Throughout the course of NBA history, two players have been talked, debated, and compared more than LeBron James and Michael Jordan. It almost feels like you can’t like one if you also like the other.
Comparisons and debates are pretty much futile. They didn’t play in the same era or even in the same position, and Jordan paved the way for LeBron — and was actually one of his biggest inspirations.
It’s never been a secret that James wore No. 23 because of Jordan. But now that the Los Angeles Lakers star has decided to switch from No. 6 to No. 23 again out of respect for Bill Russell, it seems like he lied to us all several years ago.
LeBron James Once Said The League Should Retire No. 23
Back in 2009, when he was still with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron claimed that he was going from No. 23 to No. 6 to honor Michael Jordan. Moreover, he said that the league should retire that number because of Jordan’s greatness.
“I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon,” said James. “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 [Hall of Famer Jerry West’s silhouette adorns the NBA’s logo], and if he can’t, something has to be done,” James added. “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.”
He also said that he would switch to No. 6 out of respect for Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving — not Bill Russell. But that was also long before the 11-time NBA champion passed away.
“My second-favorite player was Julius Erving, and he wore number six,” James said. “I wore 32 in high school because Dr. J wore it at first. My first child was born on October 6, it’s my Olympic number, my second child was born in June.”
Of course, this wouldn’t be the first time that James backpedals or makes a decision like this, and the timing seemed perfect. People were criticizing him for trying to drive attention away from being swept by hinting at retiring, so he may want to control the news cycle again.
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Furthermore, James and Nike have gone back and forth with his jersey numbers since he joined the Lakers, and this might as well give them another chance to cash in big before he retires.
