LeBron James’ number will be hanging in the rafters of Crypto.com Arena next to Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the rest of a historic group someday.
Not that it was ever in question after LeBron led the Lakers to their 17th NBA title as a franchise (in the bubble), but Lakers governor Jeanie Buss confirmed it in an interview with Mark Medina for Sportskeeda.
“The standard for having your jersey retired as a Laker is when a player is inducted into the Hall-of-Fame. I have absolutely no doubt that LeBron will make it into the Basketball Hall-of-Fame,” Buss told Sportskeeda. “When he does so, then we will retire his jersey. Knowing that he will make it into the Basketball Hall-of-Fame, he will have his Lakers jersey retired, no doubt about it.”
What number gets retired is the question. LeBron has worn No. 6 since coming to the Lakers, but this season will switch to No. 23 out of respect for the legendary Bill Russell. Will the Lakers retire the 6, the 23, or do what they did for Kobe and make it both (8 and 24)?
They have a few years to figure it out. LeBron is not retiring this season and is also under contract with the Lakers for 2024-25 (a player option). LeBron and the Lakers enter next season — after a strong offseason by Rob Pelinka and the front office — as a team with legitimate title aspirations. LeBron would love to watch another one of those title banners go up in Crypto.com Arena, not just his jersey number.
