Basketball legend and current Lakers forward LeBron James is in the midst of his 23rd season, the most by any player in NBA history, as he looks to help Los Angeles hoist its first Larry O’Brien Trophy since the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
To commemorate the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, the league—in conjunction with Topps trading cards—has created a special-edition patch that James will wear on his jersey, beginning on January 12 and throughout the remainder of the season.
But what does it look like? And why now? I’m glad you asked. Here’s a complete explainer on the jersey patch King James will wear for the rest of 2025-26.
LeBron James’ Jersey Patch Explained
Below is a look at the patch James will wear on his jersey for the remainder of the season. It features a silhouette of his signature pregame chalk toss, along with colored stripes that represent the franchises he's played for in the Lakers, Cavaliers, and Heat.
Check it out:
According to Topps, the patch will be removed from the jersey and dated by the team’s equipment manager following each game—a process that will be captured on video. The patch will then be sent to Topps’ production facility in Dallas, where it will be authenticated and later inserted into a trading card.
Why Now?
The choice of January 12 to begin this jersey patch tribute isn’t entirely random. James’ NBA career began in Sacramento, when his then-Cavaliers took on the Kings in Noevmber of 2003.
With the Lakers set to play the Kings on this date, the NBA is using the occasion to debut the patch, and in turn, tying his historic career to the city where it all started.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
- Joe Mazzulla Slammed Refs by Repeating One-Liner After Celtics’ Tough Loss to Pacers
- Raptors Fans Created a Special Scene for Kyle Lowry in Potential Final Game in Toronto
- Hawks GM Onsi Saleh Explains Trae Young Decision: ‘The Right Trade for Everybody’
- Jaylen Brown Got the Fine He Asked for and It Cost Him $35,000
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Explaining LeBron James’s Special Patch on Lakers Jersey This Season.
