Teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) retire jersey numbers of players who either are considered by the team to have made significant contributions to that team's success, or who have experienced untimely deaths during their playing career. As with other leagues, once a team retires a player's jersey number, it never issues the number to any other player, unless the player or team explicitly allows it.

History Since NCAA teams began retiring numbers, many players have had their jersey number retired. Murray State University has the most retired numbers among Division I programs, with 15. Unlike professional leagues, no one player has had his number retired by two teams.

Some programs such as Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse,Syracuse University Retired Basketball Uniforms at Orange Hoops.com Oklahoma State, Georgetown, Stanford, Maryland, or Baylor, have not officially retired jersey numbers yet. Unlike major sports leagues in the United States such as the NBA (which retired Bill Russell's number 6), MLB (which retired Jackie Robinson's number 42), and the NHL (which did so for Wayne Gretzky's 99), the NCAA has never retired a jersey number league-wide in honor of anyone.

Nevertheless, there are some cases of retirement of a same number honoring two different players, such as the University of Texas at El Paso, which retired number 14 worn first by Bobby Joe Hill (1961–1966) and then by Nate "Tiny" Archibald (1967–70).

Retired numbers

Elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player Player on a team elected as a unit to the Basketball Hall of Fame

University No. Player Tenure Ref. Alabama 1969–1973 2020 17, 2020 Albany 2002–2007 University at Albany Marks 10th Anniversary of Division I Athletics Arizona 1996–1998 2004 Arizona basketball: Wildcats' Ring of Honor and jersey retirement rules are stupid By David Potts – Apr 15, 2015Arizona Athletics Department to Retire Mike Bibby's Jersey on Arizona Wildcats 1999–2003 2005 1983–1988 1999 1995–1999 2015 Jason Terry's No. 31 Jersey Retired on Feb. 19 on Arizona Wildcats 1985–1989 1996 1994–1998 2016 Arizona State 2007–2009 2015 [James Harden's jersey number retired at Arizona State] on Sportingnews.com by Gabrielle McMillen - 19 Feb 2015 Arkansas 1975–1979 Retired jerseys a rare sight for Razorbacks by Wally Hall at Arkansas Democrat Gazette, September 15, 2016 1992–1995 Army 1983–1987 2015 1963–1966 2015 1974–1978 2015 West Point retired jerseys at goarmywestpoint.com, 6 March 2015 Auburn 1990–1994 2006 1968–1971 2001 1974–1978 2013 Auburn retires Mike Mitchell's No. 30 jersey before tipoff against Kentucky at Al.com, 20 Jan 2013 1956–1959 2006 1981–1984 2001 1982–1986 2006 Austin Peay 1974–1978 1999 1993–1997 1998 1967–1970 1992 1972–1974 2009 1997–2001 2002 Ball State 1979–1983 1994–1998 Belmont 1953–1956 Robert Barnes bio at belmont.comBelmont Bruins History & Tradition .Retrieved October 11, 2020 1986–1990 Athlete Alumni Spotlight -- Joe Behling at belmont.com Bucknell 1977–1981 2009–2013 1956–1959 Buffalo 1993–1998 , p. 88 2001–2005 1970–1973 1954-1955 Buffalo Bulls Basketball by Scott Hollander at University at Buffalo Libraries 1951–1955 1949–1952 1970–1973 2018-19 Buffalo men's basketball media guide, p. 94–95 BYU 1970–1973 2006 REMEMBER WHEN... BYU RETIRED KRESIMIR COSIC'S JERSEY? at BYU.com 1948–1951 2013 1947–1951 2013 1977–1981 2003 A Lofty Honor for Ainge at BYU Magazine, Spring 2003 2007–2011 2026 Jimmer Fredette shares his desire ‘to bring people to Christ’ during jersey retirement ceremony at BYU at Deseret News, Winter 2026 California 1991–1997 1997 Al Grigsby Roundtable: Recalling The Career Of One Of Cal's Hardest Working Players, 9 Feb 2011 1992–1994 2004 Like Kidd, retiring his Cal jersey a bad example by Glenn Dickey on SFGate, Feb. 12, 2004 1983–1987 1992 1957–1960 2009 Cal Poly 1947–1950 1993 1965–1968 1993 Cal State Fullerton 1999–2000 2004 Anderson Jersey Retired in Front of Packed House at 247sports.comAmerica Falls In Love With Rodney Anderson at CSUF News 1981–1984 LEON WOOD - OFFICIAL #40 at NBRA.net 1974–1978 Former Basketball Star Distinguished Alumnus at fullertontitans.com Central Arkansas Scottie Pippen 1983–1987 2010 Retirement of Jersey Honor for Pippen at UCA.eduCentral Arkansas retires Scottie Pippen's jersey at NBA.com, 20 Jan 2010 Central Michigan 1973–1975 Central Michigan men's basketball record book, 2015–16 (archived) 1980–1983 1970–1973 1972–1975 1984–1988 1973–1977 1963–1966 Charlotte 1985–1989 Byron Dinkins Named Director of Player Development at Charlotte at hoopdirt.com, 10 May 2018 1994–1998 2002–2005 Charlotte 49ers Jersey Retirement: Eddie Basden - Charlotte 49ers, Feb 18, 2009 at charlotte49ers.com 1990–1991, 1992–1995 Lang bio at aussiehoopla 1973–1977 Aggies Name Watkins Head Basketball Coach at 12thman.com - 1 Apr 1998 1973–1977 Cedric Maxwell bio at charlotte49ers.com 1988–1992 Niners Legend Henry Williams Has Passed Away, 14 Mar 2018 at charlotte49ers.com 1997–1999 This Week in 49ers History: Charles Hayward, 11 Sep 2020 at charlotte49ers.com Cincinnati 1996–2000 Cincinnati retired numbers on GoBearCats.com 1957–1960 1951–1955 Clemson 1937–1939 1987 1973–1977 Clemson unveils 25 members of the all-time team on Clemson Tigers 1987–1991 Cleveland State 1985–1989 1989 Retired numbers at 2017–18 Cleveland State Men's Basketball Record Book, p. 71 1977–1981 1981 2007–2011 2016 1983–1987 2022 Clinton Ransey's 30-year journey from Cleveland State basketball star to college graduate