19 NBA Players Currently Wear No. 6 Jersey: Is This The Final Season Of LeBron James Wearing No. 6?

3 Min Read

The NBA has announced a league-wide retirement of the No. 6 jersey in honor of the legend Bill Russell, who passed away on 31st July at the age of 88. Russell is arguably the greatest winner in the history of the NBA and was a civil rights pioneer during his prime. 

Nobody has raised an objection to the NBA honoring Russell like this, but the decision did raise many questions. The most natural question was regarding players that already wear No. 6 and whether they’ll be made to change their jersey number. The most notable player wearing the number is LeBron James, who changed to No. 6 from No. 23 at the start of the 2021-22 season.  

Outside LeBron, 19 players in the NBA like Kristaps Porzingis, Alex Caruso, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Quentin Grimes, and others are currently wearing the number. They will be allowed to continue wearing the number in the following seasons, but no new NBA player will be issued the no. 6 ever again.

Full list:

• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Alex Caruso (Chicago Bulls)
• Kristaps Porzingis (Washington Wizards)
• Lou Williams (Atlanta Hawks | Free agent)
• Lance Stephenson (Indiana Pacers)
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Utah Jazz)
• Hamidou Diallo (Detroit Pistons)
• Bryn Forbes (Denver Nuggets | Signed with Minnesota in offseason)
• Quentin Grimes (New York Knicks)
• Jalen McDaniels (Charlotte Hornets)
• Jordan McLaughlin (Minnesota Timberwolves)
• Kenyon Martin Jr. (Houston Rockets)
• Moses Brown (Cleveland Cavaliers | Free agent)
• David Duke Jr. (Brooklyn Nets | Free agent )
• Melvin Frazier (Oklahoma City Thunder | Free agent)
• Keon Johnson (Portland Trail Blazers)  [h/t NBA.com]

With the decision to retire the number, many have wondered whether this will be the catalyst for another number change for LeBron. He announced changing his jersey number from 23 to 6 ahead of the release of Space Jam 2, where he was wearing No. 6.

With Space Jam 2 in the rearview, LeBron may want to switch back to his old jersey number out of respect to the legacy of Russell. LBJ also wore the number during his stint with the Miami Heat, as they had already retired 23 in respect to Michael Jordan.

No player will be forced or coerced into changing their jersey number, but it will be weird for players to wear a number that has been retired to honor one of the league’s biggest legends. If LeBron decides to leave 6 behind, he will have his ever-reliable No. 23 waiting for him.  

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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