After making his switch from No. 23 to No. 6 official, LeBron James can potentially enter the history books for another accomplishment.
The switch means James will have worn four jerseys throughout his NBA career, and all four have a strong chance at being retired by the teams he has played for.
James started with No. 23 during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and though he didn’t guide the team to a championship before leaving, he lifted the ceiling of a roster that lacked dominant talent at an incredibly young age.
Then he donned No. 6 upon signing with the Miami Heat in free agency, where he added to his developing collection of accolades. He won his first two championships in 2012 and 2013, simultaneously taking home the Most Valuable Player award in both seasons.
The two trophies became the second and third titles in Miami franchise history.
James returned to Cleveland and reinstated his No. 23 jersey. He, along with Kyrie Irving’s ascension, led the team to its first championship in 2016 after an incredible 3-1 comeback in the NBA Finals.
When James began a new chapter with the Los Angeles Lakers, he stayed with No. 23 and brought the city its first championship since 2010 during the Orlando bubble in 2020.
Since No. 6 will be his next number, there’s a possibility the Lakers could retire it if James can help deliver the franchise’s 18th championship, which would be the most in the league if the Boston Celtics don’t win another one first.
But Eddie Jones, who the Lakers drafted 10th overall in the 1994 NBA draft, also wore No. 6 and played a crucial role in the team’s success before leaving in the 1998-99 season.
If James has all four jerseys retired, he’d be the first player in NBA history to achieve that:
LeBron James has a chance to become the first player in NBA history with 4 retired jerseys.
The current record is 3 by Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich. pic.twitter.com/j1E96sjTup
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 9, 2021
Wilt Chamberlain’s retired jerseys are with the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Lakers. He wore No. 13 with all three teams.
Pete Maravich had his No. 7 jersey retired with the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans. The Atlanta Hawks retired his No. 44 jersey.
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