Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Other Hornets Newcomers Pick Jersey Numbers

Get ready to update your jersey collection.

On Wednesday, the Charlotte Hornets announced new numbers for their off-season acquisitions, and like a millionaire’s checkbook, there are a lot of zeros.

In somewhat of an NBA rarity, the Purple and Teal not only have a player wearing 0 this season, but they also have a player wearing “00.”

Power Forward Naz Reid will wear the single 0, while small forward Royce O’Neale will wear the double “Oh”.

The last player to wear “0,” for the Hornets was small forward Miles Bridges who was just traded this past offseason to the Phoenix Suns. Center Spencer Hawes was the last player to wear 00. He wore the jersey for two straight seasons starting in 2015.

Probably the most famous player in Hornet history to wear 00 was Hall of Fame center Robert Parrish, who played for Charlotte for two seasons starting in 1994.

While never an official rule, NBA teams did not usually allow both the 0 and the 00 on the same team. Whenever a conflict arose, one player, usually the one with less seniority, would change numbers. This happened in 1996 when Parrish joined the Bulls for his last season and for Chicago’s run at a fifth championship. Guard Randy Brown, who previously wore a single 0, switched to number 1 to allow Parrish to have his double 0.

This practice has changed in recent years as each digit is now treated as two entirely different numerical values.

In other number-related news, shooting guard Grayson Allen will wear the number 8 while power forward Dorian Finney-Smith will wear 17.

Guard Nick Smith Jr previously wore the number 8 during his tenure in Buzz City while center Aleksej Pokusevski last wore number 17.

Previously, Charlotte had announced jersey numbers for their incoming rookies this season. 14th overall pick Hannes Steinback will don the number 22 this year. That number was previously worn by fellow big man Mason Plumlee. Meanwhile, 18th overall selection Christian Anderson will wear the number 5, which was last previously worn by center Mark Williams.

Fans will get their first look at the new Hornets in their new uniforms when the team opens up preseason play this October at the Spectrum Center. Their first game will be October 6th against the Brooklyn Nets. The second game is five days later on the 11th when they’ll battle the Milwaukee Bucks. Both games are scheduled for 7 pm.

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