Out of respect to Michael Jordan, who sat courtside and watched James score 34 points, James said he is planning on switching his number after this season from No. 23 to No. 6. It just sort of came out, but it was obvious he’s been thinking about it for a while. And James wants to lead a movement to get every player who wears No. 23 in the league to give it up as a tribute to Jordan. “I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon,” James said. “There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn’t Michael Jordan first. “He can’t get the logo, and if he can’t, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”
James said his mind was almost made up, but the more he talked, the more he sounded like he was about to make an impromptu marketing shock wave. “If you see 23, you think about Michael Jordan,” James said. “You see game-winning shots, you think about Michael Jordan; you see guys fly through the air, 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.” Going to No. 6 would be a natural, and James would have to inform the league by March to change jerseys by next year. Jordan himself changed jerseys briefly during his career, to No. 45, and several years ago, Kobe Bryant went from No. 8 to No. 24, so it has been done. No. 6 is James’ Olympic number, and he has worn it in Cavs practices over the past two years. But it has other special qualities to him. “My second-favorite player was Julius Erving, and he wore No. 6,” James said. “I wore 32 in high school because Dr. J wore it at first. My first child was born on Oct. 6, it’s my Olympic number, my second child was born in June.”
Via
cleveland.com.
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Tags: #6, jersey, lebron james, nba
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13-11-2009
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LeBron James Plans to Change from No. 23 to No. 6 After This Season » 
Kaczala | 
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dsliv on 13 Nov 2009 at 2:17 pm | permalink | quote me
This means Nike will have to start reworking the LeBron Logo, It will be interesting to see how they mix LBJ with a 6
FromNene33 on 13 Nov 2009 at 3:35 pm | permalink | quote me
A little bit of a forced tribute IMO, but it could be, he plans on signing with a team, that has the #23 retired…………(sorry Knicks fans)
FromWiktor on 13 Nov 2009 at 5:58 pm | permalink | quote me
don’t be Kobe!
FromMorale on 13 Nov 2009 at 9:54 pm | permalink | quote me
And what with LBJ23 logo. Nike must be angry, but lebron has rights he should do this earlier already
Fromjusack on 14 Nov 2009 at 12:03 pm | permalink | quote me
i think nike’s sale will go down if that happens.. i am a fan of L23 logo..
Fromlexter on 15 Nov 2009 at 6:51 am | permalink | quote me
nice shoes for basketball
Fromzach13g on 15 Nov 2009 at 6:37 pm | permalink | quote me
Greg, remember I said this first here on 11/15/09
Cavs make the finals Bron switches his number for the finals and takes the fine for each game here wears his number 6.
some other guy did this in 96′ playoffs he went from 45 to 23 and took the fine from the NBA.
FromKaczala on 16 Nov 2009 at 5:30 am | permalink | quote me
Zach, Duly noted
That would be interesting to see. I think there’s no coming back from this. With the commitment that strong I don’t imagine LeBron backing down now.
From