LeBron James has worn jersey No. 23 for most of his NBA career, except for a four-year stint with the Miami Heat when he wore No. 6. James now has plans to return to No. 6.
So why is James doing it now? We will do our best to explain.
For starters, James wanted to switch back to No. 6 two years ago, when Anthony Davis joined him on the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis would have worn No. 23, while James would have returned to No. 6. The problem is Nike blocked the jersey switch because they stood to lose too much money.
The second reason has to do with “Space Jam.”
James is the star of “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” which is scheduled to be released on July 16. James wore No. 6 in the movie. Switching jerseys ahead of next season will allow him to synchronize his Lakers number with his “Space Jam” number.
James was planning to give No. 23 to Davis as a gift, but the former New Orleans Pelicans star apparently is sticking with No. 3.
Now, James will be fueling sales to a new jersey and forcing some Lakers fans to buy new gear to match his new number. Few things can jumpstart sales like a star player switching teams or numbers.
More must-reads: