Houston Rockets forward Jack McVeigh will become the first NBA player to wear No. 58 as a regular jersey number for the upcoming 2024-25 season, according to basketball number expert Etienne Catalan.
Number nine has never been worn by an NBA player
Since the number 58 is taken, this now leaves nine unused numbers: 64, 69, 74, 75, 78, 79, 80, 82, and 87. Sixty-nine is banned by the NBA because the number refers to a sexual situation and also symbolizes a dirty act.
However, the number 69 has been worn by more than 250 NFL players. Defensive tackle Xavier Williams is wearing 69 for the 2021 season with the Houston Texans. Edge rusher Chase Winovich also wore it with the Cleveland Browns in 2022.
Jack McVeigh (@theJackMcVeigh) will wear No. 58 for the #Rockets. The number has never been worn in franchise AND NBA history. #NBA pic.twitter.com/Gv1KMGAaGt
— Etienne Catalan (@EtienneCatalan) September 28, 2024
NBA players will also no longer be able to choose No. 6 as the number worn by Bill Russell during his 13 years. The league retired the number in August 2022 after his passing.
Players wearing number 6 jerseys at the time were exempt from this rule. All NBA players also wore a commemorative patch on their uniforms for the 2022-23 season as a tribute to Russell.
Houston Rockets forward Jack McVeigh signed a two-way contract in July
McVeigh, 28, graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2019. The 6-foot-8 Australian hooper signed a two-way contract with the Rockets in July.
After college, McVeigh returned to his hometown to play for the Gold Coast Rollers in the 2018 Queensland Basketball League season. He later joined the Adelaide 36ers of the National Basketball League (NBL) on a three-year contract. The Nebraska product averaged 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds with the 36ers in 2018-19.
McVeigh then played for the North Adelaide Rockets in the 2019 Premier League season. He averaged 9.4 points per game in the 2020-21 season, helping the Rockets win the 2021 NBL1 Central championship.
In the 2023–24 NBL season, McVeigh helped the Tasmania Jack Jumpers return to the NBL Grand Final series with a 2–1 semi-final series victory over the Perth Wildcats. He scored a game-high 27 points in Game 3.
The JackJumpers went on to win the NBL championship with a 3-2 grand final series win over Melbourne United, with McVeigh named grand final MVP. He was also named the JackJumpers Club MVP after finishing the season averaging 17.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
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