To those looking in from the outside, a jersey number doesn’t seem like a big deal. To fans, it’s one of the single most important identifying factors for the sports they follow. When you mention basketball and the number 23, you most likely think of Michael Jordan (or LeBron James for the younger folks) throwing down devastating dunks. If you think of NASCAR and you say the numbers 3, 24, 44 or 48, you probably have visions of Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty, or Jimmie Johnson driving across your thoughts. In football, if you see a number 4 or 34, you will most likely picture Brett Favre or Walter Payton carving up the defense.
UNC Basketball: The legacy of a jersey number
