LeBron James files paperwork to change to #6
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Mar 2, 2010 4:30 AM CST
in Cavaliers in the News
22 comments
LeBron James had a deadline this week and it appears he is covering all of his bases - or tipping his free agent hand. Back in November, James had announced he decided to change his jersey number to #6. He wears #6 on Team USA as a tribute to day of the month his son was born. He also wanted to give up #23 out of respect for Michael Jordan.
At the time, no one knew just how serious LeBron was. What was known, however, was that LeBron would have to apply to the NBA for the change IF, and this is the part that should grab the attention of Cavs fans, IF he wanted to change to #6 for next season in a Cavaliers jersey. The NBA does not require a player to apply for a number change if playing for a new team.
In short, if LeBron signs with, say, the Knicks this summer, he could change to #6 no questions asked. As a Cavalier, James would need to apply to the NBA to make the switch. The deadline for such an application is this week and according to the Plain Dealer, LeBron has filed the paperwork.
"I've done it," James said. "I already sent it in. I'm going to be No. 6."
The NBA does not have to fulfill the request, players who don't change teams have to apply to change their number in March before the previous season. However, the wave of new jersey sales the switch promises to trigger would likely be too enticing for the league to turn down.
In 2006, Kobe Bryant requested his number to be changed from No. 8 to No. 24. The NBA approved the move and Bryant's jerseys quickly shot to No. 1 in sales across the world. James has been in the top three in jersey sales in the U.S., China and Europe in recent years but hasn't enjoyed the top spot for several years.
Player do not directly benefit from merchandise sales, however. It goes into a league-wide pool that is distributed to teams and then players based on seniority.
During a time when everyone seems to be look for examples of why LeBron WILL leave Cleveland, his application for a move to #6 in Wine and Gold shows that LeBron, at the very least, is covering all his bases for 2010-11.
Good news for Cavs fans indeed!
Thanks to rolub for the original Fan Shot!
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My take on this
This, my friends, is a BRILLIANT marketing strategy by the King.
He’s going to sell a TON of #6 jerseys between now and playoff time. They’re going to be sold EVERYWHERE!
- First, you’ll see them pop up on TV at the Q. By the hundreds, you’ll see them.
- Then you’ll notice them in the crowd at road games in Chicago and San Antonio
- By playoff time, they’ll start selling them in China.
And rest assured that LeBron gets a cut of the sales of his jersey. The guy wants to be a billion-dollar athlete someday? He’s making that day closer and closer with wise moves like this.
The Buckeye Battle Cry
SB Nation's official Ohio State blog
He’s going to sell a TON of #6 jerseys between now and playoff time
the only #6 jerseys that will be sold will be on the corner of Bolivar and E. 9th at the bootleg stands, because the official change cannot happen until next season.
You are reading my signature.
well then.....darn it
I was wrong.
The Buckeye Battle Cry
SB Nation's official Ohio State blog
by Jeff at the BBC on Mar 2, 2010 8:06 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
There are already a ton in China
they say “James LeByron” on the back, and “Clevland Team Basket” on the front.
because I couldn't go for 3...
by SouthBayBuckeye on Mar 2, 2010 11:47 AM CST up reply actions
The only part of this I thought was weird
was that he said he was dropping Jordan’s number because of what he did, and now he’s going to have Dr. J and Russell’s number. Not saying he’s wrong or anything for doing it, just that its weird that he wouldn’t acknowledge their accomplishments as well, especially Bill Russell.
I think he’s stated that “6” represents the month his first child was born. At least that is what was mentioned in the Plain Dealer article.
I'm just saying from what
I’ve read, he hasn’t acknowledged who else has worn that number, and those two players arguably did even more for the NBA’s image before even Jordan, given the racial undertones of america at the time
Yeah its a point I have heard before, I think its more accurate to consider such a choice by Lebron not in the context of him as an individual, but rather his generation perhaps (i.e. its more telling that someone who didn’t grow up through the era of Bill Russell and Dr. J would view a player that they did grow up watching like Jordan the more important of the group). How well do we teach our youth history, and even given that, can it ever make up for not actually living through previous eras?
Also #6 is the number he wore in the Olympics
This has nothing to do with Bill Russell, yet Celtics fans and Lakers fans absolutely insist that it must.
I mean everyone doesn't pick numbers
for the olympics. Otherwise everyone would most likely maintain their numbers.
Point isn’t about why he chose it. Point is that if you’re going to drop a number for a legend, then you can’t not drop a number for not one but two legends of basketball. Especially, one who was part of the experiment of black players in the NBA. If it has nothing to do with Bill Russell fine. Its just about the circumstances in which he dropped this number. Dropping a number for a legend, drop numbers for all the legends of the decades then. Its like not acknowledging the accomplishments of those who came before Jordan that paved the way for him to even be marketed in the way he does.
oooh…more speculation
In short, if LeBron signs with, say, the Knicks this summer, he could change to #6 no questions asked.
yep. another brilliant reason why he MUST be going to the knicks
Yea...
This is GOOD news for Cleveland fans – in a way. In New York, or Miami or anywhere there is no need for him to apply for the change. Only in Cleveland.
FTS
SBNation's Cleveland Cavaliers Blogger
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Mar 2, 2010 12:38 PM CST up reply actions
yes. I am just saying that knicks fans will still try to use this as a reason that he is going to NY. trust me. they are all convinced that he is going to the knicks b/c he wore a yankees hat.
The NY media paints him as a NY kid. they talk about how much he wants to come back “home”. they portray him so much as being from the NY lifestyle that I had a friend who actually thought that Lebron was born in NY. that was one of his main arguments for lebron going there. once he realized that he was born in cleveland he was much less hopeful.
just goes to show the brainwashing power of the NY media.
while we can read into this as a sign he is staying (i believe he is), the detractors can say, this is a formality in case he wanted to stay. although he is applying for the change, it won’t matter if he switches teams. he is basically covering all his bases.
what is funny tho, now all the suitors have to prep 2 jerseys for him, 23 and 6.
Think about it this way
New Jersey, Miami and Chicago have all retired #23. Maybe he’s making the change to keep all his options open next season. Also Lebron James is the kind of guy that loves to F with everyones head and keep the spotlight on himself as much as possible.
by Scal4theallstargame on Mar 2, 2010 9:01 PM CST reply actions
that's so different from every other NBA player......
because I couldn't go for 3...
by SouthBayBuckeye on Mar 2, 2010 10:16 PM CST up reply actions
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