Starting tonight, LeBron James’ jerseys are going to look unlike those worn by anybody else in the NBA.
In conjunction with Topps, the league announced Monday, Jan. 12, that James will wear a specialized commemorative patch on his upper right chest in honor of his NBA record 23rd season for the rest of the year. James will first wear the patch Monday during the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Sacramento Kings.
The patch includes a silhouette of James’ figure during his infamous pre-game gesture of tossing powdered chalk into the air. The patch also includes colors of the two other teams he has played for, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
After each game the Lakers equipment manager will remove the patches, date them, and they will be shipped to the Topps production facility in Dallas where they will be authenticated and placed into trading cards. The process of removing and dating the patches will be recorded on video.
Earlier this season, when he made his debut Nov. 18 against the Utah Jazz, James set an NBA record for most seasons played, surpassing the mark he had held with Hall of Famer Vince Carter.
James, who turned 41 in late December, has remained a productive player despite his age and is reimagining the standard of expected performance for a player his age. He’s averaging 21.9 points, 6.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game across 19 contests.
Alongside star guard Luka Dončić, James is helping keep the Lakers (23-13) competitive, currently ranked fifth in the Western Conference.