The Los Angeles Lakers are content to straddle the fence where Kobe Bryant’s numerical legacy is concerned.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported Tuesday on Twitter the Lakers have decided to retire both numbers Bryant wore during his legendary career. Bryant soon will become the first NBA player to have two numbers retired by the same team.
Bryant donned No. 8 for the first 10 years of his career before switching to No. 24 in 2006. Many wondered which of Bryant’s number the Lakers would retire, and they’ve chosen both in a shock decision.
The Lakers will honor Bryant on Dec. 18 at Staples Center prior to their game against the Golden State Warriors. With Bryant, they’ll once again break their tradition of only retiring the jerseys of players who have been enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Los Angeles retired Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 34 in 2013, three years before he entered the Hall of Fame.
Bryant retired after the 2015-16 season after playing 20 years with the Lakers and winning five NBA championships. He was an 18-time NBA All-Star and currently sits third on the NBA’s all-time points list, trailing just Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
Thumbnail photo via Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY Sports Images
