The Numbers Game

This article is dealing with the free agency market involving superstar calliber athletes being moved to other teams and going through complications not only involving salary but involving them playing with their lucky number. Chris Webber was recently traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Philidelphia 76ers, and wanted to keep him number 4. Webber has had this number since he was playing at Michigan withthe FAB 5. Webber was able to retain his number from Philidelphia's 1st round draft pick last year Andre Iguodala. Usually players will have to pay another player for the rights to that number if someone already has the number on the team. It usually involves thousands of dollars. In this case it was nothing. Andre's agent who played with Webber at Michigan said,"Andre was a huge fan of the Fab 5.", he also stated"Any time a young, rising star can do something to show respect for someone he looked up to, he's going to do it." Amoung the players that are being sent to other teams Keith Van Horn #44, Baron Davis #1, and Antone Walker's # 8 (others and full article can be found here http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1999152 ) are all going to have to be bought from another teamate. Is a number worth thousands of dollars? In this greedy world of athletes yes, i believe it is. Whatever makes them perform at a high level with a minimal amount of complaining works best!