Who are the players who have their jerseys retired by Utah State?

Wayne Estes. Photo courtesy of Utah State University

LOGAN – Utah State announced last week it will retire the jersey of its all-time leading scorer, Jaycee Carroll, on Feb. 18 during the halftime break of the Aggie game against Nevada. The former guard, who scored 2,522 points in his four years in Logan, announced his retirement from basketball in June following a 13-year professional career in Europe, mostly spent with the Spanish club Real Madrid.

Carroll’s No. 20 jersey will hang from the rafters on the east side of the court, but who will he join up there? Some of the names are legendary in the halls of Aggie lore while others are lesser-known, shaded by the passage of time. We’ll go through all five of the jerseys and numbers.

First, a quick explanation of how jersey retirement has worked at Utah State. While there are five players honored, not all of these numbers are retired, as in they aren’t in circulation for future players to use. Utah State has honored three players by displaying their jersey in the rafters but those numbers can still be used. Two others have had their numbers retired and no Aggie in the future can wear those. Carroll will join the former group.

Retired Jerseys

#5 – Greg Grant (1982-86)

Greg Grant. Photo courtesy of Utah State University

Awards:

  • 3x Honorable Mention AP All-American (1983, 85, 86)
  • PCAA co-Player of the Year (1986)
  • 2x First Team All-PCAA (1985, 86)
  • 2x Second Team All-PCAA (1983, 84)
  • 6x PCAA Player of the Week
  • PCAA All-Freshman Team(1983)
  • PCAA Freshman of the Year (1983)
  • Big West Double-Decade Team (2nd Team)
  • Utah State University Hall of Fame (1993)
  • Utah State All-Century Basketball Team (2005)

Records held upon leaving Utah State: 25

Records that still stand are in bold. Those that were later broken are in italics with note of which player broke that record (the player who broke the record may or may not be the current record-holder).

  • Career Steals – 226
  • Rebounds per game by freshman – 9.1
  • Minutes per game by a freshman – 32.2
  • Career points – 2,127 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • Career games played – 115 (broken by Reid Newey)
  • Career games started – 115 (broken by Tai Wesley)
  • Career minutes played – 3,923 (broken by Tyler Newbold)
  • Career blocks – 63 (broken by Gilbert Pete)
  • Career field goals made – 852 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • Career FGA – 1,604 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • Career steals per game – 2.0 (broken by Jay Goodman)
  • Career 10-point games – 105 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • Points by freshman – 427 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • Points per game by freshman – 14.7 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • Rebounds by freshman – 263 (broken by Neemias Queta)
  • Steals by a freshman – 44 (broken by Albert Chappell)
  • Steals per game by a freshman – 1.5 (broken by Albert Chappell)
  • Field goals made by a freshman – 170 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • FGA by a freshman – 303 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • FG% by a freshman – 56.1% (broken by Tai Wesley)
  • Free throws made by a freshman – 87 (broken by Koby McEwen)
  • FTA by a freshman – 121 (broken by Koby McEwen)
  • FT% by a freshman – 71.9 (broken by Danny Conway)
  • Games started by a freshman – 29 (broken by Jaycee Carroll)
  • Minutes by a freshman – 934
  • Games played by a freshman – 29

In 1982, Greg Grant stepped onto the court at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for the first time and immediately began to dominate. He set the standard for freshman performance at Utah State, setting 14 freshman records for the Aggies, two of which still stand today. His 25 total records are the most held by any Utah State player at any one time, though only three have withstood the test of time.

Grant became the second Utah State player to cross the 2,000-point threshold, and is one of only two Aggies to reach 2,000 points without making a single 3-pointer. Perhaps the most unique thing about Grant is his distinction as the only player to rank in the top 11 at Utah State in points (3rd), rebounds (3rd), assists (11th), steals (226) and blocks (10th).

#24 – Cornell Green (1959-62)

Cornell Green. Photo courtesy of Utah State University

Awards:

  • Honorable Mention AP All-American (1962)
  • 2x Helms Athletic Foundation All-American (1960, 61)
  • NABC Third Team All-American (1962)
  • Skyline Conference MVP (1960)
  • 3x All-Skyline (1960, 61, 62)
  • Utah State University Hall of Fame (1993)
  • Utah State All-Century Basketball Team (2005)

Records held upon leaving Utah State: 15

Records that still stand are in bold. Those that were later broken are in italics with note of which player broke that record (the player who broke the record may or may not be the current record-holder).

  • Free Throw Attempts in an NCAA Tournament Game – 15
  • Single-season Rebounds – 403
  • Single-season Free Throws Made – 227
  • Single-season Free Throw Attempts – 324
  • Career Rebounds – 1,067
  • Career Points per Game – 22.5 (broken by Wayne Estes)
  • Career Rebounds per Game – 12.7 (broken by Marv Roberts)
  • Career Free Throws Attempted – 569 (broken by Marv Roberts)
  • Single-season Points – 745 (broken by Wayne Estes)
  • Single-season Points per Game – 25.7 (broken by Wayne Estes)
  • Single-season Rebounds per Game – 13.8 (broken by Marv Roberts)
  • Single-season Field Goals Made – 259 (broken by Wayne Estes)
  • Single-season Field Goals Attempted – 542 (broken by Wayne Estes)
  • Single-game Points – 46 (broken by Wayne Estes)
  • Single-game Free Throws Attempted – 20 (broken by Marv Roberts)

Green was the first statistical giant in Utah State history. He set a new single-season points record for the school twice, first scoring 615 in 1959-60 and then 745 in 1961-62, the latter of those is still fourth-most all-time at USU. Green is one of just five Aggies to ever score 700 points in a season. In the 1959-60 season, Green recorded what is still to this day the only 400-rebound season in school history.

But while Green set many records, most have now been beaten. All except his career and single-season marks in rebounds and free throws. Those remain very difficult peaks to reach and it may take many years for them to finally fall.

Perhaps the most interesting part about Green is that despite being one of the greatest basketball players in Utah State history, he didn’t pursue a professional career in basketball. Instead, Green played 13 years in the NFL (Green didn’t play a single down of college football) as a defensive back, all for the Dallas Cowboys. He was part of the 1972 Super Bowl-winning Cowboys team and also earned numerous individual awards including five Pro Bowl selections, three First-team All-Pro and one Second-team All-Pro selections, and NFL All-Rookie honors.

#31 Marv Roberts

Marv Roberts. Photo courtesy of Utah State University

Awards:

  • 2x Honorable Mention AP All-American (1969, 71)
  • 3x Helms Athletic Foundation All-American (1969, 70, 71)
  • Basketball News Third Team All-American (1969)
  • 2x UPI All-American (1969, 71)
  • Utah State University Hall of Fame (2006)
  • Utah State All-Century Basketball Team (2005)

All-Time Career Rank in Primary Stats

  • Points: 7th (1,844)
  • Rebounds: 4th (997)

Records held upon leaving Utah State: 11

Records that still stand are in bold. Those that were later broken are in italics with note of which player broke that record (the player who broke the record may or may not be the current record-holder)

  • Field Goals Made in an NCAA Tournament Game – 14 (tied with two others)
  • Field Goals Attempted in an NCAA Tournament Game – 35
  • Career Rebounds per Game – 12.8
  • Career Double-Doubles – 54
  • Career Free Throws Attempted – 646
  • Single-Season Rebounds per Game – 13.9
  • Single-season Double-Doubles – 21
  • Single-game Free Throws Attempted – 22
  • Consecutive 10-Rebound Games – 17
  • Consecutive Double-Doubles – 17
  • Career 10-rebound games – 55 (broken by Justin Bean)

When Justin Bean rolled through Logan racking up double-doubles, the records he ultimately chased in that category all belonged to Utah State’s double-double king, Marv Roberts. Bean never did claim any of the single-season or career records in double-doubles held by Roberts, only stealing away the career 10-rebound game mark. The 10 currently held records is second only to one other name that will be found later in this list.

In 1970-71 Roberts led the Aggies in points, rebounds and assists – one of just two players in school history to accomplish that (Spencer Nelson, 2004-05).

Roberts was an integral part in two of the greatest teams in Utah State history. He, alongside Nate Williams, led the Aggies to a 42-14 record across two seasons from 1969-1971 and at one point in the latter season were ranked ninth in the country. Utah State made it to the NCAA Tournament in both seasons, going 2-2.

It was also during Roberts’ tenure that the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum was opened. In the first-ever game played in the Spectrum, Roberts led the Aggies to a 95-89 win over the Ohio  State Buckeyes who would end the season as the 10th-ranked team in the country.

Roberts also had one of the more successful professional careers among former Aggies. He played eight seasons in the NBA/ABA, averaging 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds and was also part of the 1975 ABA Champion Kentucky Colonels.

Retired Numbers

#6 – Bert Cook (1950-52)

Bert Cook. Photo courtesy of Utah State University

Awards:

  • Helms Athletic Foundation First Team All-American (1951)
  • Utah Hall of Fame (1991)
  • Utah State All-Century Basketball Team (2005)

All-Time Career Rank in Primary Stats

  • Points: 29th (1,133)

Records held upon leaving Utah State: 4

Records that still stand are in bold. Those that were later broken are in italics with note of which player broke that record (the player who broke the record may or may not be the current record-holder).

  • Career Points – 1,133 (broken by Max Perry)
  • Single-season Points – 589 (broken by Cornell Green)
  • Single-season Free Throws Made – 203 (broken by Cornell Green)
  • Single-game Free Throws Made – 15 (broken by Wayne Estes)

The name Bert Cook doesn’t ring much of a bell with many Aggie fans. He didn’t set boatloads of records the way many later players would. But Cook was the first Aggie great and in its own way sets him apart and even above his counterparts. When he left Utah State he was the only player to have ever scored 1,000 points in an Aggie uniform. Cook was also the first USU basketball player to ever be drafted into the NBA. In 1952 he was drafted by the New York Knicks and in the 1954-55 season played 37 games for the team. His career ended rather abruptly due to a knee injury.

The retiring of Cook’s number is a fairly unique event, too. While other numbers or jerseys have often taken years to be honored, Cook’s No. 6 was retired in a halftime ceremony during his final season at Utah State.

#33 – Wayne Estes

Wayne Estes. Photo courtesy of Utah State University

Awards:

  • First-Team AP All-American (1965)
  • Utah State University Hall of Fame (1993)
  • Utah State All-Century Basketball Team MVP (2005)

All-Time Career Rank in Primary Stats

  • Points: 4th (2,001)
  • Rebounds: 5th (893)

Records held upon leaving Utah State: 21

Records that still stand are in bold. Those that were later broken are in italics with note of which player broke that record (the player who broke the record may or may not be the current record-holder).

  • Points in an NCAA Tournament Game – 38
  • Field Goals Made in an NCAA Tournament Game – 14 (tied with two others)
  • Career Points per Game – 26.7
  • Career Free Throws Made – 469
  • Single-season Points – 821
  • Single-season Points per Game – 33.7
  • Single-season Field Goals Made – 309
  • Single-season Field Goals Attempted – 645
  • Single-game points – 52
  • Single-Game Rebounds – 28
  • Single-game Field Goals Made – 21
  • Single-game Field Goals Attempted – 40
  • Consecutive 10-point Games – 64
  • Career Points – 2,001 (broken by Greg Grant)
  • Career Field Goals Made – 766 (broken by Greg Grant)
  • Career Field Goals Attempted – 1,591 (broken by Greg Grant)
  • Career Free Throw Percentage – 85.6 (broken by Tony Brown)
  • Career Double-Doubles – 36 (broken by Marv Roberts)
  • Career 10-rebound Games – 32
  • Single-season Free Throw Percentage – 87.8 (broken by Jay Goodman)
  • Single-season Double-Doubles – 17 (broken by Marv Roberts)

Estes is the name in Utah State basketball history. His legacy is one of legendary status and also cruel tragedy. In the 1964-65 season Estes put together arguably the greatest season in USU history which included several of the greatest individual games in program history. He scored 52 points – the current program record – in December of 1964. And on Feb. 18, 1965, Estes scored 48 points in a win over Denver, pushing him over the 2,000-point mark. To that point in collegiate basketball history only 26 players had reached that mark.

Unfortunately, as Estes made his way home the same night he reached 2,000 career points, he brushed against a downed power line and was killed. His subsequent First-Team AP All-American honors (the only consensus All-American in USU’s men’s basketball history) and jersey retirement were given posthumously.

The memory of Estes lives on in his dominant legacy which includes statistical marks that will likely never be beaten. Even Carroll, who shattered Estes’ career point total, couldn’t even come close to the single-season point total of 821 points, nor the 33.7 points per game Estes had in his final season.

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5 Comments

  • pablo January 8, 2023 at 1:54 pm Reply

    I was fortunate to be in attendance when Wayne Estes had his final game against Denver. The next morning, when I awoke to the news that he was electrocuted just hours after the game remains one of those moments in time that are locked in forever. I vividly remember a memorial service in the fieldhouse where President Daryl Chase gave the game ball to Wayne’s little brother.

  • Bob January 8, 2023 at 8:24 pm Reply

    Shaler Halimon. Best player I ever watched

  • M&G January 9, 2023 at 10:59 pm Reply

    Remember that the earlier players were playing in an era where there were NO 3-point shots, and goal-tending was stringently enforced, including no slam dunks.

    I was in 9th grade when Wayne Estes died. It was ll anyone could talk about for days.

    Nate Williams—my mother taught for the English department. He was in one of her classes. This was long before the NCAA enforced academic standards like they (sort of) do today. Coach Ladell Anderson called her up almost daily haranguing at her, demanding that she pass him so he could play. She was not impressed.

  • Jeff February 8, 2023 at 6:58 am Reply

    Whats the difference between a retired jersey and a retired numbrt?

    • Abe Lincoln March 19, 2023 at 10:28 pm Reply

      It is explained in the article.

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