This post is part of a media project called SoCal Sports History 101: The Prime Numbers from 00 to 99 that Uniformly, Uniquely and Unapologetically Reveal The Narrative of Our Region’s Athletic Heritage. Pick a number, and consider the list of athletes attached to it. Who wore it best? Or, what’s the most compelling story linked to it? Any person, place or thing is in play with Southern California connections. Star power, transformational achievement, longevity, notoriety and quirkiness all factor in. Whatever leads to a lively discussion and interpretation.
The most obvious choices for No. 00:
Benoit Benjamin: Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers
Brian Wilson: Los Angeles Dodgers
Kevin Duckworth: Los Angeles Clippers
The most interesting story for No. 00:
Benoit Benjamin: Los Angeles Clippers center (1985-86 to 1990-91); Los Angeles Lakers center (1992-93)
Southern California map pinpoints:
Los Angeles (Sports Arena); Inglewood (Forum)
Double-digit zeros, and Benoit Benjamin, live together in imperfect alliterative NBA harmony. And a good dose of infamy.
Nothing from nothing leaves nothing.
The player, and the number, have become a circumstantial and consequential representation of Los Angeles Clippers’ entire existence. Visual evidence that Donald T. Sterling’s decision to escape the shackles of horrible San Diego to enhance his real estate presence in the area already dominated by the Los Angeles Lakers seemed like a suicide mission from the day the Clipper ship, which originally left its dock in Buffalo, decided to find a new port of entry.
Both the franchise in general, and Benjamin in particular, bank on the idea that, with a perceived amount of talent sporting an NBA-approved jersey, a major global metropolitan city will take them in. Like a weary immigrant, as the Lakers once were after shipping out from Minnesota.
That lacks a certain maturity for the sophistication of a basketball-knowledgeable L.A. The Clippers’ consistent failures can be captured in a flashback to someone like Benjamin.
Take a seat. We’ll try to explain.
In the 1985 NBA draft, Clippers GM Carl Sheer declared that a 7-foot junior center from Creighton, a native of Monroe, Louisiana named Lenard Benoit Benjamin, would be worth the value of their No. 3 overall draft pick. It was the Clippers’ free will do to this. After all, the kid averaged 21.5 points and 14.5 rebounds for the Bluejays in the rugged Missouri Valley Conference.
Benjamin described being the third-from-the-top choice as vindication from some of the criticism he received during his college career.
“Some people said I didn’t work hard,” said Benjamin, who wore No. 00 at Crieghton for coach Willis Reed, in the final season he coached there. “The right people knew what I was doing.”
Surely, Reed could read the room and vouch for Benjamin’s talents.
Creighton lost its last five games in a 13-12 season, including its MVC tournament opener. They played two nationally ranked teams all season and were hammered — losing by 23 against No. 9 DePaul and by 14 against No. 15 Tulsa. Wichita State senior Xavier McDaniel led the MVC in points and rebounds and was conference MVP.
Clippers coach Don Chaney, who took over the last 20-some games of the ’84-85 season for a 31-51 Pacific Division fifth-place team, must have felt as if he did something wrong seeing Benjamin fall into his lap.
Maybe the Clippers think tank was just sizing up all the available super-sized college players from the wrong end. Benjamin was available after New York took Patrick Ewing and Indiana was satisfied with taking Wayman Tisdale. After Benjamin, Chris Mullin went to Golden State and Karl Malone to Utah, where each were on a path to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
It’s the danger of making someone your center, and centerpiece, when your franchise has a bit of a Napoleonic complex. Or imposters’ syndrome.
Benjamin was four years removed from being named a McDonald’s High School American, which may have left Big Ben believing that came with a lifetime supply of Big Macs.
The Clippers also made sure everyone knew his first name was pronounced “ben-OYT,” not “behn-WAH” when they laid out a then-sizeable four-year, $3.5-million investment in his services.
Those first four seasons saw the Clippers go 32-50, 12-70, 17-65 and 21-61.
His mark on Clippers’ lore was twice setting a franchise record with 10 blocked shots in a game. He remains their all-time leader in that category with 1,117 (or 2.8 per game). We’ve been trying to block that out ever since.
His career-best 16.4 points a game average in ’88-’89 was presentable. That year, he had a career-high 34 points and career-high 23 rebounds – in the same game. Of course, it was a three-point loss to Charlotte, as Kurt Rambis was assigned to guard him that night.
The most impactful moment in his Clipper career came when he just minding his business going after a rebound during a game in Dallas. Teammate Marques Johnson ran into his stomach and suffered what would end up as a career-derailing neck injury. Not only was that tough to stomach, but Benjamin didn’t even get the rebound on the play.
“He (Marques) got the rebound and he turned to go up the court and he hit my stomach,” Benjamin said after the game. “When he was falling down, his neck was turned. As I looked down, I knew he was hurt.”
Thanks for the diagnosis, big man.
Before the 1987 season, the Los Angeles Times sent reporter Chris Baker to Monroe, La., to try to size Benjamin up in a story. It started this way:
Benoit Benjamin thought the young fan was going to ask for an autograph.
“Say, aren’t you Benoit Benjamin?” the youngster asked. “Don’t you play for the Clippers?
“You guys are awful!”
This was Benjamin’s team, now the center of attention. Bill Walton left after ’85, his only pro season back in L.A. after the team’s move from San Diego in 1984. The Clippers had James Donaldson and Wallace Bryant to go with Jamaal Wilkes, Norm Nixon and Marques Johnson.
Things got so bad for Benjamin during the Clippers’ 70-loss season, second worst in NBA history to that point, Benjamin said he wouldn’t leave his house except to go to games and practices. He would sit at home, staring at his giant fish tank. …
Baker continued:
Benjamin, 22, a flop in his first two seasons, said he’s had a change of heart and will have a new attitude this season.
His previous coach Chaney said Benjamin was “his own worst enemy. … And I don’t think he’s that dedicated. … If he weighs 250-245, then he’s ready to play. If not, then it’s the same old thing. I called one month last summer, and he said he was 245. He was 270 when he showed up at camp. If he said he weighs 245, you’d better take a scale with you. I’d like to see him get serious about the game and improve. If he was serious, he’d work out in the summer.”
The story noted how during his second pro season, Benjamin missed planes, practices and meetings, once brought two left shoes to an exhibition game and made obscene gestures to heckling fans, including the first time he returned to L.A. to play for the visiting Seattle Sonics and the Clippers fans unloaded.
But he enjoy showing off his new $18,000, 20-foot power boat to the Times’ reporter.
Almost halfway through 1990-’91, Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor, who arrived four seasons earlier, had a nice idea — get Seattle’s Olden Polynice, give him the No. 0, and send Double-B/Double-Zilch to the Emerald City. The Clippers also got first-round draft picks for 1991 and ’94 which, of course, they failed to cash in. LeRon Ellis, the Mater Dei High-son of former Laker LeRoy Ellis, arrived in ’91, and they traded away the ’94 pick to Orlando in a deal that netted them Stanley Roberts.
Benjamin, by that point, had been through five different Clippers head coaches and thousands of excuses for his missteps.
In 2020, ClipsNation.com declared: “Benjamin was never an All-Star level player, but he was remarkably consistent in his Clippers tenure in particular, and perhaps some better franchise management could have been a core piece of a perennial playoff team.”
Consistently inconsistent?
The Lakers and GM Jerry West had a lapse in judgement in February of 1993 and sought Benjamin to come back to L.A. for their last 28 games. They sent Sam Perkins to Seattle in exchange. They also got Doug Christie in the deal to see if they could shake the team of a sub-.500 record.
Two months later, Benjamin may have lasted long enough to get in the team photo, but he was eventually cropped out. New Jersey had its own misguided assessed of a big man, Sam Bowie, and Nets GM Willis Reed (yes, the same one who coached up Benjamin at Creighton) sent Bowie to L..A. and took Benjamin back, thinking he was of some use.
This is what they got:
With the Nets, Benjamin had Yinka Dare as a teammate, and they were warming up before a game against Minnesota. Dare, a native of Nigeria still trying to figure out American nuances, noticed that Minnesota Timberwolves forward Christian Laettner was wearing a “C” on his uniform. He asked teammate Jayson Williams what that stood for.
“Caucasian,” said Williams.
Benjamin overheard what Williams said. After Dare went to the layup line, Benjamin went up to Williams and said: “That Dare is really stupid. He thinks Caucasian begins with a ‘C’ instead of a ‘K.’”
In the 2009 “Great Book of Los Angeles Sports Lists,” Benjamin is listed at No. 2 behind Michael Olowokandi in the Clippers’ lottery pick busts. It pointed out that his 15-year NBA career “was a case study in mediocrity. What makes Benoit stand out on this list is the fact he was the first lottery bust in team history. The Clippers may have drafted much worse players, but Benoit will always be synonymous with the disastrous first picks.”
Lorenzen Wright. Bo Kimble, Chris Wilcox. Reggie Williams. Shaun Livingston, Antonio McDyess, Darius Miles, Danny Ferry. That’s just through the early 2000s included in the book. In the 57-year history of the franchise that has 19 playoff appearances and zero titles, add in Yaroslav Korolev (No. 12 overall in 2005).
“Plus,” the Great Book of Los Angeles Sports Lists adds, “how many players are named Benoit?”
As long as you pronounce it correctly, what does it matter?
The legacy
There is a sweet, revealing interview Benjamin did with KM Videos on itsr YouTube channel (above). Watch Benjamin explain why he was 17 minutes late to their scheduled discussion.
“Technical difficulties,” he said. “Now I’m on. Now what?”
He gave his screen name as $$Benoit00 — explaining how he was given No. 00 in college and the pros because it was a tribute to another former Louisiana great, Robert Parrish.
Parish wore No. 00 at Centenary College of Louisiana in Shreveport during the mid-1970s. He kept it for 21 NBA seasons in Golden State and Boston and it hangs in the rafters alongside the Celtics’ other retired jerseys.
Perish the thought Benjamin thinks he’s in that stratosphere.
In the court of law, Benjamin was quite a distinctively off-brand figure as well.
When his NBA days were over — at one point, the Lakers again thought he might be serviceable and signed him back as a free agent before the 1999 season, but then dropped him to let him roam through Vancouver, Milwaukee, Toronto, Philadelphia and Cleveland — Benjamin somehow accumulated some $20 million in total salary.
He started playing overseas. He came back and found work with the Harlem Globetrotters in 2001 and ’02. On their actual team, not the touring Washington Generals.
Benjamin and four Globetrotter teammates were at Jayson Williams’ house one night when an incident occurred in 2002 that resulted in the shooting death of a limo chauffeur. Benjamin was called to testify in a trial against Williams. Benjamin stunned the courtroom saying he saw Williams pull the trigger of the gun. That contradicted defense claims the shotgun misfired without Williams pulling the trigger when he snapped its barrels closed.
“I didn’t expect that answer,” said chief prosecutor Steven Lember to the judge.
After his testimony ended, Benjamin yelped “Yippee!” He walked by Williams and sarcastically said “Good luck, man,” before strolling out of the courtroom. Williams was sentenced to five years in prison.
The Clippers are the only NBA franchise not to retire a jersey, going back to its expansion year of 1970 in Buffalo. It has featured players such as Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo (No. 11), a three-time league scoring champ and MVP. Plus Hall of Famer Bill Walton (No. 32). All Stars like World B. Free (No. 24), decent No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin (No. 32), and Kawhi Leonard (No. 2).
In the summer of 2025, it was pointed out to newly signed center Brook Lopez that the Clippers actually held the longest current streak in the NBA of seasons with a winning record — 14. Still, that happened during three different head coaches. A couple of times they were 42-40.
“It’s crazy to see, but it’s very cool,” Lopez told reporters. “I grew up in the Valley in North Hollywood. Obviously, things were very different back then. And to see where the Clippers have come now, it’s just astonishing. It’s beautiful. I’m glad to be a part of it. And hopefully, I can help take them even further up.”
All things considered, when holding up Benjamin as an example, it’s worth noting that between 1979 and 1981, the Clippers actually made two draft picks that ended up in the Hall of Fame. Just not the shrine honoring basketball players. In ’79, they took Mike Dodd out of San Diego State in the ninth round. He’s in several volleyball halls of fame. In 1981, they drafted Tony Gwynn from San Diego State in the 10th round. He’s in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
If the Clippers are back at the bottom and working their way up, retiring No. 00 for Benjamin might be a nice starting point. To mark one of their lowest points ever below sea level.
Who else wore No. 00 in SoCal sports history?
Make a case for:
Brian Wilson, Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher (2013 to 2014):
Southern California’s second most-famous Brian Wilson, after working for San Francisco, pitched in 79 games over two seasons, striking out 67 batters in 62 innings and collecting one save. He was very hairy, and scary, and used a lot of black beard dye. Even his baseball card says so.
Kevin Duckworth, Los Angeles Clippers center, 1996-97. After wearing it at Portland, Washington and Milwaukee, he brought it to L.A. for the last of his 11-year NBA career. He’s wasn’t worthy. He was the only other player aside from Benjamin to wear No. 00 in Clippers history. Note: Cal State Fullerton center Ozell “Hoppy” Jones wore No. 00 as a Titan from 1982 to 1984, but when he played three games for the Clippers in 1985-86, he was sporting No. 20.
Brennan Boesch, Los Angeles Angels outfielder (2014): Born in Santa Monica and a standout at Harvard-Westlake High, Boesch got in one season with the Angels and hit not so much over his number — .187 in 27 games.
Have you heard this one:
Aside from Benjamin, only one other Laker who purposely wore No. 00 – Calvin Garrett, who played in 41 games in 1983-84 and retired. There are three instances where Byron Scott (in 1989, James Worthy and Mychal Thompson (both in 1987) had to wear No. 00 during an emergency situation, because … the team misplaced their jersey? They misplaced their jersey? Thompson had just been traded to the Lakers from Portland on Feb. 14, and he played against Boston the next day wearing No. 00.
Still, it feels like this is a case where you are in high school, you were responsible for taking the jersey home to wash it and bring it back, and somehow lost it.
Anyone else worth nominating?
Also: If a dog makes it to the NFL, there is an official Chargers or Rams jersey awaiting:
Also: If a dog makes it to the MLS, there is an official Galaxy jersey awaiting:
Tom Hoffarth's The Drill: More Farther Off the Wall 
where is Benjamin now?
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