LeBron James to change jersey numbers with emotional reasoning

16 July 2023 , 17:03

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LeBron James confirmed in a speech at the ESPY awards that he would continue to play in the NBA (Image: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

NBA icon LeBron James will change his jersey number at the Los Angeles Lakers for next season.

James has been one of the biggest stars of the NBA since first emerging in the league 20 years ago. The 38-year-old was drafted with the No.1 overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 Draft.

When James first entered the NBA with the Cavaliers, he wore the No.23 jersey, which itself is an iconic number. Michael Jordan wore that number for the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls.

James wore the No.6 jersey when he moved to the Miami Heat in 2010. After signing for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, he returned to his previous no.23 jersey, which he kept when he moved to the Lakers in 2018.

Then in 2021, James made the decision to go back to wearing the No.6 jersey, which was a first while a Lakers player. He has now worn that jersey number for two seasons, but will now go back to wearing the No.23.

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After NBA legend Bill Russell died in July 2022, the NBA decided to honour the Boston Celtics icon by retiring the No.6 jersey across the whole league. Current players wearing the number were told that they could keep the same jersey if they wished.

James had spent a year wearing the No.6 jersey after the decision by the NBA, but has now opted to go back to No.23. His agent and friend, Rich Paul confirmed the reason behind the decision was to respect Russell’s legacy.

"It's LeBron's decision," Paul told . "He chose to out of respect for Bill Russell."

LeBron James with wear the No.23 jersey for the Los Angeles Lakers next season (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

James’ future in the NBA has been the subject of speculation ever since the Lakers’ 2022/23 season came to a conclusion. The Lakers lost in a 4-0 series sweep to eventual NBA champions the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.

After the Game Four loss, James hinted that he could retire from the sport after admitting he had a decision to make. But in a speech at the ESPY awards on July 12, James confirmed that he would not be calling it a day just yet.

“I don’t care how many more points I score, or what I can or cannot do on the floor,” James said at the awards show.

“The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game? The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.”

Mark Wakefield