Lakers unsure which Kobe Bryant jersey number to retire

Kobe Bryant’s number will soon hang from the rafters at Staples Center, but will it be a No. 8 or a No. 24 jersey?

The Los Angeles Lakers have an interesting dilemma on their hands. And no, it’s not their last-place record in the Western Conference, though that’s another interesting dilemma in its own right.

Last Sunday night, Kobe Bryant formalized what many have been speculating about all year: his intention to retire at the end of this season. In an eloquent poem written in The Players’ Tribune, Bryant announced his decision to call it a career at season’s end.

With numerous accomplishments and hardware under his belt, it’s a given that the Lakers will retire Bryant’s number and add him to their storied history of astounding basketball legends. The only real question left is what number they will use when they do so. According to a TMZ Sports report, Lakers brass are still undecided as to which number they will eventually retire.

While Bryant played all 20 seasons of his career in purple and gold, the digits on his jersey were not always the same. And there’s an argument to be made for both numbers.

He spent the first half of his time donning No. 8, a decision he made by combining the three numbers in 143, the jersey number he wore at the Adidas ABCD camp. While sporting No. 8, Kobe led the Lakers to three consecutive championships playing alongside Shaquille O’Neal.

In 2006, Bryant announced his intentions to switch to No. 24, the jersey number he first used in high school. According to Kobe, he wanted No. 24 when he entered the NBA as a rookie, but the number was unavailable at the time. After making the change, Bryant won his only league MVP award in 2008 and guided L.A. to two more back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.

So which deserves to be enshrined forever as the enduring mark of his legacy? No. 8 or No. 24?

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