Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James will use No. 23 again next season after using No. 6 over the past four years with the Miami Heat.
James, who recently signed a two-year deal worth $42.2 million with the Cavaliers, announced that he will use No. 23 again in his return to the team that drafted him first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft.
The four-time Most Valuable Player previously decided to ditch No. 6 as a sign of respect to Michael Jordan, who wore the same jersey number for the majority of his playing career.
When asked if he felt slighted with James' decision to use his previous jersey number, Jordan insisted that he sees no problem with it because he doesn't own any number in the league.
"I'm cool with it," Jordan said via ESPN. "I don't own a number."
According to reports, James did not contact Jordan, who is the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, before announcing his decision to go back to No. 23 next season.
James previously said that Jordan should be recognized in a special way because today's superstar will not reach their current stature if Jordan did not inspire them to play at their best.
"I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon," James said in 2009. "There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn't Michael Jordan first."
The 29-year-old superstar then made a plea to other NBA players who are using No. 23 to change number as a sign of respect to Jordan, who is considered by many as the greatest player of all time.
"He can't get the logo, and if he can't, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I'm starting a petition, and I've got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it." James said.
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