LeBron to switch numbers as tribute to Jordan

[pstall]

If Chicago NEVER had drafted Jordan are we even having this conversation?

Jordan being great we might, but the way he was marketed, no.

[King Taharqa]

If Chicago NEVER had drafted Jordan are we even having this conversation?

Jordan being great we might, but the way he was marketed, no.

Perhaps. People beat up Portland for taking Bowie ahead of Jordan, but they already had Drexler and Bowie was a good big man in college. He never materialized due to injuries, but at the time it was a good pick. Houston had the #1 and took Hakeem Olujawon. Chicago took Jordan, and make no mistake about it Jordan changed the culture there. Chicago although a big midwestern market wasnt a basketball powerhouse. Their most famous player prior to Jordan was ironically Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan. He was a tough gritty player who took no sh*t on the basketball court. But they never had won ANYTHING. Jordan put 6 banners in the rafters. Which makes that even more remarkable is if you look back on most of the great ones who played this game that won titles, they primarily wear only 2 colors...GREEN or PURPLE. Those are the only 2 franchises with more rings than Jordan's Bulls.

Jordan is the only player to win multiple titles without a dominant big man. Luc Longly & Bill Cartwright both have 3 rings thanks to his Airness. Magic had Kareem. Bird had McHale/Parrish. Dr.J had Moses Malone. Jerry West had Wilt The Stilt. MJ changed the game. If there's ever gonna be a player who's # you retired league wide, it would be him.

[pstall]

So if Kobe gets two more than 24 gets retired league wide?

Duncan a couple more and his 21?

[Porn Shop Clerk]

What about Dr. J?

[King Taharqa]

So if Kobe gets two more than 24 gets retired league wide?

Duncan a couple more and his 21?

Kobe...1 Finals MVP (won 3 rings with HOFer Shaq, 1 with all-star Gasol)

Tim Duncan....3 Finals MVP (won 2 of his 4 with HOF center David Robinson)

Michael Jordan....6 Finals MVP (won with not a single all-star in the paint)

Id also add I doubt Kobe or Tim Duncan ends up with more rings than Jordan, but even if they did it wouldnt change people's opinion of who's the more dominant player, who's the more exciting player, and who's been more influential to the game.

[King Taharqa]

What about Dr. J?

LeBron will be honoring him as well with the new #.

[Vagrant]

People are reading way too much into this. This is a marketing thing, plain and simple, the same as it was when Kobe switched from 8 to 24. Only this time, Lebron has a built in excuse for him to sell all his merchandise so he can "honor" Jordan. This is about as transparent as it gets.

Kobe switches numbers, makes more money than God while people update their jersey collection to include 24 instead of 8, and everybody else league wide takes notice. Pretty soon, Lebron 23 jersey will become obsolete and everybody will need to have the new one to look current and he sells a new jersey to every fan who had already bought one before.

He's been wearing the number for years now.... why the change of heart?

[Porn Shop Clerk]

Basketball wouldn't be anywhere without Dr J.

Jordan would have been playing baseball.

[King Taharqa]

He's been wearing the number for years now.... why the change of heart?

I think its just apart of his maturity. LeBron is gonna be 25 next month. Early in his career he had alot of pressure to live up to the hype. He wore #23 as homage to Jordan, but to also put the bullseye on himself to be GREAT and make his mark on the game similar to MJ. Well King James is one of those rare gladiators who DOES live up to the HYPE and is everything you dreamed of. The article says he's thought about this for awhile. I think he just wants to have his own identity, his own brand. Playing wearing 23, he'll always be under Jordan's shadow, but picking a less celebrated #, he can forge his own identity. I dont buy the selling jerseys theory. If he leaves Cleveland next year, he's gonna be selling alot of new jerseys anyway. I seriously think this is just him trying to establish his own brand more. LBJ23 will represent early LeBron's rise to NBA stardom, LBJ6 will represent the King in his prime.