Basketball star LeBron James has changed numbers a few times during his career before finally landing on the No. 23 he currently sports for the Los Angeles Lakers.
How did James settle on 23? And why did he keep switching back-and-forth? Here's a closer look at James' history with different numbers.
How James Initially Became 23
Initially, James chose the number 32 as a freshman at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School because the No. 23, in honor of Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan, was taken. When 23 became available his sophom*ore season, James took it.
"When I started playing basketball, I was like 'Man, that 2-3 looks good,'" James said in 2019. "'I want to be able to fly like him.'"
James kept the number 23 when he entered the National Basketball Association (NBA) straight out of high school to become the No. 1 overall pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In 2009, however, James told TNT he believed the NBA should retire Jordan's number league-wide, similar to what the National Hockey League (NHL) did for Wayne Gretzky's No. 99. Major League Baseball (MLB) retired Jackie Robinson's No. 42 as well, for reasons that go far beyond athletic greatness.
At the time, James said he would start a petition for every player wearing 23 to give it up.
"I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized in some way soon," James said in March 2010. "If you see 23, you think about Michael Jordan. You see guys flying through the air, you think about Michael Jordan. You see game-winning shots, you think about Michael Jordan. You see fly kicks, you think about Michael Jordan. He did so much, it has to be recognized, and not just by putting him in the Hall of Fame."
James Switches to Six (The First Time)
James finished the season wearing No. 23, but after the Boston Celtics eliminated the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals and James famously decided to take his talents to South Beach to play for the Miami Heat, he opted to switch to the No. 6.
That number is important to James in several ways. He wore the 6 internationally when competing with Team USA for Olympic gold. His oldest son Bronny was born on October 6, and his middle child Bryce was born in June, which is the sixth month of the year. Additionally, two players James has publicly expressed great admiration for—Bill Russell and Julius Erving—both wore the No. 6 as well.
James Returns to Cleveland and No. 23
In 2014, after winning two titles with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Heat, James announced he would return to Cleveland. ESPN reported that James considered a return to the No. 32, but he opted to go back to 23 (a decision that Jordan said he was "cool with" despite James' campaign on his behalf).
In 2018, after helping the Cavaliers win a title and get back to the NBA Finals four times, James signed with the Lakers. He kept his No. 23 at first, but wanted to give Anthony Davis the number when the star big man joined the Lakers as a free agent prior to the 2019-20 season. Nike, however, had already produced a great number of "James 23" jerseys for the Lakers and couldn't accommodate a number change at that point, so Davis took the No. 3.
Davis opted to keep 3 after the Lakers won a title in 2020.
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James Switches to Six (The Second Time)
In October 2021, James did finally switch back to No. 6, although he expressed that it might be temporary. When Russell died in 2022, James told ESPN he would honor him by wearing it for another season.
"For me to be able to wear the 6 this season, I'm not sure if I will continue to do it, but right now I'm going to wear it in honor of him," James said at the time. "It means a lot to me, and I'm happy to be part of such a great league that represents so many great icons, and obviously this guy is such an icon both on and off the floor."
A Final Switch?
Shortly after Russell's death, the NBA announced it would retire his number 6 league-wide. Players already wearing 6 were allowed to keep it, but James opted to switch after a final season sporting the number "out of respect for Russell," Klutch Sports' Rich Paul told ESPN.
Incidentally, the NBA's decision to retire 6 could make for a unique honor in James' favor: The Heat are likely to raise his number to the rafters after his career is over, which means Miami would retire 6 on behalf of both Russell and James.
James went back to the No. 23, which he has now worn in 15 out of his 21 seasons as an NBA player.
At 38, he is still averaging 25.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists and appears to have plenty left in the tank if he opts to play with his son Bronny, as he has hinted he wants to do multiple times in the past.
Will James switch his number again if he and Bronny do team up somewhere other than Los Angeles? That remains to be seen.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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