July 18th 2023.
The NBA's all-time leading scorer is set to make a major change for the upcoming season: LeBron James is returning to the number of his idol, Michael Jordan. After wearing No. 6 for the last several years in honor of the late Bill Russell, James is switching back to his original number of 23.
This decision was made out of respect for the legendary Bill Russell, whose number was retired league-wide after his death in 2022. Rich Paul, James’ agent, told ESPN that the decision was made in recognition of Russell. To mark the occasion, the Los Angeles Lakers tweeted a picture of James with the caption, "It's official. 23 is back."
The number change comes on the heels of LeBron's son Bronny announcing that he will be wearing No. 6 when he plays at the University of Southern California in the fall of 2023.
The original reason James chose No. 23 was out of admiration for Michael Jordan, but the number has since become intertwined with his family. As he said previously to Sports Illustrated, "Six has always been with me ever since I was a kid for some reason, especially when it relates to my family."
With his return to the number 23, we will have to wait and see if it brings good luck when James suits up for the Lakers later this year.
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