The endless wardrobe of LeBron James, the NBA's new scoring king
38,388 points (and counting) -- and 54 different jerseys. LeBron James, the NBA's new all-time leader in career points, might also be the NBA's unofficial leader in unique looks.
The King’s Quest
The Endless Wardrobe of The NBA’s New Scoring King
The Endless
Wardrobe of
The NBA’s New
Scoring King
With a fadeaway jumper against the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's career leader in points scored. When you think of James scoring, you can probably picture him soaring through the air for a massive one-handed dunk.
But what jersey are you picturing him in?
In his 20 years in the NBA, spent with three teams, James has worn dozens of different jerseys -- 54 to be exact, some of which he wore for just a single game. We broke down James' scoring prowess based on the many different looks he has sported through his career.
Consider this your guide to all the colors of the King's scoring rainbow.
20 seasons
54 looks
LeBron James has spent his entire 20-year career with three franchises: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. Still, he's managed to wear dozens of different looks with those teams, a reflection of the ever-changing style of the NBA.
James has worn 54 different primary jerseys in the regular season (not accounting for various patches).
James has scored as many as 6,656 points and as few as 17 in different jerseys. The circle sizes below correspond to his point totals.
Our timeline clearly labels the three teams James has played for over his 20 seasons: the Cleveland Cavaliers,
Miami Heat,
and Los Angeles Lakers.
Keep scrolling for a detailed breakdown (all stats through games of Feb. 7)
Cavaliers
2003-2010
Points
15,251
No. of Looks
9
James spent most of his first seven years in Cleveland wearing either the
Cavs' white or red jerseys, both of which were new when he came into the league in 2003.
Sized by points
’03-’04
4,992
6,656
’04-’05
399
’05-’06
2,278
Sized by points
CAVALIERS '03-'10
games
179
WIN pct
49%
points
4,992
points/game
27.9
James wore this for his NBA debut in Sacramento and for the last game of his
first stint with Cleveland, an infamous playoff loss to Boston.
CAVALIERS '03-'10
games
245
WIN pct
73%
points
6,656
points/game
27.2
James played more games and scored more points in this jersey than in any of the
others he has worn in his career.
CAVALIERS '03-'10
games
17
points
399
This is one of two throwback jerseys that James wore in both of his stints in
Cleveland, where he's the franchise's all-time leading scorer.
“It means a lot to go down in the history books as the all-time leading scorer in franchise history.”
LEBRON JAMES
CAVALIERS '05-'10
games
76
WIN pct
55%
points
2,278
points/game
30
The Cavs introduced the first regularly-worn alternate jersey of LeBron's career
during the 2005-06 season.
’06-’07
459
’07-’08
’08-’09
345
’09-’10
368
CAVALIERS '06-'17
games
16
WIN pct
56%
points
459
points/game
28.7
James has worn eight different jersey colors during his career, but this is the
only orange look he has ever sported.
CAVALIERS '10
games
2
WIN pct
100%
points
60
points/game
30
While James has scored more than 8,600 points wearing red, he only wore this
specific jersey twice.
CAVALIERS '08-'09
games
13
points
345
games
2
points
59
The Cavs expanded their jersey lineup by mashing up throwback looks -- like this
classic gold jersey from the '70s -- with different color schemes.
TEAM '09-'10
games
12
points
368
While James grew up in Ohio, he wasn't a fan of the Cavaliers when they were
sporting these jerseys in the 1980s and 1990s.
“I was a Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan fan growing up.”
JAMES, WHO PASSED JORDAN ON THE ALL-TIME SCORING LIST IN 2019.
Heat
2010-2014
Points
7,919
No. of Looks
17
James scored 7,919 points in his four years in Miami, doing so in an
astounding 17 different jerseys -- more than four per season.
’10-’11
1,089
2,818
1,064
247
’11-’12
200
212
’12-’13
1,049
260
354
’13-’14
241
191
HEAT '10-'14
games
106
WIN pct
80%
points
2,818
points/game
26.6
This was LeBron's most frequently worn Heat jersey -- and the one he was wearing
when he scored a career-high 61 points against Charlotte in 2014.
Heat '10-'14
games
42
points
1,064
Among the 15 jerseys he has worn at least 30 times, James' 25.3 PPG in this look
is his second-lowest scoring average.
“I’m not a scorer. I don’t want to be labeled as a scorer. I’m a playmaker.”
LEBRON IN 2017
Heat '10-'12
games
38
WIN pct
66%
points
1,089
points/game
28.7
James took his talents to South Beach in 2010, when his jersey closet really
began to expand.
Heat '10-'14
games
11
points
247
games
1
points
19
James wore two versions of Miami's Noche Latina jerseys, one with
sleeves and one without.
HEAT '12-'13
games
7
points
200
games
10
points
260
games
9
points
241
The Heat leaned into a monochromatic theme during James' time in Miami,
introducing an alternate version for each of their three primary colors.
HEAT '12
games
8
WIN pct
75%
points
212
points/game
26.5
This is the only time James has sported pink on a jersey in his career, as the
Heat broke out throwbacks inspired by the ABA's Miami Floridians.
HEAT '12-'13
games
1
points
26
games
1
points
17
The Heat wore special edition jerseys for their banner-raising nights in 2012
and 2013, adding gold to their traditional home whites.
HEAT '12-'14
games
36
WIN pct
56%
points
1,049
points/game
29.1
After sporting "Heat" on the front of their road jerseys for their entire
existence, Miami changed to the city name starting in the 2012-13 season.
HEAT '12
games
1
points
29
James has scored more points on Christmas Day than any other player on any single day
in NBA history.
“It’s always exciting and an honor to be able to play on Christmas.”
JAMES IN 2021
HEAT '13-'14
games
12
points
354
games
7
points
191
James has worn eight "Hardwood Classics" jerseys in his career,
including these two throwback Heat looks.
HEAT '13
games
1
WIN pct
100%
points
19
points/game
19
LeBron was not happy with these "Big Logo" Christmas jerseys, which had sleeves
and looked more like pajamas than basketball uniforms.
HEAT '14
games
3
WIN pct
33%
points
84
points/game
28
For a trio of Heat games in 2013-14, the NBA let players -- like King James --
sport nicknames on the back of their jerseys.
Cavaliers
2014-2018
Points
7,868
No. of Looks
13
James' second stint with the Cavs saw him score fewer points (7,868) but wear
far more jerseys -- 13 in four seasons, not counting a few repeats from his first stint.
’14-’15
1,007
1,559
1,025
1,010
’15-’16
278
287
’16-’17
’17-’18
902
565
516
268
CAVALIERS '14-'17
games
78
WIN pct
60%
points
1,007
points/game
27
In 2014, James returned to Cleveland where the roster -- and the jerseys -- had a much different look.
CAVALIERS '14-'17
games
63
points
1,559
games
38
points
1,010
games
40
points
1,025
The Cavs had introduced this new set of jerseys in 2010-11, the season after LeBron originally left. They were still around when he came back.
CAVALIERS '14
games
1
points
30
James scored 30 points against his former Heat teammates in his first Christmas game back in Cleveland against his former Heat teammates.
“We didn’t have a bad breakup. We played against each other for seven years, man.”
WADE ON FACING JAMES AFTER HAVING BEEN HIS TEAMMATE FOR FOUR SEASONS.
CAVALIERS '15-'17
games
11
WIN pct
73%
points
287
points/game
26.1
James hated the sleeves on these jerseys, so he had them re-tailored for the 2016 Finals, where he would lead the Cavs to their first title.
CAVALIERS '15-'17
games
11
WIN pct
64%
points
278
points/game
25.3
For the second time in LeBron's career, Cleveland remixed this jersey, mixing the CAVS logo from the '80s with the modern colors and number font.
CAVALIERS '15-'16
games
1
points
25
games
1
points
31
When Nike took over the NBA's jersey contract in 2017, they eliminated the annual Christmas jerseys, making these the last two holiday looks of LeBron's career.
CAVALIERS '17-'18
games
21
WIN pct
67%
points
565
points/game
26.9
The Cavs re-designed their jerseys again in 2017 in what would turn out to be James' final season in Cleveland.
CAVALIERS '17-'18
games
33
WIN pct
64%
points
902
points/game
27.3
Nike probably wasn't thrilled when their highest-profile endorser suffered a major wardrobe malfunction with their new jerseys in 2017.
CAVALIERS '17-'18
games
18
WIN pct
61%
points
516
points/game
28.7
James has averaged 27.8 PPG in black in his career; it's one of two colors (white being the other) he has worn with all three of his teams.
CAVALIERS '18
games
10
WIN pct
40%
points
268
points/game
26.8
James was living with "The Land" in this City Edition jersey -- the only gray jersey he has worn in his 20 year career.
Lakers
2018-NOW
Points
7,352
No. of Looks
15
The 15 different jerseys James has worn during his five seasons as a Laker
accounts for his number change, going from 23 to 6 before the 2021-22 season.
’18-’19
2,107
934
523
251
’19-’20
199
’20-’21
’21-’22
1,507
172
639
305
’22-’23
LAKERS '18-'21
games
78
WIN pct
60%
points
2,107
points/game
27
James' arrival in Los Angeles in 2018 coincided with the Lakers returning to their Showtime-era look, which they wore for most of Abdul-Jabbar's career as well.
LAKERS '18-'21
games
36
points
934
games
9
points
251
Magic Johnson was the man who brought LeBron to L.A., so it was fitting that in his first season as a Laker, LeBron wore a purple pinstripe jersey inspired by Magic.
LAKERS '18-'21
games
23
WIN pct
70%
points
523
points/game
22.7
The Lakers didn't wear white jerseys during Abdul-Jabbar's career -- they were strictly purple and gold up until the 2002-03 season.
LAKERS '19-'20
games
8
points
199
The COVID-19 pandemic put this jersey away earlier than planned -- it wasn't among the looks the Lakers brought to the NBA Bubble.
“You have to really love basketball to be here because there’s no extra motivation ... from the crowd and things of that nature.”
JAMES ON PLAYING IN THE BUBBLE.
LAKERS '20-'21
games
6
points
134
games
6
points
163
While blue was a major part of the Lakers pre-1960s color scheme, this throwback to the Elgin Baylor days is the only blue Lakers jersey LeBron has worn.
LAKERS '21
games
1
WIN pct
100%
points
18
points/game
18
This is the only black jersey James has worn in the regular season as a Laker. He wore their Mamba-inspired jerseys in the NBA Bubble in 2020 after Kobe Bryant's death, but only during the playoffs.
LAKERS '21-'23
games
50
points
1,507
games
6
points
172
games
21
points
639
After playing his first three years as a Laker in No. 23, James switched to No. 6 for the 2021-22 season.
LAKERS '21-'22
games
9
WIN pct
56%
points
305
points/game
33.9
James' 33.9 PPG average in the Lakers' 2021-22 City Jersey is his highest in any of his 54 unique looks.
LAKERS '22-'23
games
6
WIN pct
50%
points
160
points/game
26.7
The Lakers tweaked their purple jersey again for the 2022-23 season, going to black numbers.
LAKERS '22
games
5
points
142
games
3
points
98
While white wasn't part of the Lakers' color scheme for decades, it's become more frequent for alternate looks during the LeBron era.
Crosscourt
So when LeBron's career is complete, what jersey will you picture him in? That's the question Ros Gold-Onwude posed to ESPN's Nick Friedell and Israel Gutierrez on “Crosscourt.” And while a Cavaliers jersey was the first one mentioned, it might not be the one you're expecting.
Accessories
Points
24,778
Games
904
Headband: The headband was LeBron's signature accessory during his
early years, though its usage has faded with time.
Points
16,806
Games
622
Shooting sleeve: James hasn't been known for his outside shooting,
which might be why he hasn't always rocked a shooting sleeve.
Points
9,321
Games
345
Compression pants: Dwyane Wade helped popularize the "tights" look,
but LeBron has rocked them for nearly 25% of his career scoring.
Points
599
Games
22
Mask: Injuries forced James to don a protective mask for two stints
during his career, once in Cleveland and once in Miami.
What’s Next?
Where James takes the scoring record remains to be seen. He's under contract with the Lakers for at least one more season -- which means a new City Edition jersey to add to his collection. And if he changes teams before he retires, he could add a whole new set of jerseys as he shoots for 40,000 points and beyond.
Written by Adam Reisinger
Produced by ESPN Creative Studio: Matthew Becker, Chris DeLisle, Dominique DeMoe, Jarret Gabel, Luke Knox, Rami Moghadam, Jason Potterton, Rachel Weiss.
Hyperlapse by Cole Quigley. Photo illustrations by MASA. Photography credits: AP Photo, Getty Images and IMAGN.
