There is no greater honor for an NBA player than having their jersey number retired by a team. It’s a rare tribute reserved for those who made history with their franchises, leaving an undeniable legacy on and off the court.
That tribute recognizes a player as a true legend of the franchise. However, there are a few that can indulge themselves with two numbers retired from the same team, one of those players is Kobe Bryant, the NBA legend who played with the #8 and the #24 in the Los Angeles Lakers, and both numbers were retired by the Purple and Gold.
There’s an interesting story behind the moment Kobe Bryant chose to wear the number 24 for the Lakers, and from whom he inherited that iconic number. That number symbolized Kobe’s transition and the legacy he built with the Lakers.
The Numbers Worn by Kobe Bryant as a Laker
Kobe Bryant played with the Los Angeles Lakers his whole career, having a big impact in the heart of the fans of the team. Since he joined Purple and Gold, Bryant wore the #8, having some sensational seasons where he achieved 3 NBA Championships, 8 All-Star selections, and 1 scoring title.
These were undeniably remarkable achievements. After Shaquille O’Neal left the team in 2004, Bryant began considering a jersey number change, though he hadn’t yet decided which number to choose.
It was not until the 2006-2007 season that Kobe could wear the legendary number after one of the main players retired from basketball, and by chance, he could wear the number 24 for the next years.
The last man before Bryant to wear the #24
Jim Jackson, a former NBA player known for his journey across 12 different teams, wore the number 24 for much of his professional career, beginning with the Dallas Mavericks and later with the Miami Heat. When he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005, he once again claimed the number, as it was available on the roster at the time.
Nevertheless, during an appearance on the Mark Jackson Show, he shared that he feels a sense of pride seeing his former Lakers number hanging in the rafters. “I look at it like my number’s up in the rafters at Staples Center, it’s just a different name on the back,” Jackson said with a laugh. “Me and Kobe and Shaq and Magic and Kareem and all the guys up there.”
He also shared why he took the #24 before Kobe did it. “The reason why is because they began to market your jersey. Well, Kobe, I think, waited after the deadline for the 2005-2006 season, so he couldn’t change the number. So I ended up having it as a default because he had to wait till the following year to change.” Jackson explained.
The Black Mamba could take the 24 for the next season, and with that number, he made history. Bryant won 2 NBA Championships, and in both finals he earned the MVP prize; he was nominated 10 times to the All-Star and 1 scoring title.
Read the full article here
