Fischer: LeBron switches to No. 9 at Sixers camp out of respect to Erving

James had been using Olympic No. 6 in practices.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 44m1 min read

Was told yesterday that LeBron, who's typically worn his Olympic No. 6 for practices, changed digits out of respect to J Via @JakeLFischer on X

What happened: The digit change surfaced after Jake Fischer said James had typically worn No. 6 in workouts. Philadelphia is in training camp as the club ramps into the 2026-27 preseason.

Why it matters: Keeping Dr. J's retired No. 6 untouched carries obvious weight for a franchise that still treats Erving as one of its defining figures. It also adds one more visible detail to how James' move to Philadelphia came together heading into exhibition play.

By the numbers: 6: James' usual Olympic practice number, per Fischer. 9: the digit Fischer said he wore during Sixers camp.

What to watch: Watch whether No. 9 stays with James once Philadelphia gets into preseason games or remains a camp-only choice. Saturday's Blue x White scrimmage was the first in-house checkpoint before exhibition play.

Sources

@JakeLFischer 2026-10-03T19:05:51.038252+00:00

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