basketball at age 9. When he was 14, Duncan’s mother died after a long battle with breast cancer. The loss had a profound effect on the young athlete, who became more dedicated to his studies and his sport.

In 1993, Duncan enrolled at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on a scholarship to play basketball. He quickly proved himself to be a force on the court, leading the team in scoring and rebounding and earning Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Rookie of the Year honors. As a sophomore, Duncan averaged 20.8 points and 12 rebounds per game, leading Wake Forest to an ACC championship. He was named National Player of the Year by The Sporting News and United Press International (UPI), becoming only the second sophomore ever to receive the honor (after Indiana University’s Larry Bird in 1979).

College Career

Tim Duncan played college basketball for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons from 1994 to 1997. He was a two-time NCAA All-American and was named the National Player of the Year in his junior year. Duncan led the Demon Deacons to the NCAA Tournament in all four of his collegiate seasons. In 1997, he was drafted number one overall by the San Antonio Spurs.

Professional Career

Duncan started his professional career when he was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the first pick of the 1997 NBA draft, becoming the team’s starting power forward in his rookie season. He is a five-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time All-Star, and was named to 16 All-NBA and 20 All-Defensive Teams. He is also the Spurs’ all-time leader in games played, rebounds, blocks, steals, points and minutes played.

In 2016 Duncan announced his retirement from professional basketball after 19 seasons with the Spurs.

Magic Johnson

In the 1980s, there were two players that towered above the rest in the NBA. One was Larry Bird, and the other was Magic Johnson. They were clearly the best players in the league, and they had a legendary rivalry. Johnson played for the Los Angeles Lakers, and he wore the number 12.

Early Life

Earl Joseph “Magic” Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, the son of Christina, a school custodian, and Earvin Sr., a general Motors assembly-line worker. His mother worked several hours a night cleaning office buildings to earn extra money and his father occasionally worked as a barber. Johnson grew up in a life of poverty in Detroit’s inner city. He was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents after his father deserted the family when Johnson was only two years old

College Career

Johnson’s collegiate career began in 1977 at Michigan State University. He led his team to an undefeated season and the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship in 1979, his sophomore year. Johnson was unanimously selected as the National College Player of the Year and the Helms National Player of the Year, earning his second Spartan Athlete of the Year award. He also took home the Naismith College Player of the Year and Eastman Award that year. After two years at Michigan State, he decided to declare himself eligible for the 1979 NBA draft.

Professional Career

Johnson was drafted first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and another championship in 1980. Initially a playmaker and guard, Johnson moved to forward because of his exceptional height compared to that of his fellow players, earning him the nickname “Magic”. He won five more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. His career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. Johnson is the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2.

After Johnson’s rookie season, the Lakers made a trade for center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar which freed up Johnson to become their primary playmaker. As a consequence, he led the league in assists four times (1982–83 to 1985–86), including a career-high average of 12.6ors per game during the 1983–84 season.Johnson is considered one of the best passers ever;[11][12] ESPN commentator Chris Broussard stated that ” Magic Johnson is probably the greatest passer in NBA history”.[13] Lakers coach Pat Riley stated that “Magic Johnson is undoubtedly one of the top three or four point guards ever to play this game.”[14] In 2002, Magic was voted as one of basketball’s Top 10 greatest players of all time by Slam magazine.[15] In 2012 he was voted by fan balloting as one of the Greatest Los Angeles Laker Of All Time

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is one of the most iconic athletes in the world. He is a 6-time NBA champion, 6-time NBA Finals MVP, and a 14-time NBA All-Star. He is also the only player in NBA history to win a championship with three different teams. Jordan wore the number 12 during his time with the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards.

Early Life

Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, one of James and Deloris Jordan’s five children. The family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, when Michael was a toddler. As a child MJ loved baseball and dreamed of playing for the Hawks, the local minor league team. When he was nine years old his dad signed him up for basketball camp. Too short to play with the older kids, Jordan spent most of his time on the sidelines, watching and learning from the older players. When he returned home from camp he practiced tirelessly in the driveway until dark. Shortly thereafter he outgrew his father’s hand-me-down clothes and began wearing a size 13 shoe.

Following his parents’ divorce in 1979, Jordan moved with his family to Wilmington. He enrolled at Laney High School, where he quickly emerged as a star basketball player. In his senior year he averaged a triple double: 29 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, and 10 assists per game. That year he was named state player of the year by the Charlotte Observer.

College Career

Jordan played three seasons of college basketball for the Tar Heels. As a freshman, he was a member of the Tar Heels’ national championship team in 1982. Jordan joined the McDonald’s All-American team when he was a senior in high school. He entered the University of North Carolina as a freshman in 1981.Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA.

Professional Career

In his rookie season, Jordan averaged 28.2 points per game on 51.5% shooting, adding 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.4 steals per game en route to a berths on both the All-NBA Second Team and the All-Defensive Second Team, as well as becoming the only rookie in NBA history to be named an All-Star and to win Rookie of the Year honors.[6] He also set a Chicago Bulls franchise record by scoring 3,041 points that season.[7] The following year, Jordan was named Defensive Player of the Year,[8] an honor he would win again in 1988 and 1992; he also led the league in steals per game for three consecutive seasons from 1988 to 1990.[9][10] In his second season, Jordan improved his statistical averages to 32.5 points on 54.9% shooting, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2.9 steals per game en route to leading the Bulls back into the playoffs