When the 2021-22 NBA season unfolds, LeBron James will rock a new jersey number.
Well, not quite new.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar will return to No. 6, which he used during the four years he spent with the Miami Heat. Outside of the Heat, James has worn No. 23 throughout his NBA career -- 11 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and three with the Lakers.
Why LeBron went back to No. 6 is anybody's guess; some say it was because of his Space Jam movie. What we do know, though, is when he had that number on his jersey, great things happened (he won a couple of championships and two MVP awards). It remains to be seen how this version of No. 6 will perform—given that LeBron's 36 years old—and if he'll be able to add more hardware to his trophy case. But we can discuss that in a separate article.
For now, let's talk about two remarkable players who previously wore the No. 6 with the Lakers.
Jordan Clarkson
The most notable player who wore the No. 6 in recent memory is Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year spent four seasons in Los Angeles, catching the tail-end of Kobe Bryant’s career.
His best year in a Lakers uniform came in the 2015-16 season where he averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 79 games. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018 but found his groove when he moved to the Utah Jazz the following year.
With the Jazz, Clarkson has blossomed into arguably the best off-the-bench bucket-getter in the league. Put him on the floor and you get instant offense. Like an old car that heats up quickly.
Eddie Jones
Eddie Jones was the Lakers’ Kobe before Kobe. It was unfortunate that the Lakers had to move him to make room for Bean, but Eddie Jones was one of a kind.
He had the midrange game, he was a great lock-down defender, and he could whip out SportsCenter-worthy dunks on the fly. He became an All-Star twice while playing for the Lakers and eventually became a full-on superstar when he went to the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat.
In the ‘90s, nobody in the league had a slicker game than Jones. Ask anyone who watched NBA basketball back in the day and they’d probably agree. The vintage Champion Eddie Jones No. 6 jersey in yellow? Yeah, it still does it for me.
Honorable mention: Kent Bazemore
Kent Bazemore had 6 as his jersey number in his first—and short—stint with the Lakers in 2014. He only played 28 games but put up pretty decent numbers: 13.1 points (on 45 percent shooting), 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 28 minutes. Unfortunately, his season ended abruptly because of a torn tendon.
Last year, Bazemore played for the Golden State Warriors, wearing the No. 20. For his second stint with the Lakers, he went with No. 9 since the previous numbers he wore, 6 (LeBron) and 24 (Kobe), aren't available. Bazemore is expected to be a key piece for the Lakers, especially on defense, but we’ll have to see if he can replicate the numbers he had during his first stop in LA.
Others: Chucky Brown, Earl Clark, Maurice Evans, Jelani McCoy, Josh McRoberts, Adam Morrison, Lance Stephenson, and Derrick Williams
The new LeBron James Lakers Icon Edition and Statement Edition jerseys are available on NBAStore.com.ph for P3,795. The LeBron James Statement Edition T-Shirt, meanwhile, is priced at P1,395.
