Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has decided to revert his jersey number from 6 to 23 out of respect to Bill Russell. The Lakers confirmed the uniform modification on social media.
It's official. 23 is back. pic.twitter.com/hEqb5rQANk
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 16, 2023
The NBA retired the number 6 league-wide in August 2022 following the death of Russell, having worn the number for his whole career with the Boston Celtics.
However, players wearing the number during the beginning of 2022-23 were "grandfathered," meaning they could continue to sport the number, but future players could not.
The NBA's all-time leading scorer wore the number 23 for the Lakers for three seasons, from his arrival in Los Angeles for the 2018-19 season until 2020-21.
The four-time champion also wore 23 during his two stints for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2003 to 2010 and 2014 to 2018.
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LeBron James' jersey numbers
James has worn the number 6 three times -- during his Team USA career, his whole stint with the Miami Heat from 2010 to 2014, and the Lakers for the past two seasons.
The 38-year-old originally wanted to give #23 to Anthony Davis upon his arrival in LA in 2019, and he would switch to #6, but Nike denied the request because they would take a big hit due to their massive inventory of #23 James Lakers jerseys.
James eventually switched in the 2021-22 season, but Davis did not take #23, the number he wore during his college days in Kentucky and with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Devin Booker was thought to have the last game-worn #23 James Lakers uniform in existence after the four-time MVP gave it to him following their playoff series in 2021.
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