NBA News: Miami Heat expected to retire LeBron James' iconic number 6 jersey

LeBron James has played for three different NBA teams in his 19-year career. The 37-year-old has helped every side he played for win the championship and this remains to be one of the biggest hallmarks in his career. His first title run came with the Miami Heat. Although he was painted as a villain after moving to South Beach, in his four years there, James elevated the franchise to newer heights.

Entering the league, “The Kid from Akron” played for the Cleveland Cavaliers using the number 23. But when he made a move to the Miami Heat, LeBron James decided to change his number to 6. He did switch back to 23 once he left the Heat, but his performance donning number 6 was special. The NBA recently decided to retire the number 6 jersey in remembrance of Bill Russell, who passed away on July 31.

However, the league has grandfathered it for players who currently wear the jersey, one among them being LeBron James. Amidst these updates, recent reports have revealed that the Miami Heat could still retire jersey number 6 in appreciation for all the good work LeBron James has done while staying with the Heat.

How good was LeBron James during his stint with the Miami Heat?

In his first stint with the Cavaliers, LeBron James had already established his name as a superstar in the league. However, he needed a championship to cement his legacy and for that reason, he joined the Miami Heat. James alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh made the Heat instant title contenders. Prior to LeBron’s arrival, the team had lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Boston Celtics.

But once the King donned the Heat jersey they became the most dominant team in the league. After finishing the regular season as the second seed in the East, they marched onto the 2011 NBA Finals, where they were up against the Dallas Mavericks. Many expected them to easily come out with a victory, but Dirk Nowitzki’s side stunned the Heat to win the 2011 NBA championship.

The following season, the Heat was once again back in the NBA Finals, but this time they won the championship on the back of a stellar LeBron James performance. He lifted his first Larry O’Brien trophy and also claimed the 2012 Finals MVP award for his domination. LeBron helped the side win the championship in the following season as well and cemented his name as an all-time great in the franchise.

In his fourth and final year, the team made yet another Finals appearance, only to lose 4-1 to the San Antonio Spurs. Despite the two setbacks in the Finals, his career as a Heat player was glorious. Along with the two Finals MVP trophies, he was also named the regular season MVP twice and made the All-Star and First team All-NBA teams in all his years at South Beach. Undoubtedly, Bill Russell is an icon in the sport and deserves every honor that will come his way. But LeBron James is a player who once again brought glory to the city of Miami, which is why it is right for them to retire his jersey.