For the second time in his storied NBA career, LeBron James is going to change his number. This will also be the second time that LeBron has reverted to using a number he had used earlier. During LeBron's first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the then-budding superstar sported the No. 23 that the legendary Michael Jordan fabricated famous during his playing days with the Chicago Bulls.

When LeBron left Cleveland the first time, he switched to wearing No. half dozen, considering of the fact that the Heat accept retired No. 23 in honor of Michael Hashemite kingdom of jordan. After spending a few successful years with the Miami Rut, LeBron returned to Cleveland and also returned to wearing 23. He kept 23 when he left Cleveland for the second time and joined the Los Angeles Lakers wearing his classic number.

When the Lakers have to the court for the 2021-22 season, LeBron won't exist wearing 23 anymore. Instead, he'll reportedly be wearing No. 6 for the second time in his career.

According to The Athletic's Tim Cato, i of the motivations behind this latest number modify for LeBron is that this is a motion that he actually wanted to make when Anthony Davis joined the Lakers alee of the 2019-xx season. James wanted to give his No. 23 to Davis, who was accustomed to wearing that number. Instead, Nike NKE stepped in and alleged that the number change would've been as well plush since they had already made plenty of merchandise and dress with the No. 23 on it. Cato went on to report that the change was delayed for another flavour because of "complications" arising due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

So basically, this is a alter that's been in the making for two years now. Cheers to LeBron being able to give Nike a off-white amount of prior notice before making the change and things getting better in the United States as the pandemic continues, the number change is set up to become off without a hitch now. Whatever questions surrounding what number Anthony Davis would be wearing for the 2021-22 flavor were answered very quickly. As it turns out, Davis won't be taking his usual No. 23 number now that it's been vacated. According to Lakers vanquish writer Bill Oram, Davis is manifestly on track to getting his Lakers No. three number retired at some bespeak in the hereafter. And then instead of complicating things past going to a number that is also likely going to be retired by the Lakers in the hereafter, Davis is going to stick with a number that he has established an identity in.

Yet, the over-arching motivation behind the number change has to be the thought of making a pretty penny in bailiwick of jersey sales. LeBron James has routinely been at the top of the NBA jersey sales leaderboards since establishing himself every bit a superstar in the league, and at that place have been plenty of opportunities to buy a plethora of jerseys with LeBron's name on the back and whatever number he happens to be wearing at the time.

During his two stints with the Cavaliers and his lone stint with the Rut, the teams and compatible designers took advantage of LeBron's powerhouse jersey sales by routinely rolling out alternate and throwback jerseys. The corporeality of unlike jerseys that LeBron has sported only went up when he joined the Lakers and Nike started releasing new alternate uniforms for each team every flavour. By my count, LeBron has worn at least forty different uniform designs during his career.

That number will increase past at least six new uniforms now that LeBron is going back to wearing No. vi. The Association, Icon, and Statement compatible designs will likely remain the same, only they volition exist new for LeBron on his ain since he'll have a new number. Additionally, the Lakers will take brand-new City, Archetype, and Earned uniforms for 2021-22. If y'all happen to be a LeBron James jersey collector, and then you may just take 1 of the near expensive drove hobbies out there.

For the time existence, LeBron appears to be sticking with No. six from here on out. He'll be wearing the single-digit number on his dorsum when he throws on the Tune Team uniform for Space Jam: A New Legacy and he'll be wearing information technology for the Lakers going forward. If you lot adopt to see LeBron wearing No. 23, and so you'll have to somehow notice a way to get a glimpse of him wearing it during practise, since that number will likely be relegated to practice bailiwick of jersey condition — like to how he wore No. half-dozen during exercise while wearing No. 23 for games. Everything is truly cyclical.