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• ckenneweg said 8 days ago

  I'm glad LeBron has a sense of history. I DO think the number 23 should be retired League wide. In the MLB it's the number 42 for Jakie Robinson(i'm still kinda pissed at Mariano Rivera for refusing to change his number). Granted, MJ was not the first African American player in the NBA like Robinson was in the MLB... BUT Michael Jordan WAS/IS arguably THE best player ever to play in the NBA and he inspired a generation to play basketball. Hell, when I stared playing basket ball in the 3rd grade, I wanted to be like Mike. Maybe LeBron changing his number will lead to more players doing the same... OR possibly a league wide mandate to change numbers.

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  • JFeld127 replied 7 days ago

    To compare MJ to Jackie Robinson or to make him out to be any sort of pioneer is ridiculous. He was a great player, but it was Magic and Bird that really transformed the NBA the 1980s, well before Jordan ever sniffed an NBA title. Jordan's popularity did a lot to help promote the game of basketball, but he did not have nearly the significance of Jackie Robinson.
• melkyway28 said 8 days ago

  Classy of LeBron.

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• JFeld127 said 7 days ago

  This is absolutely ridiculous!
  http://nojoshin.blogspot.com/2009/11/monarch-without-kingdom.html
  
  James' abortion of an idea isn't stupid because he wants to honor MJ. In fact, I like that. I appreciate that LeBron feels that Jordan was such a great player that no one should ever wear #23 again. But that's not for him to decide.
  
  The only other players in this context who have their numbers retired across an entire sport in North America are Wayne Gretzky's #99 in the NHL and Jackie Robinson's #42 in Major League Baseball. Gretzky is more along the lines of an MJ-type, a truly great player who helped put butts in seats all across the league whenever his team came to town. But Jackie Robinson wasn't just a great player. He represents so much more, and for him to have his number required across an entire sport also represents what he stood for and the significance of his debut in the Major Leagues as the first black man. Breaking the color barrier is something to honor across an entire sport.
  
  Taking off from the free throw line? Not as much.
  
  James was quoted telling ESPN.com that "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."
  
  So there would be no modern day superstars without MJ? Maybe there would be no one for them to live in the shadow of, but Jordan didn't do anything to help them break in. Jordan went to college where Bryant and James did not, so it's not like he set the tone of making the jump to the NBA at age 18. There were others who did it before LeBron. KG anyone?
  
  LeBron was also quoted calling Jordan a "pioneer" of the game. A pioneer? Maybe for winning titles and selling merchandise. But Jordan didn't boost the NBA the way the rivalry of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did, catapulting the sports popularity into a prime-time spotlight in the 1980s. Jordan helped, but he wasn't the reason. MJ was a great player. Certainly better and more decorated than LeBron will most likely ever become. But it's not LBJ's responsibility to lead the charge to honor Air Jordan.
  
  No other player in the NBA should feel pressured by the league's golden child to switch their jersey number, and no future NBA players should feel they cannot don #23 because of LeBron's gesture. This isn't George Washington stepping down as a two-term president to set the standard. This is a guy who more than likely would really like to see his #6 uni leapfrog Kobe's #24.
  
  LeBron also went on to say "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." Are you kidding me? Just how self-righteous are you? If you're not going to, then no one should?! You know, maybe no one else should ever hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy either based on that logic.

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• splifna4fif said 7 days ago

  KING IS ONLY CHANGING HIS NUMBER BECAUSE 23 IS RETIRED IN MIAMI, WHICH WILL BE BRON BRONS NEXT HOME

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  • sevala40 replied 1 day ago

    lmfaoo hes not going to miami dumbass hes going to be most paid athlete and hes not going to get a major pay cut just to play in miami.
• BHF1999 said 7 days ago

  I'm always confused. Does the company who makes jerseys make money or get screwed when a player changes their number?

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• jerseys12 said 7 days ago

  He was the only basketball player,at the time,that was dominating and everyone was clinging to,SURE THE #23 should be retired,but like others MAGIC AND BIRD,STOCKTON should be as well. I have another beef BILL RUSSELL 11 SHIPS IN 13 YEARS----know thats worthy of RETIRING SOMEONE NUMBER---WITH JERRY WEST---

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