LeBron James will wear the number 23 on his jersey for the Philadelphia 76ers.
But throughout games in his first season in Philly, fans will notice that there’s also a patch on his uniform with the number 24.
No, that’s not an homage to Kobe Bryant, whose hoops career got attention in earnest while playing high school ball in Philadelphia at Lower Merion.
It’s actually just the NBA finding a way to honor LeBron’s longevity on his own jersey.
What’s the Patch on LeBron’s Jersey?
That patch on James’ jersey is the number 24 with a shadow of LeBron imprinted over it and the words “NBA SEASONS” across the top.
It’s recognizing that James is now playing in his 24th season in the NBA, a mark that no other player has reached.
The shadow imprint is especially cool — it’s showing the visual of James tossing the powder at the scorers’ table that he does before every game.
Why Does LeBron Have a Jersey Patch?
The jersey patch is being done by the NBA in conjunction with the Topps trading card company.
The patch on a given James jersey will be removed after every game.
Topps will then place some of the patches into extremely rare trading cards that will technically be 1-of-1, since the patch will have just been worn in one game and put into one card.
This is how Topps announced the news on Tuesday, Oct. 20 before the 76ers opened their season at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks:
BREAKING: LeBron James will wear a special 24th season jersey patch throughout the 2026-27 season.
The patches will be removed from his jersey after each game, and certain patches will be placed into ultra-rare 1-of-1 trading cards. https://t.co/uuVRuncNPD
— Topps (@Topps) October 20, 2026
It’s certainly a money-making opportunity for the league and one of its partners, but it’s also a way to commemorate a player that will likely never have an equal in the history of the NBA.
How Many Seasons Has LeBron Played?
The 2026-27 NBA season marks the 24th in the league for LeBron James.
No one had ever reached 24 seasons before James.
He entered the league as a rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003-04.
He has since played for the Miami Heat, the Cavs again, the Los Angeles Lakers and now the 76ers.
James won titles with the Heat, Cavs and Lakers. The 76ers will be hoping they are next.
But no matter what LeBron does in Philadelphia, it’s already historic that he made it this far. The kid from Akron, Ohio who was dubbed “The Chosen One” on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was still in high school is still playing a quarter-century later. That’s as remarkable as it gets.
LeBron James’ Jersey Patch, Explained: Why 76ers Star is Wearing 24 Logo on Uniform