There are many legendary players who have left their mark in the NBA. But only a few of them "married" to the jersey number, and they have never changed the jersey number during their entire career. Some prominent examples are Michael Jordan and his love for No. 23, Magic Johnson and his famous No. 32 jersey. Of course, Kobe and his iconic No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys hang from the rafters in the Staples Center. Similarly, LeBron James also loves to write number 23 on the back of his jersey.
Like other children, LeBron has admired Michael Jordan since he was a child. Desire to succeed like Jordan, LeBron chose to wear the No. 23 jersey since high school. We all know that "His Air" likes to have numbers behind him, and so does LeBron. In his high school career, he represented the Irishman's battle, which is Saint Vincent. On the Mary men's basketball team, LeBron performed well on the jersey number, which is considered to be the credit of MJ.
Therefore, The story of LeBron wearing the No. 23 jersey began in his early days. So when he entered the NBA when he was a teenager, he also had the same tradition. People think he is the "chosen person", a newer and younger version of Michael Jordan.
LeBron has become the new No. 23 in the league and the savior of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since the beginning of his rookie season, LeBron and the Cavaliers have established a deep bond, and this bond has been strong for many years.
After establishing his business position, LeBron decided to leave the Cavaliers and try his luck elsewhere. Compared with Jordan, he must win a championship ring, which is not feasible for the Cavaliers.
LeBron James’ decision really shocked everyone
In 2010, LeBron James announced his decision to leave the Cavaliers and everyone turned their heads. James said he will join the Miami Heat to fight alongside Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. However, the shocking news does not stop there.
Over the years, LeBron has been wearing the No. 23 jersey to commemorate Michael Jordan, trying to imitate his childhood idol. However, when LeBron decided to play for the Heat, he gave up No. 23 and chose No. 6. James publicly stated his decision to change the data and mentioned that he made this decision out of respect for Michael Jordan.
"I just think that what Michael Jordan did for the game must be recognized in some way soon," James said of his decision. "If there were no Michael Jordan, there would be no LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade."
This transformation has been a huge success. The Heat entered the finals four consecutive times in 2013 and 2014 and won the championship. 6 shines in sunny Miami, winning two championships for them.
From No. 6 to No. 23
So, what is the motivation for changing back to the original number? When LeBron announced that he would return to Cleveland, he also said that he would return the same way he left. 23 returned to the team, is more eager to win the championship this time.
LeBron kept his promise to his hometown and won the first NBA championship in the history of the Cavaliers. When the 23rd left them on a different journey and succeeded there, it was almost like a fairy tale. Cavaliers fans hate him movingTo Miami. They couldn't accept this move. About 10 years ago, there were crazy expressions of dissatisfaction everywhere.
But he is back, and the 23rd is also back. So far, LeBron has maintained his favorite number, which is why he fell in love with basketball. He is happy to reveal that the number he wears is in memory of his hero Michael Jordan.
"So when I started playing basketball, I thought: ‘oh my god, that 23 looks good. I want to fly like him.’" James said. He speaks like any other fan of MJ. "I want to be able to dunk on someone like him. I want to stick out my tongue in the air like him and yell in the face of others like MJ.'"
However, next season the Kings may still wear the No. 6 jersey for the Lakers. Anthony Davis has worn the No. 23 jersey throughout his NBA career, and had to change to the No. 3 jersey when he arrived in Los Angeles.
According to reports, starting from the 2020-21 season, LeBron will part ways with his most familiar number. We may see Anthony Davis, the future of the league, from next season to wear the No. 23 jersey to become the best player in the league.
