ESPN reports that LeBron James wants to replace his current #23 with #6 in deference to his hero, Michael Jordan.
Uh, LeBron: if you’re trying to pay homage to the basketball Gods, you might want to bone up on your history a bit:
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ESPN reports that LeBron James wants to replace his current #23 with #6 in deference to his hero, Michael Jordan.
Uh, LeBron: if you’re trying to pay homage to the basketball Gods, you might want to bone up on your history a bit:
uh.. what makes you think he doesn’t know his Basketball history? His first choice hero might be MJ — that’s why he ran with #23 all these years — but now that he is an indirect competitor (Bobcats), it makes perfect sense to switch to his backup hero. Some Bostonians might say about time.
Dr. J also wore 6 in the NBA. LeBron could just as easily be paying homage to him. Dr. J is a bit more similar to James as a player than Bill Russel.
This is a weird post. I read the article as indicating that LeBron wants to go to Chicago next year, and feels like it would be strange to do so wearing #23. If there were some reason to think he wanted to go to Boston, and made this same request and explanation, maybe that would mean he’d flunk Celtic’s History 101, but sheesh, what is the guy supposed to do, ensure that that no basketball player of note in NBA history has ever worn his proposed new number?
Rich — the article doesn’t suggest that he is doing this only if he goes to Chicago; that’s why he needs to get league approval now.
And as for the idea of making sure that there is no other NBA player “of note” who wore a particular number: Bill Russell is not another player of note: he is the greatest winner in the league’s (or any other league’s history), and #6 is far from a common NBA number. It’s synonymous with Russell: unless, of course, you don’t know much about NBA history. Even I respect that, and I’m a Laker fan.
It’s just like not knowing who wore numbers 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 for the Yankees, whether you like them or not. Or even not knowing who #17 is in the background of that photograph of Bill Russell.
Note added in proof: And why no one wears #42 in Major League Baseball.
Maybe he’s saying he’s identifies with this guy.
Ah, major league baseball passed a rule in 1997 retiring #42 for all teams, though players then wearing the number (Mo Vaughn was one) were allowed to keep wearing it. And its not that the article suggested that LeBron was going to Chicago, that has been a widely circulated rumor. Its that the statement LeBron made indicated (at least as I read it) that he would be uncomfortable wearing #23 going forward because of it was Jordan’s number; I don’t know why he’d feel that way now, when apparently it hasn’t been a problem earlier, unless he was thinking very hard about signing with the Bulls. Finally, along with Dr. J, here’s a list of NBA players that have or currently wear #6:
Zaid Abdul-Aziz - Houston Rockets (73)
Forest Able - Syracuse Nationals (57)
Alex Acker - Detroit Pistons (06, 09)
Blake Ahearn - Miami Heat (08)
Herschel Baltimore - St. Louis Bombers (47)
Tom Barker - New York Knickerbockers (79)
Don Barksdale - Baltimore Bullets (52)
Moe Becker - Pittsburgh Ironmen (47)
Hank Beenders - Providence Steam Rollers (47, 48)
Boston Celtics (49)
Elmer Bennett - Houston Rockets (97)
Spider Bennett - Dallas Chaparrals (69)
Walter Berry - San Antonio Spurs (87, 88)
Houston Rockets (89)
New Jersey Nets (89)
Travis Best - Chicago Bulls (02)
New Jersey Nets (05)
Andrew Bogut - Milwaukee Bucks (06, 07, 08, 09)
Cal Bowdler - Atlanta Hawks (02)
Winford Boynes - Dallas Mavericks (81)
Cedric Bozeman - Atlanta Hawks (07)
Chucky Brown - Los Angeles Lakers (92)
Dallas Mavericks (94)
Shannon Brown - Cleveland Cavaliers (07, 08)
Chicago Bulls (08)
Tierre Brown - New Orleans Hornets (04)
Jim Burns - Chicago Bulls (68)
Bob Burrow - Rochester Royals (57)
Mitchell Butler - Portland Trail Blazers (97)
Cleveland Cavaliers (98, 99)
Mario Chalmers - Miami Heat (09)
Tyson Chandler - New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (07)
New Orleans Hornets (08, 09)
Chuck Cooper - Fort Wayne Pistons (56)
Larry Costello - Syracuse Nationals (58, 59)
Pat Cummings - Milwaukee Bucks (80, 81, 82)
Antonio Daniels - Washington Wizards (06, 07, 08, 09)
Marquis Daniels - Dallas Mavericks (04, 05, 06)
Indiana Pacers (07, 08, 09)
Red Davis - Rochester Royals (56)
Walter Davis - Phoenix Suns (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88)
Portland Trail Blazers (91)
Denver Nuggets (89, 90, 91, 92)
Walter Dukes - New York Knickerbockers (56)
Ed Earle - Syracuse Nationals (54)
Bill Ebben - Detroit Pistons (58)
Howard Eisley - Utah Jazz (05)
Julius Erving - Philadelphia 76ers (77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
Maurice Evans - Los Angeles Lakers (07, 08)
Patrick Ewing - Orlando Magic (02)
Johnny Ezersky - Baltimore Bullets (50)
Jake Fendley - Fort Wayne Pistons (52, 53)
Matt Fish - New York Knickerbockers (96)
Jerry Fleishman - Philadelphia Warriors (47, 48, 49)
Luis Flores - Golden State Warriors (05)
Antonis Fotsis - Memphis Grizzlies (02)
Eddie Gill - Seattle Supersonics (08)
Tom Gola - New York Knickerbockers (63, 64, 65, 66)
Paul Gordon - Baltimore Bullets (50)
Colby Gunther - Pittsburgh Ironmen (47)
Cliff Hagan - St. Louis Hawks (57)
Chick Halbert - Providence Steam Rollers (49)
Alex Hannum - St. Louis Hawks (56)
Travis Hansen - Atlanta Hawks (04)
John Hargis - Anderson Packers (50)
Junior Harrington - Denver Nuggets (03)
New Orleans Hornets (05)
Billy Harris - San Diego Conquistadors (75)
Jason Hart - Los Angeles Clippers (09)
Tom Henderson - Houston Rockets (80, 81, 82, 83)
Roy Hinson - New Jersey Nets (91)
Randy Holcomb - Chicago Bulls (06)
A.W. Holt - Chicago Bulls (71)
Mike Holton - Portland Trail Blazers (87, 88)
Charlotte Hornets (89, 90)
Troy Hudson - Los Angeles Clippers (99, 00)
Golden State Warriors (08)
Alfredrick Hughes - San Antonio Spurs (86)
Jay Humphries - Utah Jazz (93, 94, 95)
Tom Ingelsby - San Diego Sails (76)
Jermaine Jackson - Atlanta Hawks (03)
Luke Jackson - Toronto Raptors (07)
Miami Heat (08)
Myron Jackson - Dallas Mavericks (87)
Sam Jacobson - Golden State Warriors (00)
Minnesota Timberwolves (01)
Harold Jamison - Miami Heat (00)
Buddy Jeannette - Baltimore Bullets (49, 50)
Chris Jefferies Chicago Bulls (04)
Avery Johnson - Houston Rockets (92)
San Antonio Spurs (93, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01)
Denver Nuggets (02)
Dallas Mavericks (03)
Golden State Warriors (94, 04)
George Johnson - Houston Rockets (74)
Neil Johnston - Philadelphia Warriors (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
Bobby Jones - Memphis Grizzlies (08)
Eddie Jones - Los Angeles Lakers (97, 99)
Charlotte Hornets (99, 00)
Miami Heat (01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07)
Memphis Grizzlies (06, 07)
Dallas Mavericks (08)
Noble Jorgensen - Syracuse Nationals (52, 53)
George Kaftan - New York Knickerbockers (52)
Bob Kauffman - Chicago Bulls (70)
Tom Kelly - Boston Celtics (49)
Billy Kenville - Detroit Pistons (58)
Lari Ketner - Chicago Bulls (00)
Duane Klueh - Fort Wayne Pistons (50, 51)
Brevin Knight - Milwaukee Bucks (04)
Tony Lavelli - New York Knickerbockers (51)
Hank Lefkowitz - Cleveland Rebels (47)
Freddie Lewis - Memphis Sounds (75)
Grady Lewis - St. Louis Bombers (48)
Ron Livingstone - Philadelphia Warriors (50, 51)
Charlie Lowery - Milwaukee Bucks (72)
Arvydas Macijauskas - New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (06)
Sam Mack - Vancouver Grizzlies (98)
Tito Maddox - Houston Rockets (03)
Danny Manning - Dallas Mavericks (02)
Kenyon Martin - New Jersey Nets (01, 02, 03, 04)
Denver Nuggets- (05, 06, 07)
Phil Martin - Milwaukee Hawks (55)
Jelani McCoy - Los Angeles Lakers (02)
Shellie McMillon - Detroit Pistons (59, 60, 61, 62)
Carl McNulty - Milwaukee Hawks (55)
Carl Meinhold - Chicago Stags (49)
Red Mihalik - Pittsburgh Ironmen (47)
Bill Miller - Chicago Stags (49)
Terry Mills - Detroit Pistons (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
Miami Heat (98)
Indiana Pacers (01)
Nazr Mohammed - Charlotte Bobcats (08, 09)
Jerome Moiso - Charlotte Hornets (02)
New Orleans Hornets (03)
Toronto Raptors (04, 05)
Cleveland Cavaliers (05)
Jack Molinas - Fort Wayne Pistons (54)
Erwin Mueller - Chicago Bulls (69)
George Munroe - Boston Celtics (48)
Ronald Murray - Detroit Pistons (07, 08)
Larry Nance - Cleveland Cavaliers (88)
Willie Naulls - New York Knickerbockers (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
Moochie Norris - Seattle Supersonics (99)
George Nostrand - Providence Steam Rollers (49)
Mike Novak - Syracuse Nationals (54)
Ralph O’Brien - Indianapolis Olympians (52)
Buddy O’Grady - Washington Capitols (47)
Jermaine O’Neal - Toronto Raptors (09)
Wayne Pack - Indiana Pacers (75)
Togo Palazzi - Syracuse Nationals (57, 58)
Easy Parham - St. Louis Bombers (49, 50)
Johnny Payak - Milwaukee Hawks (53)
Ralph Polson - New York Knickerbockers (53)
Joel Przybilla - Mi-lwaukee Bucks (01, 02, 03, 04)
George Ratkovicz - Syracuse Nationals (50, 51)
Khalid Reeves - New Jersey Nets (96, 97)
Dallas Mavericks (97, 98)
Chicago Bulls (00)
Tom Riker - New York Knickerbockers (73, 74, 75)
Mike Riordan - New York Knickerbockers (69, 70, 71, 72)
Baltimore Bullets (72, 73)
Capital Bullets (74)
Washington Bullets (75, 76, 77)
Larry Robinson - Vancouver Grizzlies (98)
Red Rocha - Baltimore Bullets (51)
Fort Wayne Pistons (57)
Carlos Rogers - Houston Rockets (00, 01)
Indiana Pacers (02)
Irv Rothenberg - Cleveland Rebels (47)
St. Louis Bombers (48)
Mickey Rottner - Chicago Stags (47, 48)
Jerry Rullo - Philadelphia Warriors (49)
Bill Russell - Boston Celtics (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
Pepe Sanchez - Detroit Pistons (03)
Ossie Schectman - New York Knickerbockers (47)
Wayne See - Waterloo Hawks (50)
Brad Sellers - Chicago Bulls (87, 88, 89)
Billy Shepherd - Memphis Sounds (75)
Gene Shue - New York Knickerbockers (55)
Connie Simmons - New York Knickerbockers (50)
Syracuse Nationals (55)
Johnny Simmons - Boston Celtics (47)
Charles Smith - New York Knickerbockers (96)
Chips Sobek - Sheboygan Redskins (50)
Matt Steigenga - Chicago Bulls (97)
Dick Surhoff - Milwaukee Hawks (54)
Stromile Swift - New Jersey Nets (08)
Sid Tanenbaum - New York Knickerbockers (48, 49)
Brooks Thompson - Denver Nuggets (97)
Paul Thompson - Milwaukee Bucks (85)
Trent Tucker - New York Knickerbockers (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
San Antonio Spurs (92)
Chicago Bulls (93)
Mirsad Turkcan - Milwaukee Bucks (00)
New York Knickerbockers (00)
Whitey Von Nieda - Tri-Cities Blackhawks (50)
Gerry Ward - Chicago Bulls (67)
Bonzi Wells - Portland Trail Blazers (99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04)
Memphis Grizzlies (04, 05)
Houston Rockets (07, 08)
Mario West - Atlanta Hawks (08, 09)
DeJuan Wheat - Minnesota Timberwolves (98)
Vancouver Grizzlies (99)
Jerome Whitehead - San Antonio Spurs (89)
Ken Wilburn - Chicago Bulls (68)
Joe Wolf - Portland Trail Blazers (93)
Qyntel Woods - New York Knickerbockers (06)
Orlando Woolridge - Detroit Pistons (92)
Milwaukee Bucks (93)
Bracey Wright - Minnesota Timberwolves (06, 07)
Max Zaslofsky - Fort Wayne Pistons (54)
Bill Zopf - Milwaukee Bucks (71)