LaMarcus Aldridge should have his jersey retired

[ztejas 43477]

I'd like to think this will happen at some-point but I believe Texas has only retired the #s of 3 former basketball players. However - it took like 2 years to retire Durant's jersey after he left campus.

His case:

- Took his name out of the NBA draft to play at Texas.

- Stayed for a 2nd season at Texas.

- As a sophomore, won B12 defensive player of the year, made the B12 all-defensive team, was a 3rd team all-American, helped the Horns win a regular season B12 title and get Texas to the Elite Eight. He finished just a hair behind PJ Tucker in scoring and rebounding (and was Texas' leading scorer in the tournament along with PJ), shot 57% from the field and had 1.4 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.

- Selected 2nd overall in the 2006 NBA Draft.

- Made 1st team all-rookie his first year in the NBA.

- Finished 3rd in most improved player voting his second year in the NBA.

- Is a 7 time all-star and 5 time all-NBA selection (two second team, three third team). Along with Kevin Durant and Slater Martin (both of whom have their jerseys retired) is the ONLY Texas player to make an all-star team or all-NBA team (all three have done both) and has as many all-star selections (7) and all-NBA selections (5) as Slater Martin. 

- Is 46th in the NBA in career points scored and one of 48 players to crack 20,000. (Including a 56 point game in 2019)

- Is 61st in the NBA in career rebounds.

- Is one of 23 players in NBA history with 20,000 points and 8,000 rebounds. Here are the other 22:  Antawn Jamison, Bob Pettit, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Dirk Nowitzki, Elgin Baylor, Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon, John Havlicek, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Moses Malone, Patrick Ewing, Pau Gasol, Robert Parish, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Walt Bellamy and Wilt Chamberlain.

- Played virtually his entire NBA career with Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome after being diagnosed his rookie season. Retired from the NBA after playing in just 26 games last season due to heart complications. 

- Came back to play this season and is averaging 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game on a career high 57.5 FG% and is the 3rd leading scorer for the first-seed Brooklyn Nets.

If the argument is that he didn't do enough while at Texas, then fine, but it isn't like Durant did much other than win individual honors while he was here. LMA is a Longhorn legend and has been a star in the NBA for a decade now. There isn't one Texas player with a remotely comparable NBA resume except two guys that already have their #s hanging from the rafters. 

Put this man's jersey up there. 

[Guest Lobo]

I like this idea very much.  

 

[shadow_operative 15932]

yep, totally agreed. only thing to add to his college resume is that he came in second in the voting for Big XII POY, finishing just behind PJ.

also, while he was a very impactful player on the court, arguably just as important was his decision to come play at Texas. he'd always dreamed on playing for UNC, and he could have, but LA is quoted as saying that TJ Ford's success at Texas showed him that he could stay home and still achieve great things (TJ the GOAT for real for real). TJ showed that you could stay in Texas and thrive, and LA then confirmed it, and helped grow Texas as a brand. he's really important player in UT history and definitely deserves to have his number hanging up at Cooley.

[shadow_operative 15932]

on a similar note, i would love for us to l, in lieu of retiring the #14, designate it as a special number that can only be earned/worn by very special guards, similar to the #60 in football, only the guy gets to wear it until he leaves Texas, as opposed to wearing it for one game. call it the Mays/Augustin Jersey or something like that. i'd have given it to Isaiah Taylor by his second year, and i'd even give it to Arterio Morris as a freshman. 

[ztejas 43477]

12 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

yep, totally agreed. only thing to add to his college resume is that he came in second in the voting for Big XII POY, finishing just behind PJ.

also, while he was a very impactful player on the court, arguably just as important was his decision to come play at Texas. he'd always dreamed on playing for UNC, and he could have, but LA is quoted as saying that TJ Ford's success at Texas showed him that he could stay home and still achieve great things (TJ the GOAT for real for real). TJ showed that you could stay in Texas and thrive, and LA then confirmed it, and helped grow Texas as a brand. he's really important player in UT history and definitely deserves to have his number hanging up at Cooley.

He also seems like a great person and teammate and high character guy. I've never heard a peep from him off the court that wasn't something professional. Very Andre Johnson esque. 

To add to the last point - what he's doing this season is pretty inspirational. You know that there was a ton of fear and anxiety he had to get over to get back on an NBA court and he's not only overcoming it he's excelling and is an indispensable part of one of the best teams in the NBA. 

You can tack on that he's from Texas and signed a 4 year deal as a FA that could have gone basically anywhere for a Texas NBA team and signed for another 2 years there. 

[Fastbreak 3988]

Rencher doesn’t have his # retired?

[Chad 1728]

Agree with this 100%, he accomplished more as a Horn than KD. LMA anchored a 30-7 team that reached the Elite 8.

[hornian 5219]

Co sign. 

[GreenspointTexas 9651]

Once he makes the HOF

[dcar00 14271]

don't we have some type of "player of the year/major national award(cue Christmas Story lamp)" type requirement for football and basketball.  although Slater Martin doesn't have one(not sure what awards there were then)

baseball seems to be different though as it relates to national awards.

I'm not opposed to LaMarcus in general.  Maybe have some criteria if you are on a team that wins an NC or you get into professional HOF.

I'm not big on retiring numbers as a rule.

[Pig Bellmont 8719]

23 minutes ago, dcar00 said:

don't we have some type of "player of the year/major national award(cue Christmas Story lamp)" type requirement for football and basketball.  although Slater Martin doesn't have one(not sure what awards there were then)

baseball seems to be different though as it relates to national awards.

I'm not opposed to LaMarcus in general.  Maybe have some criteria if you are on a team that wins an NC or you get into professional HOF.

I'm not big on retiring numbers as a rule.

I think we can create whatever rules we want as an athletic department. Honoring our best players seems smart

[HookEm 2467]

I'm gong to go ahead and disagree.  I like the bar being set at National Player of the Year. It is fairly unambiguous and identifies a true superstar player during their time at UT.  There is a LITTLE wiggle room since there are several awards that qualify, but overall it is pretty cut and dry and I like that.  Maybe I would make an exception if a player led us to a National title

In basketball, we have only had seven 1st team All-Americans:

• Clyde Littlefield - 1915 - 1st Team AA + world record in hurdles + All-SWC football 
• Abb Curtis - 1923 - 1st Team AA + Undefeated SWC champs
• Jack Gray - 1935 - 1st team AA + Coached 1947 Final Four
• Chris Mihm - 2000 - 1st Team AA, top-10 Wooden, #7 NBA draft pick
• TJ Ford - 2003 - Consensus NPoY, 1st Team AA, Final Four, #8 NBA draft  (retired jersey)
• Kevin Durant - 2007 - Consensus NPoY, 1st Team AA, #2 NBA draft (retired jersey)
• DJ Augustin - 2008 - 1st Team AA & Academic AA (only 16 in history), Top-5 Wooden, Cousy Award winner, #9 NBA draft, Elite 8

We've had three additional 2nd team All-Americans:

• John Hargis - 1947 - 2nd Team AA, 2x All-SWC, 1943 Final Four, 1947 Final Four
• PJ Tucker - 2006 - 2nd Team AA, Big 12 PoY, Elite 8, Israeli League MVP, NBA Champion
• Jordan Hamilton - 2011 - 2nd Team AA, All Big-12

If you extend to conference Players of the Year you get: Kevin Durant (2007), PJ Tucker (2006), BJ Tyler (1994), Travis Mays (1989, 1990), John Brownlee (1986), Ron Baxter (1980), Larry Robinson (1972, 1974), Billy Arnold (1968)

Aldridge had a nice resume at UT and has had a great NBA career, but if you didn't earn All-American or conference PoY honors for your time on the 40, then I don't support retiring your jersey.  I would retire half the players above before Aldridge,  starting with DJ Augustin (Cousy winner) and then PJ Tucker (One of only 2 Big-12 PoY winners).

[shadow_operative 15932]

i hear where you're coming from, but it's a self defeating stance. retiring numbers is something that is only good for a program, and deciding that anything less than an NPOY is undeserving leaves us with reason to retire anyone's jersey ever. it's important to honor the most special players/coaches of your program, and it helps with recruiting. no reason to limit ourselves there. Duke and Kentucky we are not. 

Edited December 14, 2021 by shadow_operative

[goatsaag 279]

I don't completely hate the idea but then don't you also need to retire numbers for guys like Mihm, Tucker, and Augustin? Seems like things start getting crowded pretty quickly. If/when he makes the basketball hall of fame, that probably sets him apart and you retire the number then.

[HookEm 2467]

I can get on board with that, but I would still try to reduce the subjectivity and recency bias. If I broadened, I would go in priority order:

• National Player of the year
• NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
• ---------------------------------------------
• 1st Team All-American
• Conference Player of the Year
• NBA Hall of Fame
• Major National Award:  Cousy (top PG), West (top SG), Erving (top SF), Malone (top PF), KAJ (top C)

[dcar00 14271]

1 hour ago, Pig Bellmont said:

I think we can create whatever rules we want as an athletic department. Honoring our best players seems smart

yeah well of course we can.

[TexArcher 37979]

Why are people suggesting that LMA needs to make the HOF to have his number retired?

Is T.J. Ford in the HOF?

LMA did more in college than Durant and more in the pros than Ford.  Retire his number.  As others have pointed out, there are program reasons to do this, and LMA has earned the honor.

[shadow_operative 15932]

15 minutes ago, goatsaag said:

I don't completely hate the idea but then don't you also need to retire numbers for guys like Mihm, Tucker, and Augustin? Seems like things start getting crowded pretty quickly. If/when he makes the basketball hall of fame, that probably sets him apart and you retire the number then.

Augustin and Mays both wore 14, hence my idea to reserve it for special guard players.

[dcar00 14271]

21 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

i hear where you're coming from, but it's a self defeating stance. retiring numbers is something that is only good for a program, and deciding that anything less than an NPOY is undeserving leaves us with reason to retire anyone's jersey ever. it's important to honor the most special players/coaches of your program, and it helps with recruiting. no reason to limit ourselves there. Duke and Kentucky we are not. 

eh, I'm not sure retiring numbers really matters in the big scheme of things.  get good enough teams that make final four or win championships usually a Player of the year/major award will pop out.

I'm just not sure LaMarcus is much different from a few other guys.

I err on the side of making it very exclusive.  Durant was just that good.  It happens but it is going to be very rare for us.

if you want to retire because a guy had a very good career here and he makes the pro HOF in his sport I guess I'm good with that.

to be honest, I think it is a travesty that Kenneth Sims number is not retired.  the guy won the UPI Lineman of the year which was basically the Heisman for Lineman at the time.

[dcar00 14271]

8 minutes ago, TexArcher said:

Why are people suggesting that LMA needs to make the HOF to have his number retired?

Is T.J. Ford in the HOF?

LMA did more in college than Durant and more in the pros than Ford.  Retire his number.  As others have pointed out, there are program reasons to do this, and LMA has earned the honor.

TJ Ford won a national player of the year award right?

[dcar00 14271]

1 minute ago, shadow_operative said:

Augustin and Mays both wore 14, hence my idea to reserve it for special guard players.

I'm good with this.

[goatsaag 279]

1 hour ago, TexArcher said:

Why are people suggesting that LMA needs to make the HOF to have his number retired?

Is T.J. Ford in the HOF?

LMA did more in college than Durant and more in the pros than Ford.  Retire his number.  As others have pointed out, there are program reasons to do this, and LMA has earned the honor.

The rule used to be "win national player of the year, get your number retired". Durant and Ford did that. Aldridge was nowhere close. Basketball HOF would be something that sets him apart. Also, we should stop pretending Aldridge did more in college than Durant. Yes, he was here two years and there was more team success, but Aldridge was not even the best player on his team, while Durant was the best player in college.

[hobbes2702 13045]

1 hour ago, HookEm said:

I can get on board with that, but I would still try to reduce the subjectivity and recency bias. If I broadened, I would go in priority order:

• National Player of the year
• NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
• ---------------------------------------------
• 1st Team All-American
• Conference Player of the Year
• NBA Hall of Fame
• Major National Award:  Cousy (top PG), West (top SG), Erving (top SF), Malone (top PF), KAJ (top C)

It’s not the NBA HOF it’s just the basketball HOF so I think that should be higher on your list.

[GreenspointTexas 9651]

Wooden Award, CBB HOF, NBA MVP, or NBA HoF

[ztejas 43477]

It's just one hall of fame for basketball. He will probably get in - basketball reference has him at 50%. The only 20k member that isn't in (not including active guys that are locks) is Antwan Jamison and Jamison only had 2 all star appearances and 0 all-NBA nods. 

If he wins a title with the Nets I'd think he's a lock. If he plays another year or two and climbs the scoring list a bit more I think he probably gets in either way. 

It would be a better look for UT to retire his # after he retires and to not wait on him getting into the Hall.