The baller’s jersey number will reportedly switch from No. 23 to No. 6 for the upcoming season.
LeBron James’ fans who favor the baller’s current jersey number may have to see him sporting another digit in the 2021-2022 season. According to The Athletic, the Lakers star will be switching from No. 23 to No. 6, the number he wore as a member of the Miami Heat.
James reportedly wanted to change his jersey number sooner, but a minor situation regarding Anthony Davis’ highly-discussed trade delayed the process. Davis wore the No. 23 during his tenure as a New Orleans Pelican, but when he transitioned to the Lakers, a production-related problem prevented James from switching his number and making it available for his teammate.
James stayed with the No. 23, while Davis donned the No. 3 throughout the end of the 2020-2021 season. Now, “The Shop” entrepreneur is reportedly ready to make an alteration for the forthcoming season; Davis plans to stay with the No. 3.
The news of James’ possible jersey number adjustment comes on the heels of an even bigger change that many are still trying to process. After losing Game 6 113-100 to the Phoenix Suns, the star and his Lakers teammates were eliminated from the NBA playoffs. The loss was the first time James failed to make it past the first round of the competition. It will also be the first time in a decade that he or Stephen Curry will not compete in a finals series.
According to Lakers reporter Mike Trudell, James was feeling “extremely well” before he was eliminated, but he believes that a full offseason will “work wonders” for him. He appears to be focused on promoting his version of Space Jam, which ironically sees him rocking the No. 6 while playing with members of the Toon Squad team.
“I think I’m going to play for the Toon Squad this summer instead of the Olympics,” he said in a post-game conference. “I think that’s what my focus [is] on, trying to beat the Monstars or the Goon Squad we call them now…Didn’t have much success versus the Suns, so now I am gearing my attention to the Goon Squad here in July, mid-July.”
Most recently, he shared a clip of Space Jam: A New Legacy on his social media. Check out the trailer below.
