Why did Michael Jordan wear 23?
MJ was motivated as a child by his older brother Larry, so they decided to both wear the Jersey number 45. And when they became partners on the same team, he couldn't wear the same number. So he decided to split the number 45 in half. and rounded it up to 23, and that's how he got the number 23.
“My brother wore No. 45 which was my number,” he explained in an interview. “So when we was on the same team, we couldn't wear the same number. So I chose half of what his jersey was, which was 22.5, which I would rather have 23.”
He scored 38 points on Anderson that game, and the Bulls were fined $25,000. for letting him wear the 23 Jersey. since the league didn't approve it. He then wore it the rest of the series, leading to another hundred thousand dollars in fines.
Jordan took up the number 23 jersey from an early age dating back to his time at Laney High School. His older brother Larry was already on the team with the number 45, so Jordan simply halved the number to reach 23 – with the help of a little rounding up.
“It's LeBron's decision,” Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul and James' longtime friend told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. “He chose to out of respect for Bill Russell.” LeBron James accepts the award for best record-breaking performance at the ESPY awards on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
When late Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant changed his jersey number from eight to 24 during the 2006-07 season, he explained it at the time as "growth" from his prior digits. "Then 24 is a growth from [No. 8]," Bryant once said.
Players now wear #23 to pay tribute to Michael Jordan, since the number 23 is synonymous with the greatness of MJ. Some players that wear/have worn #23: LeBron James. Anthony Davis.
When he joined the Miami Heat in 2010, he switched to No. 6, stating at the time of his decision that it was in honor of Michael Jordan. And that nobody should ever wear No. 23 again.
In fact, Nike embraced the controversy and even paid Jordan's fines. They turned it into a marketing goldmine. The "Banned" campaign capitalized on the NBA's punishment, with the slogan, "On October 15, Nike created a revolutionary new basketball shoe.
“I didn't want to wear 23 because I knew my father wasn't there to watch me, and I felt it was a new beginning and 45 was my first number when I was playing in high school."
What are the rarest Jordans to have?
Some of the most rare and collectible Air Jordans include limited-edition releases or special collaborations. Specific models change over time, but shoes like the Air Jordan 1 Retro High "Mocha" or the Air Jordan 11 Retro "DMP" are highly sought-after.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Position | Shooting guard / small forward |
| Number | 23, 12, 45 |
| Career history | |
| 1984–1993, 1995–1998 | Chicago Bulls |
Premature Yellowing May Devalue Nike Air Jordans
Yellowing on the surface of white or clear synthetic rubber is due to surface oxidation and staining, and will be removed by [cleaning products].
6 out of respect for the late Bill Russell, his agent Rich Paul told ESPN back in July. The league retired No. 6 in Aug. 2022 after Russell died, but James continued to wear the number last season to honor the 11-time NBA champion.
6 league-wide to honor Bill Russell, the renowned Boston Celtics legend and civil rights advocate who won 11 NBA championships.
Cleveland Cavaliers #23
When James entered the league, he came in on the heels of wearing #23 at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School. This is a nod to Michael Jordan.
Kobe wore No. 8 when he entered the NBA because of the jersey number he was asigned in the Adidas ABCD camp for high school stars, which was 143, so he added them and came up with number 8 as his jersey choice for his rookie year.
(Anthony would not have been able to wear his normal No. 15 anyway and would have had to trade jerseys; the Knicks have retired the jersey number). No NBA player has ever worn the number 69, which is believed to be implicitly banned due to its sexual connotations; the NBA has never confirmed this.
His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu. His middle name, Bean, was derived from his father's nickname "Jellybean". Bryant's family was Catholic and he was brought up with this faith.
The number 23 is probably the most iconic in the NBA. However, just six different teams retired the number 23 from their roster. The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat retired the number 23 in honor of Michael Jordan. Jordan never played for the Miami Heat.
Who wears 23 in the NBA currently?
Since LeBron is wearing No. 23 in L.A., one of his top adversaries gets the distinction as the best current player with the famous number.
Nike Air Jordan 23 OG "White Varsity Red," released in 2008.
| NO | Player | HT |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | J. Hood-Schifino | 6-5 |
| 23 | L. James Lakers' LeBron James: Slowed down by illness in loss LeBron James Lakers' LeBron James: Slowed down by illness in loss | 6-9 |
| 21 | M. Lewis | 6-7 |
| 12 | T. Prince | 6-6 |
LeBron will return to his iconic 23
LeBron was among the last players in the NBA to wear the number 6, after the league retired the number 6 in memory of Bill Russell, who died in the summer of 2022 at the age of 88. This announcement resulted in no remaining inventory of the Lakers' No.
It was another accolade for MJ
The Heat didn't have any obligation to perform this historic gesture. MJ never played for the franchise, and his jersey number didn't need to be retired. However, the team respected Jordan so much that they felt compelled to do so.
