LeBron Wants NBA to Retire the Number 23
by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni
It’s not enough for LeBron James to change his jersey number. He doesn’t want anyone else in the League to wear the 2-3. Ever again.
LeBron, who’s worn MJ’s old number since he came into the League, says he’s going to drop it in favor of another former high-flyer’s jersey digit. And he wants everyone to follow suit.
From the Plain Dealer:
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.”
Despite this seemingly coming out of the total blue, it’s not the first time the subject of LeBron possibly switching jersey numbers has been brought up, so it’s probably safe to say that this isn’t some off-the-wall decision on his part.
It remains to be seen if he can the rest of the players in the League to agree with him, but the idea is commendable.
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Breaking News: After 7 Years in the NBA, LeBron Finds Respect for Jordan
Re. the L-wide retirement of the number — sure, why not. Mike definitely deserves it and we all know his ego needs boosting from time to time. Maybe this will help Chamillionaire (sp?) catch a break next time.
The global popularity and money that NBA enjoy right now is by far due to Jordan. Retire 23 like Slick Riley did
I’m drunk.
LOL “out of respect”?!
Breaking News: After 7 Years in the NBA, LeBron Finds Respect for Jordan That made me laugh.
so much for the whole league following suite eh.
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As for those people who think Jordan isn’t worthy…. All I ever hear from oldies is how so many other players were on level with Jordan… arguably and understandably so, and for a few of them I certainly agree. However, if you are genuinely coming here and saying that the likes of Dr J or Wilt etc did for basketball what MJ did in the 90s then you are unbeliavably naive, perhaps even stupid. The sheer impact of Jordan, off the court, is so uncomparable by anyone else, its pratically alien! Even if on the court he has a number of equals that doesn’t matter. Get a grip!
Jordan took Larry/Magic’s likeability, Wilt’s dominance, and Russell’s victories, and merged them into one package which turned basketball into a global sport.
So yeah, retiring 23 would be a slight to all other great players. But c’mon.. None of them were Jordan.
Isn’t using Jerry West as the logo of the NBA a slight to all other players too?
That being said, still not sure about this whole global retirement thing. It’s just a number. Jordan was not the first person to use the number 23.
Chances are, Jordan wouldn’t.
ESPN and other media sports outlets turned Jordan into a demi-god. He was the best basketball player out there, but exactly HOW Much better of a player was he than Bird and Magic? Is he THAT much better than Kobe? Is he that much more effective in a game than Wilt?
It’s like fight fans who try to degrade Roy Jones Jr.’s dominance because the weight class he fought in for years wasn’t as strong as it was a decade or so earlier. You can’t penalise him & his legacy for that because the fighter can’t help when they’re born & what era their careers take place in.
Also, you can’t heap tons of additional praise on a guy, like people do with Michael Jordan, becasue he played in an era where globalization & global marketing were viable options, due to advances in society & technology. The off court influence Jordan had, while significant, have NOTHING to do with his career on the court, in the National Basketball Assoiciation. It is unfair and disrespectufl to greats such as Wilt, Russell, and Oscar, to elevate Jordan simply because he played in the modern era, while down playing them because they played in an era before the internet, mega-contracts, big money endosrments, and nationwide/global television audiences.
It’s amazing and disgusting that people with legit basketball knowledge and/or background can make such a false arguement for Jordan being the G.O.A.T.
Here’s a tidbit for all the dummies, and please fact check for yourselves to see that I’m not lying ortwisting the facts… When Michael Jordan retired, he held a grand total of 2 NBA records, yes that’s right and that’s all. Just TWO! When Wilt Chamberlain retired, he held 58 NBA records, of those records, 53 still stand today! FIFTY-THREE!!!
Any conversation about the single greatest basketball player of all time, should begin & end with Wilt Chamberlain. Anyone who offers ANY other name into the discussion only proves their own ignorance and stupidity. We’re not talking best team, or most rings, (which, in case folks forgot, is a TEAM accomplishment) we’re talking best individual player.
Also note, that during the Celtics insane run of winning 11 championships in 13 years, not once did their winning percentage top .600% That is proof positive that, while the league had far fewer teams, it was much more competitive.
So lets recap… Jordan wasn’t the most dominant, Wilt was. He wasn’t the most versatile, Ocar Robertson was. He doesn’t have the most points, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar does. Nor does he have the most rings, Bill Russell does. He doesn’t have the most records, again Wilt Chamberlain does. There is NO honest or realistic basis for saying Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever. One of these days, maybe the rest of the basketball world will take off their Jordan brand goggles, and see the truth and reality of the matter.
360vue: I think he may have been referring to me, when I mentioned Magic and Larry weren’t close to Jordan.. in the impact they had in the league and viewers. Which is true. And I didn’t know that knowing Jordan shot over Craig Ehlo was a test of extreme knowledge (aka it’s one of the most common basketball trivia questions to know).
Where Ya at at at at !!!?
Cap was as great as Jordan, just not as much marketing back when he was in his prime. But he’s the all-time leading scorer (quality over time).
Magic and Bird made the League big.
I think it will be a great thing if the players decide that no one else will wear it, but not have it officially retired. That would be gangsta.
I would put Jordan 4th or 5th all-time, behind Wilt (58 NBA records at the time of his retirement), Russell (5 time MVP & 11 time NBA champion), & Oscar (averaged a triple double for a season), & maybe even Kareem (5 time MVP & 19 out of his 20 seasons he was an all-star).
The reason I use a lot of stats and numbers to back up my arguement is because the numbers are the ONLY thing that doesn’t lie! The numbers and stats aren’t biased, unlike the pervailing point of view that obviously does’t include any players whose careers happened before the 1984 draft or the mass marketing campaigns that made Jordan a household name (LOL).
If the debate were about what player had the largest off the court influence and impact, then Jordan wins it going away! Although I could also, make a case for Dr. J, Magic & Bird saving the league from obscurity when it was struggling mightily in the 70s and the start of the 80s. Had they not done that, Jordan probably would have never had the opportunity to become that trancendent personality. But make no mistake, being the most transcendent player and being the BEST player are two entirely different things.
If the debate is about who is the greatest individual basketball player, then there is no way to give that title to Jordan, without completely suspending reality. Unfortunately, he is commonly referred to as the greatest basketball player ever, and that is a FALSEHOOD that seriously needs to be addressed and debunked. People like the ones here at Slam, the best basketball publication around, should be sharp enough on their hoops history to not make the same mistake, but time and time again, that is not the case. How anyone who reads, writes, watches, talks and follows basketball for a living can make such a glaring mistake and contribute to perpetuaing the falsehood of Jordan being the greatest, is shameful, at best. My comment would be rejected if I said what it was, at worst… LOL.
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