LeBron James admits to having “emotional moment” in Lakers loss
The Los Angeles Lakers star spoke about his custom jersey patch that the NBA revealed.
When LeBron James ran onto the court in Sacramento earlier this week wearing something new on his Los Angeles Lakers uniform, it wasn’t just with his eye-catching sneaker choice that turned heads.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer debuted a bespoke patch on his jersey that celebrates an unprecedented 23rd season in the league, marking a landmark achievement for the NBA legend.
The patch sits above the Nike logo on James’ chest and features his signature pre-game chalk toss silhouette surrounded by coloured stripes that represent the three franchises he has donned during his career - the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and the Lakers. Its design neatly encapsulates the arc of a career that began nearly a quarter of a century ago.
In choosing Sacramento for the patch’s debut, the NBA and the Lakers added a symbolic flourish: it was the city in which James played his first professional minutes as a teenager in 2003.
BREAKING: LeBron James will wear a special-edition 23rd season jersey patch beginning tonight in Sacramento; the city where he began his legendary career in 2003.
— Topps (@Topps) January 12, 2026
The patches will be removed from his jersey after each game, and some will be placed into ultra-rare trading cards. pic.twitter.com/zzOEJyiFUK
“It’s super cool, super surreal, super humbling”
In partnership with trading card maker Topps, the patch will now be carefully removed from his jersey, dated by the Lakers’ equipment staff, and sent to Dallas to be authenticated and placed in ultra-rare trading cards.
“It’s super cool, super surreal, super humbling, blessed,” he said after the game. “When I saw it for the first time, it was an emotional moment as well. I just think about the journey thus far and have an opportunity to be here where it all started, obviously at Oracle, but in this city.”
“So it was just started thinking about the whole thing from the beginning to where we are now. It’s been a heck of a journey and for the people that have followed my career, the fans that have followed my career, I get an opportunity to be a part of it and Topps did a great job with that situation and the NBA getting involved. Like I said, super grateful and super surreal,” James concluded.
Lebron: "Just super cool, super surreal, super humble, blessed...it was like an emotional moment" https://t.co/lKn8ZBtYRJ pic.twitter.com/JFMGDd4vbv
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 13, 2026
Related stories
Even at 41, James is still managing to put up sensational numbers: 21.9 points per game on 51% shooting, along with 6.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds has helped the Lakers to place themselves fifth in the Western Conference with a 23‑13 record.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment