Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
November 19, 2009, Washington Post

What's in a number?

Basketball superstar LeBron James announced last week that he wants the National Basketball Association to retire the number 23 to honor Hall of Fame basketball star Michael Jordan.

James, who wears number 23 for the Cleveland Cavaliers, said: "I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized in some way -- soon. There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade without Michael Jordan."

I don't agree with James. Jordan was a great basketball player. He led the league in scoring 10 times and won six NBA championships for the Chicago Bulls. It's fine that the Bulls retired Jordan's number. But I don't think the entire NBA should retire the number 23.

Major League Baseball retired the number 42 in 1997 to honor Jackie Robinson. But that's different. Robinson was more than just a terrific baseball player. As the first African American to play in the major leagues, Robinson was a brave pioneer who helped make this country become a better place. Jordan has never done anything like that.

And if you retire the number 23, where would you stop? LeBron says he would be willing to wear the number 6, the number he wore for the United States Olympic team.

Wait a minute: That's Bill Russell's number. Russell was a center who led the Boston Celtics to 11 NBA championships during his 13-year playing career. He's a bigger winner than even Jordan. Russell revolutionized the game with his ability to rebound and block shots.

If he's not superstitious, maybe James should subtract 10 from 23 and wear the number 13. Sorry, that's Wilt Chamberlain's number. Chamberlain, who once scored 100 points in an NBA game and averaged more than 50 points a game for an entire season, was one of the most unstoppable players in the history of the game.

Maybe James could add 10 to his 23 and wear number 33 or switch the numbers on his jersey and wear number 32.

Those numbers belong to Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers. Their passing and all-around hoop skills made basketball and the NBA popular in the 1980s.

You see, there are lots of great players who have contributed to the game of basketball, not just Jordan. I haven't mentioned such all-time greats as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (also number 33), Oscar Robertson (numbers 14 and 1) or Jerry West (number 44).

So my advice to LeBron James is to wear number 23. Play the best you can, and someday when fans think of the number 23 they will remember you instead of Michael Jordan.

Fred Bowen writes KidsPost's sports opinion column and is the author of such kids' books as "Touchdown Trouble" and "Soccer Team Upset."

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