Why did Kobe swap numbers?

Kobe wanted to change his jersey number after the Lakers traded Shaquille O'Neal in 2004. He was also coming off the back of sexual assault charge which was dropped in the same year and Bryant had then settled a civil lawsuit. "It's kind of a clean slate," he says. "I started new.

What was the reason Kobe changed numbers?

When late Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant changed his jersey number from eight to 24 during the 2006-07 season, he explained it at the time as "growth" from his prior digits. "Then 24 is a growth from [No. 8]," Bryant once said.

Why did Kobe wear 33?

“In high school I started out with number 24. Then I went to number 33 later on. 33 was the number my father wore in high school, so I just switched it to carry on the lineage.”

What year did Kobe change to number 8?

Kobe Bryant wore the No. 8 from the 1996-1997 season until the 2005-2006 season. Over that span, he aged from 18 to 28 years old.

Why do NBA players switch numbers?

The NBA allows players to choose their jersey number when they join a franchise. However, a player can choose to change his jersey number while still playing for a team. On one special occasion, the NBA allowed players to change their number to 8 or 24 as a tribute to the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant.

The reason why Kobe changed his number 8 for the 24 | House Of Bounce

Is the number 69 banned in the NBA?

All of that numbers will be use in the near future except 69. The #69 has been banned. No NBA player has ever worn the number 69, which is believed to be implicitly banned due to its sexual connotations; the NBA has never confirmed this.

Why isn t 69 allowed in the NBA?

Out of all the numbers that have been worn by players in NBA history, the No. 69 hasn't been worn by anyone in the league. The reason behind this is because the number is used to refer to a sexual position. Being a family-friendly league, the NBA decided to ban the number from being worn by any player.

Why the switch from 8 to 24?

Bryant came into the NBA wearing No. 8, the sum of the digits on his jersey (143) at the Adidas ABCD camp for high school stars. After 10 years, Bryant wanted a fresh start, so he began wearing No. 24, the number he'd worn as a freshman in high school.

Why Kobe wore number 24?

24 jerseys go into the rafters Monday night. According to Baxter Holmes of ESPN, his original number came from Adidas ABCD Camp, 143, whose digits add up to 8, as well as the number he wore in Italy. The Lakers star switched to No. 24 in the 2006-07 season, the number he had in high school at Lower Merion.

Why did Kobe Bryant pick number 24?

This is what Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett had to say about Kobe on ShowTime Basketball. "He was obsessed," Garnett said. "He chose 24 because of Jordan. He picked it because in his mind he was above Michael.

Did Kobe drop 80?

Kobe Bryant's 81-point game against the Raptors in 2006 is one of the best performances in NBA history. Relive one of the best performances in NBA history: Kobe Bryant's 81-point barrage against Toronto in 2006.

Why did Jordan wear 45?

Michael Jordan famously wore the number 45 jersey when he played professional baseball for the Birmingham Barons in 1994. The jersey was a tribute to his father, who had been killed in 1993 and whose own favorite number had been 45.

Why did Jordan wear 23?

“My brother wore No. 45 which was my number,” he explained in an interview. “So when we was on the same team, we couldn't wear the same number. So I chose half of what his jersey was, which was 22.5, which I would rather have 23.”

What is the biggest mistake we make Kobe?

“The Biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time”. - Kobe Bryant This is weighing heavy on me today.

Who gave Kobe the most problems?

After his retirement, Kobe named Tracy as the “toughest guy” Bryant ever played against. “Toughest guy I ever played against. So I mean there's a lot of guys but the guy that always gave me the most problems actually was Tracy McGrady.

What is Kobe's most famous quote?

Kobe Bryant continues to be a source of inspiration for fans after his death with his "Mamba mentality," a mantra for the competitive spirit, including non-athletes. As the NBA icon said best: "Hard work outweighs talent — every time."

Why Kobe wore 8?

The Laker began his career, after deciding to forgo college and take on the challenge of playing in the NBA, wearing the No. 8 jersey. According to ESPN, he chose the number based on his Adidas camp number, 143. It adds up to eight, and was the number he wore in Italy when he was younger.

Why does Kobe wear 8?

Finally, Kobe chose the #8 jersey, a number he arrived at by summing up the digits of the #143 jersey that he wore at the Adidas ABCD camp a year prior. He won the three-peat with the Lakers while wearing this jersey.

Why is the NBA number 6?

The No. 6 patch on NBA jerseys this season is a nod to Bill Russell's legacy on the court. The Boston Celtics legend amassed 11 NBA titles, five MVPs, 12 All-Star appearances and countless other accolades while rocking the No. 6 on his back from 1956-1969.

Is Kobe 8 or 24 better?

They also only date back to 2000-01, so the most they can show is that the Lakers were better defensively in two of the six available seasons with No. 8 on the court (2000-01, 2002-03) and five of 10 with No. 24 playing (2006-07, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2011-12, 2013-14).

Did Kobe ever wear the number 8?

Kobe wore No. 8 from 1996-97 to 2005-06. Then, he shocked everyone before the 2006-07 season by changing his number to 24, which confused many fans on why he chose this number.

Why is 7 not legal in basketball?

The NCAA only offers players a total of 37 jersey numbers to choose from—and none of them include 6, 7, 8, or 9. Why? Those digits require two hands to sign, which complicates things for referees.

What is the rarest number in the NBA?

Aside from 55, there aren't many numbers in the 51-99 range that an individual player wore for more than a season or two. In fact, the following numbers have never been worn: 58, 59, 64, 69, 74, 75, 78, 79, 80, 82, 87 and 97. This is the biggest reason we decided to implement a "minimum five years" requirement.

Can you wear 99 in the NBA?

Jae Crowder is the only No. 99 remaining in the NBA, and it remains to be seen how much longer he will be wearing it with the Suns.