CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Team USA is loaded with NBA players but most American superstars look slightly different on the court in the Paris Olympics.
Few of them are wearing their signature number. Michael Jordan never wore 23, Larry Bird never wore 33 and Steph Curry isn't wearing 30. Other NBA stars have ditched their traditional number, too, including Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Davis. Just two U.S. players are wearing the number they're known for in the NBA: Anthony Edwards (5) and Bam Adebayo (13).
Why do Team USA players switch their numbers in the Olympics? It turns out the tradition was born out of necessity. FIBA, the organization that oversees Olympic basketball, used to restrict player numbers from 4-15 to make things easier for officials during the games.
FIBA eliminated the rule in 2014, but Team USA has kept the tradition alive in international play, including the Paris Olympics. That's why Curry, who made the No. 30 famous at Davidson and in the NBA, is rocking No. 4 in Paris. There isn't a single women's player wearing the same number as they do in the WNBA.
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