Why LeBron will NEVER get out of the shadows of Jordan rockin’ 23! “Like Mike”

"I'm my own man now I just still think like a kid!"

Margaret Mead, the cultural anthropologist, once said, “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” Walt Disney joined the conversation by sayin’, “The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.” Then Orson Welles, the famous actor and director, ended the joint with, “Create your own visual style…let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.”

On Sunday LeBron James decided not to create his own visual style and go back to rockin’ No.23 for his second stint in Cleveland. He wore that joint in high school and from the 2003-2004 season to the 2009-2010 season before switchin’ to his Olympic No.6 when he went to South Beach. Initially the league was goin’ to retire the 23 in honor of the G.O.A.T. but it never happened.

Now Adidas is workin’ overtime to get joints out here to boyz that wanna wear the LBJ 23! So you already know that ole boy is goin’ to lead the league in jersey sales again this year. Why not? He’s led the league for six of his eleven years in the league. However, all of the real G’s out here have a problem with it playa.

Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! When LeBron came out of the high school he was tryin’ to become the best player on the planet. So as a kid he rocked the 23 because he was like every other young thunder cat in America, he wanted to be like Mike! The media, as much as they wanna deny it today, anointed him the “Chosen One” and “King James.” And over the course of time he’s become the best player on the planet that has been to 5 Finals in his 11 year career and has won 2 of them bringin’ home 4 league MVP’s.

At 29 years old he’s makin’ a case for himself as bein’ one of the greatest players to ever lace them up playboy. So therefore, he’s bein’ a sucka to put back on the 23 because the 23 will always be Jordan’s number. Yeah, I know other duns have worn the 6, like Bill Russell and Julius Erving etc. but when you see No. 6 you don’t automatically think of them because they aren’t brands. Listen up homie, with Jordan bein’ the G.O.A.T. you gotta pick somethin’ else playa.

Why? Because you’re like the old timers used to say, “A fully grown man now!” You can’t walk around tryin’ to be like somebody else and especially not the “Establishment.” You gotta be you and only you because these young duns are tryin’ to be like you now. If you’re gonna be like Mike then they may as well cut out the middle man and go straight to Mike bruh! That’s real talk!

You can’t compete with the establishment! Not only are you competin’ with Jordan the basketball player but most importantly you’re competin’ with the brand. You can’t ever win that battle because 90 percent of the duns rockin’ the brand never even saw Jordan play. He’s like Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton to these duns bruh. The 23 is the establishment and there’s nothin’ you can do to change that.

It’s like tryin’ to change the mind of a cat that’s 35 about his deceased father. When his dad died he was 7 and his old man was a deacon at the church so that’s all he remembers. However, his dad was a pimp and a hustla when was 5. He can’t remember all of that bruh because the only memories he has of him is singin’ at church. All these kids know about Jordan is what they’ve been told by watchin’ highlights and buyin’ his gear. It doesn’t matter what LeBron does from now on the 23 belongs to Mike. Why? Because that’s all these cats can wrap their minds around. Now LeBron is just another cat wearin’ the Brand.

As much as Kobe wants to be Mike he was at least was smart enough to wear a different number. I mean the dun walks like Mike, talks like Mike and even chews gum like Mike but he doesn’t wear Mike’s mask. So therefore, he can at least be the Black Mamba on his own. When you see No.23 you automatically think of Jordan not LeBron playa.

Bein’ a great player means settin’ yourself apart from other great players. The 23 is already signed, sealed and delivered pimpin’! That’s like a boy puttin’ on the 42 in baseball. It’s a waste of time! You can’t make that number great! It’s already great and it already belongs to Jackie Robinson FOREVER.

Boyz gave LeBron a pass when he was young and hadn’t won anything yet but now he’s on another level and he’s got to create his own identity even with a jersey number. Let’s face it bruh, when it’s all said and done the conversation of Greatest of All-Time will be between two playas, Jordan and LeBron. How stupid would it be if both of these duns were wearin’ the same number?

Jordan established the joint first so it’s his. I don’t care what LeBron accomplishes over the course of his career if he wears Jordan’s number he’s always gonna be in Jordan’s shadow because he was still tryin’ to be like Mike! If you’re gonna be your own man put on your own face. Stop me when I start lyin’!