The postgame jersey swap is common phenomenon, but LeBron James and Alex Ovechkin brought about the rare cross-sport jersey exchange.
After James and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Washington Wizards in D.C. on Friday night, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and NHL’s all-time leader in goals met up in the locker room to swap jerseys.
Ovechkin and his family were able to attend the Lakers-Wizards game at Capital One Arena since the Washington Capitals had the night off. The hometown team didn’t give them a lot to cheer for, but the Lakers brought plenty of entertainment.
James put up 20 points and six assists in 30 minutes. Luka Dončić recorded a triple-double with 37 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds. The Lakers cruised to a 142-111 victory.
Neither James nor Ovechkin have said they are going to retire after this season, but the future for both legends is uncertain with both of them over the age of 40. They are both in the final years of their contracts.
Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer in April. James broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record in February 2023. Both players will be inducted into their respective sport’s Hall of Fame as soon as they become eligible.