Bobby Portis is a numbers guy. That’s his phrase, not mine. So when he got traded to the Miami Heat and found out someone already had his No. 9, he did what any reasonable veteran would do. He tried to buy it.
Didn’t work.
The new Heat forward told FOX 16 KLRT that he approached teammate Pelle Larsson with an offer for the number. Larsson wasn’t interested. Not even a little bit.
“One of my teammates has my number, No. 9,” Portis said. “He said it was super sentimental to his family and everybody wore No. 9. I tried to pay him for it. He still didn’t want the money.”
Why Portis Ended Up at No. 95
Portis wore No. 9 during his six seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. But after they shipped him and Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami in June, he figured maybe it was time for a fresh start anyway. He called it a “blessing in disguise” that Larsson turned down the cash.
“I kind of want to leave No. 9 in the past in Milwaukee and start something new,” Portis said.
So he settled on No. 95. And if you think that’s random, you don’t know the guy. Portis explained the logic.
“I wore No. 9 in Milwaukee, and I had (jersey) No. 5 to start my career. Put them together, it’s my birth year. Then I was in a car riding with my OG, I looked up, and it said, ’95 South.’ I just took it around with it.”
So there it is. The number 95 is a combo of Portis’s rookie number and his Milwaukee number, plus a nod to his birth year and a random highway sign he spotted. He’s not the first NBA player to let street signs influence his wardrobe, but he might be the only one who admitted it.
What Portis Brings to Miami
The Heat didn’t bring in Portis to sell jerseys. They brought him to give the second unit some actual scoring pop. Last season with the Bucks, he averaged 13.7 points and 6.4 boards in about 24 minutes off the bench. That’s sixth-man material, and Portis knows the role well.
He won a championship in Milwaukee in 2021. He’s seen playoff basketball at its highest level. The Heat are betting he can slot right in and do what he’s always done: score in bursts, grab offensive rebounds, and bring that edge he’s known for. Whether he’s a starter or a reserve, Portis said he’s comfortable either way.
One thing’s for sure. He’s not getting No. 9. And he seems fine with that now.
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