Breaking Down LeBron James’ Jersey Patch Honoring His 23rd Season
It seems like just about every day, LeBron James enters more rarified air.
He’s the first active NBA player to reach billionaire status, and periodically notches off accomplishments like the league’s all-time leading scorer, all while still being a solid scoring option at 41 years old. And he’s doing it all in an unprecedented year 23, so the NBA is awarding him with his own patch.
In collaboration with the league and memorabilia giant Topps, James is getting stamped with a patch that will sit directly above the swoosh on his jersey.
It depicts the outline of his signature chalking-tossing pregame ritual. It’s backed by a badge that reads “23 NBA seasons,” which also pays homage to his jersey number.
Behind that is a tricolor shield representing the teams he’s played for (and won championships with). There’s the yellow for his Lakers ‘chip from 2020, burgundy and blue for his 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers ring, and red for his repeat wins with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013.
The league’s honor gets more intricately meaningful because, after each game, the patch will be removed and shipped to Topps headquarters. According to the NBA, some will be stored with proper documentation, while others will be placed into super-rare trading cards.
The tradition started last night at the Lakers game against the Sacramento Kings, where the king played his first NBA game back in 2003 and scored 25 points. Twenty-three years later, James’ Lakers are 23-14 and sit fifth in the Western Conference while he averages 21.9 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.6 rebounds.
The ceremonious patch clipping will continue on through the rest of the season, creating a very impressive backlog of memorabilia with 45 games to go.
Patches are usually reserved for big games, like on Christmas, teamwide achievements like getting to the finals, simply the city’s biggest sponsor, or commemorative ones honoring Kobe Bryant’s passing.
So, James getting honored with a patch is just as rare as what he did to earn it.
Oh, and that billionaire status didn’t just come from NBA contract money, he’s also a savvy businessman, so it’s worth noting he signed an exclusive trading card and memorabilia deal in 2024 with Fanatics, which has owned Topps since 2022.
Happy pack ripping.
