Two jerseys retired for Kobe Bryant?
Kobe Bryant has accomplished many things throughout his basketball career. 17 All-Star Games. Five championships. Scoring titles. Olympic gold medals. On and on it goes. Could Kobe accomplish something that no one has ever done after he retires?
Kobe changed his jersey number from 8 to 24 before the 2007 season. Kobe ended up winning three championships before the switch and two after. Now, according the LA Times, it’s possible that the Los Angeles Lakers could retire both numbers once the superstar hangs it up after this season.
"After Kobe Bryant retires, the Lakers will eventually hang his jersey up in the rafters at Staples Center.Which of Bryant’s two numbers will the Lakers honor?“I don’t know the answer. Obviously it’s going to be 8, 24 or it could be both,” said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak at a season ticket holder event Sunday."
Kobe won 24 in high school before switching to 33 before he graduated. The Lakers had already retired 33 in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and 24 was already taken, so Kobe wore 8.
Kobe’s preference would be to have just the number 24 retired according to the OC Register.
"When the day comes that Kobe Bryant’s jersey is retired by the Lakers, it will go on the Staples Center wall as No. 24, not No. 8.That’s Bryant’s preference, and so it shall be."
Lebron James and Michael Jordan each had multiple numbers during their careers. However, no player may have done more wearing two different numbers than Bryant has.
However, what Kobe wants will get when it comes to this and to me, at the end, it’s probably up to him.