Lakers retired jersey numbers: Jeanie Buss explains why LeBron James will join exclusive list of LA legends

LeBron James sent a shiver down the spines of Lakers fans in May when he shared some cryptic comments about his future. They were able to let out a sigh of relief after the 38-year-old confirmed that he would be back for the 2023-24 season during a speech at the ESPY Awards.

When James does officially retire, he will join an exclusive club of Los Angeles legends. In an interview with Sportskeeda's Mark Medina, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss revealed that James will eventually see his jersey rise to the rafters of Crypto.com Arena.

"The standard for having your jersey retired as a Laker is when a player is inducted into the Hall of Fame. I have absolutely no doubt that LeBron will make it into the Basketball Hall of Fame," Buss told Medina.

"When he does so, then we will retire his jersey. Knowing that he will make it into the Basketball Hall of Fame, he will have his Lakers jersey retired, no doubt about it."

MORE: Stephen Curry reveals three awesome Kobe Bryant stories on 'Hot Ones'

Full list of Lakers retired jersey numbers

Buss wasn't exaggerating about that standard. The Lakers have retired the jersey numbers of just 12 players in franchise history, and each player is a Hall of Famer.

Pau Gasol, who saw his No. 16 jersey retired in March, will head into the Hall of Fame next month as part of the Class of 2023.

Will Lakers retire LeBron James' No. 6 or No. 23 jersey?

James is switching from No. 6 to No. 23 ahead of the upcoming season "out of respect for Bill Russell," according to his agent, Rich Paul. Russell's No. 6 was retired across the league last year, but James and other players who had previously worn the jersey number were permitted to keep it if they didn't want to make a change.

From 2018-2021, James sported the No. 23 jersey. He then picked up the No. 6 jersey for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He has reached significant milestones in both jerseys, winning his fourth championship in 2020 and breaking the NBA's all-time scoring record in 2023.

When asked whether the Lakers would retire just one or both of his jerseys, Buss responded, "That's a discussion for another time."

LeBron James' history with No. 6 and No. 23

James wore the No. 23 jersey at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School and kept rolling with it after being selected by the Cavaliers with the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. James has often cited the NBA's most famous No. 23, Michael Jordan, as a source of inspiration.

"When I started playing basketball, I was like, 'Oh man, that two-three looks good. I wanna be able to fly like him. I wanna be able to shoot like him. I wanna be able to dunk on somebody like him. I wanna be able to stick out my tongue like him in the air and yell in somebody's face like MJ,'" James said in 2019.

"So, ever since I started playing ball, I wore No. 23."

During his seventh season in Cleveland, James declared that every NBA player wearing No. 23 should drop it out of respect for Jordan.

"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. 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 switched to No. 6 after signing with the Heat, and he continued to wear that number on his practice uniform even after donning No. 23 as a member of the Cavs and Lakers. That decision was a nod to another one of James' childhood heroes, Deion Sanders, who wore No. 21 during games but No. 2 at practices.

Outside of NBA competition, James has worn No. 6 in multiple Olympic Games.