Blake Hinson, Utah Jazz legend, halts the jersey number carousel

Around and around and around it goes. Darryn Peterson’s prophesied selection with the second overall NBA Draft pick brought about a struggle that has spanned through generations — his preferred jersey number had already been claimed.

For NBA basketball players, a jersey number is much more than an arbitrary digit (unless you’re Dwight Howard, I suppose); it’s an identity synonymous with one’s own name. When you see the number 23, your mind likely flips to one of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, or Lauri Markkanen — three players of equal legacy and impact on the history of professional hoops. This is what stood at stake for Utah’s newest budding star: the difference between maintaining your identity and crafting one anew.

And that identity had already been claimed by one Kyle Filipowski.

“I’m going to have to see what he’s willing to do to give that up,” Peterson pondered in the wake of his draft results.

This could have been a threat to Filipowski’s manhood. A direct attempt to revoke a man’s pride while staring him directly in the eyes. It’s humiliating; it’s emasculating. One would leave this empasse as top dog, the other with his tail between his legs.

“…but if not, I might try to rock, 8,” conceded the newest member of the Utah Jazz, fully unaware of Isaiah Collier, who was already quite comfortable in that chair, having already changed his number once before from 13.

Ultimately, the rookie won out. Darryn Peterson maintains his brand and recaptures his pride at the expense of Filipowski. Apologies, owners of the now-outdated 22 uniforms — your asset’s value has depreciated faster than a timeshare on Alderaan.