Kobe To Wear #24 Next Season

[daigong]

In relation to THIS THREAD, Kobe will wear #24 next season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2421874

Bryant will wear No. 24 next season, sources say

Kobe Bryant's fans might have to buy another jersey next season. That's because multiple sources have told ESPN.com that Bryant will change his number to 24 next season.

Bryant began his career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pa., wearing No. 24. But by 1996 -- the year he led the school to the state championship -- he had switched to No. 33, the number his father Joe "Jelly Bean" Bryant wore in high school.

In order for a player to change jersey numbers at will, he either has to change teams or have the team inform the league of the decision more than six months in advance. Players who stay with the same team must have worn the same number for four seasons or longer. Sources say the team informed the league of Bryant's wish to change his number by this year's deadline of March 3.

Calls placed to Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers were not immediately returned.

Over the past few months, Kobe Bryant's popularity has been on the rise again. His jersey was the fourth-best seller this season, up one spot from last year's position, according to sales at the NBA Store in Manhattan and on NBA.com.

When Bryant came into the league, he couldn't take the No. 33 because it had been retired seven years earlier by the team in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Bryant arrived at the No. 8 for two reasons. It was the number he wore when he was a kid playing in Italy. It also tied into the number he wore at Adidas' ABCD Camp, 143. The numbers add up to 8.

Bryant's switch is the most significant jersey number change since the 1994-95 season when Michael Jordan came out of retirement wearing the No. 45 for the final 22 games of the season. Jordan's No. 23 ironically was retired in his own name. For the next three seasons, Jordan went back to the No. 23.

League veteran Jimmy Jackson, who signed with the Lakers in March, now wears No. 24.

Six teams have retired the number: the Boston Celtics (Sam Jones), Golden State Warriors (Rick Barry), Houston Rockets (Moses Malone), New York Knicks (Bill Bradley), Philadelphia 76ers (Bobby Jones) and Phoenix Suns (Tom Chambers).

What do you think? I'm like WTF. I'm so used to #8 ... what is this? 23 + 1. At least he'll own jersey sales next year

[Kobasew]

He instantly made all those #8 jersies out of date...hahaha, I have a friend who's got 2-3 of those Hardwood Classics ones too and he paid a pretty penny for them too.

[Thimas X]

24....i don't get it....

I like "8" alot more. 24 just doesn't have any flare to it like a 23,22, or 21.

[kuno_thunder]

Hey, don't be bashing on 24 now.  Its my date of birth AND my favorite TV show.

I just didn't know there were so many rules about changing numbers.  Makes sense though, I still would love to have a Selanne Jets jersey with the 13 on it instead of 8.

[daigong]

He's #8 x his 3 rings.

With him as #24 and Lamar Odom as #7, they're 24/7.

That's exactly why Kobe changed his number to 24. Most games are on Fox Sports Net. It's perfect marketing.

Jack Bauer--`cause he tortures his opponents every day...

Kobe once fell into a pool of lava. He nearly drowned.

Jack Bauer heard about it. He called Kobe a wimp.