NBA By The Uniform Numbers: The best players in the 40s

Continuing our series on the best players that wear each uniform number, we rank the best NBA players wearing a number in the 40s

In our third installment of the best players from the past season based on uniform numbers, we inch closer to the most populated numbers in the NBA. While I’m not Casey Kasem, this will not be a countdown of the Top 40, but rather the top 40s based on the number the player wears on his jersey.

Today we’ll be ranking the best from uniform number 46 to 40, so let’s line them up and count them down.

#46 – Aron Baynes

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Only one player wore this number last season, a man so big from the land down under that Boston Celtics broadcaster Tommy Heinsohn referred to him as “All of Australia.” Aron Baynes spent two seasons in Boston before being traded on July 6 along with the draft rights to Ty Jerome, was traded to the Phoenix Suns for a 2020 protected first-round pick.

It was an injury-riddled season for Baynes as he appeared in only 51 games, but when healthy he added a solid defensive presence and continued to improve on his 3-point shooting converting on a career-high 34 percent of his attempts.

#45 Ryan Broekhoff, Thomas Welsh, Tyler Zeller, and Donovan Mitchell

The runaway winner at number 45 is Utah’s, Donovan Mitchell. This second-year player was no “one-hit-wonder.” His numbers increased in several offensive categories including points per game (23.4), free throw percentage (.806) and assists (4.2). The former slam dunk champion led the Jazz to a 50-32 record good for the fifth seed in the Western Conference. The 22-year-old from New York is currently participating in Team USA Training Camp this summer, ahead of the FIBA World Cup,

Sorry, I don’t have a long-distance dedication for you, so on with the countdown!

#44 – Bojan Bogdanovic, Solomon Hill, Justin Jackson, Frank Kaminsky, and Robert Williams.

There’s some pretty good competition for uniform number 44, from the Tank to the TimeLord. All of the above could be considered for this honor for a variety of reasons. But the best player from last season wearing double fours is Bojan Bogdanovic.

The fifth-year player from Croatia had his best NBA season ever. He became the number one scoring option after a season-ending injury to Victor Oladipo. His 2018-19 was highlighted by a 20 point scoring average while shooting 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from beyond the arc.

Last month he signed a four-year, $73 million contract with the Jazz. He joins a loaded Utah roster that includes the aforementioned Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Rudy Gobert , Mike Conley, Jeff Green, and Ed Davis. This is a group that will be in serious contention for the top seed in the West competing with both Los Angeles teams along with Denver.

#43 – Jonah Bolden, Pascal Siakam and Anthony Tolliver

The best player wearing 43 played on Canada’s best team, or shall I say the NBA’s best team, the Toronto Raptors. He also wins the best nickname of the week. Known around the league as “Spicy P,” the third-year player from Cameroon had a breakout season. After posting career highs of 16.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game during the regular season, he stepped it up during the postseason with marks of 19.0 and 7.1 respectively.

After helping lead the Raptors to their first-ever NBA championship, Siakam was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2018–19 season.

#42 – Davis Bertans, Nene Hilario, Al Horford, Maxi Kleber, Robin Lopez, Lance Thomas.

There are several solid rotational pieces from this list, but only one of them is a bona fide all-star who is still playing at a high level. The best number 42 is Al Horford.

It was not Horford’s best offensive season in 2018-19, the numbers were good and at times he came up with big plays to help the Celtics get the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference last season.

But it’s his defensive contributions that Boston will miss now that Horford has signed with division rival the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics have replaced Horford with Enes Kanter.

From basketball reference, here are some stats comparing Horford and Kanter over the last three seasons.

Horford: 16.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 threes, 1.4 blocks, 0.9 steals per 75 possessions, 57.7 true shooting percentage, 3.9 box plus/minus, 5.9 net rating, 4.7 net rating swing
Kanter: 21.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.1 threes, 0.7 blocks, 0.7 steals per 75 possessions, 60.8 true shooting percentage, 0.9 box plus/minus, minus-3.8 net rating, minus-2.4 net rating swing.

#41 – Juan Hernangomez, Willy Hernangomez, Kosta Koufos, Nikola Mirotic, Dirk Nowitzki. Ante Zizic.

While I would have given the nod to Mirotic based on his offensive stat line from last season, my choice for the best 41 from last season and perhaps all time goes to Nowitzki. He completed his 21st and final NBA season all with the Dallas Mavericks. He was named to his 14th All-Star game as a special team roster addition. In the final game of his career, he recorded a double-double scoring 20 points while snaring 10 rebounds. He retired as the number six all-time scorer in NBA history.

#40 – Harrison Barnes, Udonis Haslem, Cody Zeller, Ivica Zubac

Zubac was traded from the Lakers to the Clippers in late February He became a key member for the Clippers during the final stretch of the season, eventually reaching the playoffs for the first time in his career with them.

But the winner is Barnes who was also traded midseason from the Mavericks to the Sacramento Kings. The seven-year veteran finished the season averaging over 16 points a game. After arriving with the Kings he shot better than 40% from downtown. He signed a four-year extension with Sacramento this offseason adding veteran leadership to a core that includes De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Marvin Bagley.

So there you are the top 40s from the NBA this past season. Join me again next week and we’ll examine the top players wearing uniform numbers in the 30s.