Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on December 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

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Tyler Erzberger

By Tyler Erzberger

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LeBron James is a special athlete.

No, not just in the NBA or in North American sports, but worldwide. What he is doing in his 23rd year in the league on the Los Angeles Lakers is truly special, and commissioner Adam Silver knows that.

That's why LeBron James' jersey looks different for the rest of the 2025-26 NBA season: it's because of the legacy that started over two decades ago in Sacramento, when an 18-year-old from Akron took on the Kings.

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The league announced that, starting on Jan. 12, 2026, when the Los Angeles Lakers face the Sacramento Kings, LeBron James will be commemorated with a special patch on his jersey in each game.

James will have a patch affixed to his upper right chest featuring a silhouette of him doing his iconic pregame chalk toss, with three colored stripes representing the trio of franchises he played for: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.

He will have a new patch for the remaining 46 games of the season.

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Forward LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat throws powder before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ford Center on January 30, 2011 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Following every game he appears in, the patch will then be taken off his uniform and authenticated before ultimately sent to Topps headquarters, where that fabric will be included in a special, one-of-a-kind trading card millions will try to find and own.

Topps has continually evolved its trading card business over the past few years, with baseball players and professional wrestlers wearing special patches during events that are then fused into special cards for consumers to try and find in packs.

In that debut game against the Kings, James went for 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and four steals while shooting 12 out of 20 from the field.

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