After LeBron James announced that he was joining the Heat in the 2010 offseason, many pondered what jersey number he’d wear in Miami. The franchise had retired the forward’s preferred #23 in Michael Jordan’s honor in 2003. He showed up to his unveiling in the #6 jersey, which guard Mario Chalmers had worn the season before he arrived.

James had previously worn the number in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, emulating his idol Julius Erving, and opted to wear it when he joined the Heat. There was speculation about whether he had strong-armed Chalmers to give up the number. However, the two-time NBA champion has finally clarified that wasn’t the case. On the MaXed Out podcast, he said,

“See everybody thinks he took the number from me. That’s not what happened. The year before Bron came, we had a guy named Mark Blount on the team. And Mark Blount barely played but he wore number 15. That was his last year with his contract. So at the end of the season, well, the season going into before Bron came, I had told them I want to switch to #15.” 

Chalmers had worn #15 in high school and college in honor of his mother Almarie, a former player. He won the NCAA National Championship with Kansas donning that number.

However, when he joined the Heat in 2008, the #15 wasn’t available as center Mark Blount had claimed it. So he temporarily picked #6 and when the #15 became available in the 2010 offseason, he pounced at the opportunity to take it, paving the way for James to take #6 without having any conversation about it with Chalmers.

While the two had no reason to have a word with each other about their jersey numbers, they infamously did have a heated argument on the bench during a game.

Mario Chalmers used LeBron James’ trigger word to motivate him

In a game against the Pacers, James’ lapse on a fast break led to a wide-open three-point opportunity for Paul George, who banked it with ease. Chalmers wasn’t too pleased with James’ effort and incited his wrath by taking a dig at the forward. On The OGs Podcast, the former Heat guard said,

So when we get back to the bench [after Paul George’s three-point], I’m like ‘We’re losing like, all this b*tching that we’re doing, we gotta stop acting like b*tches and play f***ing basketball. You’re the best player out here, stop being a b*tch and go play.‘”

Chalmers’ jibe enraged James, who stood up and confronted him. Their teammates had to separate the duo to avoid a scuffle. However, the skirmish seemingly revealed the one word that the four-time MVP despised being called.

Over a decade later, LeBron James would lose his cool at Rockets head coach Ime Udoka for saying, “Stop crying like b*tches, man.” He explicitly told him that using the word wasn’t “cool.”

Chalmers inadvertently exposed James’ trigger word, but not many have dared to use it, likely fearing the consequences.