The Number 23: From Alex Albon to Sporting Icons

Alex Albon will be entering his sixth season in Formula 1 this year, carrying the number 23 that he has made his own in the sport.

His choice stems from childhood admiration for MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, who famously raced with 46. While wanting to pay homage when selecting his number, Albon opted not to claim such an iconic set of digits outright, instead halving it to create 23.

Adding to its significance, Albono’s birthday falls on March 23 1996, making it a perfect match.

Away from F1, this number has been adorned by some of the most iconic figures in sports history, let us take a look at some of them now…

When it comes to the number 23, one name inevitably stands out: Michael Jordan. Widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan wore 23 for most of his storied career with the Chicago Bulls, and in his spell at the Washington Wizards. His dominance on the court turned 23 into a symbol of success and inspired countless young athletes to choose the number in his honour.

In the world of football, David Beckham made 23 famous during his time at Real Madrid and LA Galaxy. While his earlier career was synonymous with the number 7 at Manchester United, that option was off the table when he became a Galactico in 2003. Beckham instead opted for 23 when he moved to Spain and the United States, a nod to Michael Jordan. Later spells at AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain saw him switch the digits around to don the number 32, as 23 was already taken at both clubs.

LeBron James, another basketball icon, has also embraced the number 23. Inspired by Jordan, LeBron has worn it for much of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers, cementing the number’s place in basketball lore.

Cricket’s legendary spinner Shane Warne made the number 23 his own in one day formats throughout his illustrious career. Known for his incredible skill and flair on the field, Warne wore the number as he became one of the sport’s most celebrated players. His reasoning for number 23 is because of his admiration for AFL legend Dermott Brereton, who wore the number during his career with Hawthorn.

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