NBA players are constantly changing their jersey numbers. However, it is rare to see a player be given permission to wear a retired number. That is exactly what has happened with Sacramento Kings star big man Domantas Sabonis, as he will honor Hall of Famer Bob Davies by switching from No. 10 to the retired No. 11 jersey.
Sabonis was granted permission for this change by Davies' children, the Kings announced on Friday.
“My siblings and I are so proud of our father and everything he accomplished throughout his legendary NBA career,” Davies’ daughter Camy Davies Keck stated in the team's press release. “He was a great influence on our family as well as many young aspiring athletes. He was definitely a man of true character. Given the Sabonis family’s special connection to number 11, we thought it was fitting to share our dad’s number with Domantas and wish him much success.
“We are thankful to the Kings organization and fans for their continued support.”
The main reason Sabonis wanted to make this change, aside from honoring Davies, is because the No. 11 jersey has always been important to him and his family. Sabonis has not only worn the No. 11 jersey throughout his career to honor his father, who spent seven years in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers, but he also named his daughter Eleven after he was born on July 11, 2023, according to Sean Cunningham of FOX40 in Sacramento.
“The number 11 holds a special place in mine and my family’s lives, having worn it throughout my career in honor of my father,” Sabonis said. “I’m incredibly thankful to the Davies family for sharing number 11 with me and I look forward to building on the legacy of all those who wore it before me.”
Sabonis to honor Davies' legacy
The Kings, who used to be the Rochester Royals when Davies played for them in the 1950s, retired the No. 11 jersey after the Hall of Fame point guard retired after the 1954-55 season. Davies played a total of ten seasons in the NBA, all of which were with the Royals. He was a four-time All-Star and led the organization to its lone championship in 1951. Davies was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969.
Sabonis is now set to honor Davies legacy by wearing the Kings' retired No. 11 jersey.
The 2023-24 season proved to be a historic one for Sabonis, which is why he is looking to add to the legacy of this jersey. He averaged 19.4 points and a league-high 13.7 rebounds per game while shooting 59.4 percent from the floor this past year. As a result, Sabonis was named to the All-NBA Third Team for the second consecutive season.
Not only did Sabonis become just the second player in NBA history to average at least 19.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game since Wilt Chamberlain did so during the 1967-68 season, but the Kings star also led the NBA in total rebounds (1,120), double-doubles (77), and triple-doubles (26). His 26 triple-doubles were tied for the seventh-most in a single season in NBA history.
Sabonis was virtually unstoppable as a double-double threat this past season. He recorded 61 straight games with a double-double, posting the longest streak in franchise history and the longest the league has seen in such a category since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77.
After missing the playoffs via the play-in tournament, Sabonis and the Kings will be entering the 2024-25 season with redemption on their minds. Next to De'Aaron Fox, Sabonis will aim to have yet another legendary season. Only this time, he will inherit the legend of Bob Davies to live up to with his No. 11 jersey.
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