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
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant, often known mononymously as Kobe, is an American former professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA cha…
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Did Kobe Bryant ever wear number 33?
You're going after them. It's nonstop energy and aggressiveness and stuff.” Kobe wore the jersey numbers 24 and 33 during his early days in high school. But when he came to the NBA, the number 24 jersey was worn by George McCloud and the number 33 was retired by the Lakers to honor the great Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Why does Kobe Bryant wear 33?
For the first 10 years of his career, he wore number 8. At Lower Merion, he wore 24 but in 1996, the year he guided the Aces to a PIAA championship, he switched to 33. That was the number his father, Joe “Jelly Bean” Bryant wore at John Bartram High School.
Why did Kobe choose 24?
It's nonstop energy and aggressiveness and stuff," Kobe started. "Then 24 is a growth from that. Physical attributes aren't there the way they used to be, but the maturity level is greater.
Why was Kobe Bryant's number changed from 8 to 24?
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.
What were Kobe's last words?
Kobe shared some last words of wisdom and motivation before his heartbreaking death. “Hello everyone, I'm so sorry can't be with you tonight,” he said in a video posted on Twitter.
Why is Jordan the number 23?
23 In The NBA: "My Brother Wore The 45, Which Was My Number. So I Chose Half Of What His Jersey Is, Which Is 22.5... I Would Rather Have 23."
Is Kobe 8 or 24 better?
He won All-Star MVP honors and scoring titles in both of his numbers. His lone MVP came as No. 24, but No. 8 has the edge in All-NBA selections (8-7).
Who was number 23?
The No. 23 jersey might be the most popular jersey in NBA history. It was the number that was worn by some of the greatest players ever, most famously by Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Why is LeBron 23?
23 for the purple and gold. The number has become synonymous with James himself, as the future Hall of Famer started wearing 23 in high school as an ode to the great Michael Jordan. “When I started playing basketball, I was like: 'Oh man, that two-three looks good. I wanna be able to fly like him,'” James said in 2019.
Why did Jordan choose 45?
In an interview in Netflix's special 'the Last Dance', Jordan explained why he switched to number 45. “I didn't want to wear 23 because I knew my father wasn't there to watch me, and I felt it was a new beginning and 45 was my first number when I was playing in high school,” he said.
What number did Kobe wear the longest?
Inside Kobe's career wearing No. 24Wilt Chamberlain118Michael Jordan31James Harden23Elgin Baylor17Kobe Bryant wearing No. 24145 more rows•Aug 24, 2021
Why did LeBron change his number to 6?
23 in homage to his idol, Michael Jordan, and would only change to No. 6 when rules stated that double-digit numbers were not permitted. With the United States national team and the Miami Heat he therefore wore No. 6, choosing the number in tribute to his eldest son, LeBron James Jr, who was born on October 6, 2004.
What number did Kobe Bryant wear in high school?
“In high school I started out with number 24.
Why did Kobe choose the number 8?
Kobe chose the number 8 because his uniform number as a high schooler at the ADIDAS ABCD Camp was 143 (1+4+3=8), but the number switch was easy.
Who is number 8 in the NBA?
Earl Watson 25, Sonics. Kobe Bryant ’s famous number 8 jersey has long been one of the NBA’s top selling jerseys over the years, but Bryant has not always worn the number. “In high school I started out with number 24.
Who is Kobe Bryant?
Bryant was called "one of the greatest players in the history of our game" by NBA commissioner Adam Silver , and The New York Times wrote that he had "one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport." Reuters called him "arguably the best player of his generation", while both Sporting News and TNT named him their NBA player of the decade for the 2000s. In 2008 and again in 2016, ESPN ranked him the second-greatest shooting guard of all time after Jordan. Players including Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, and Derrick Rose called Bryant their generation's version of Jordan. The Press-Enterprise described Bryant as "maybe the greatest Laker in the organization's history". He was the Lakers' all-time leading scorer, and his five titles are tied for the most in franchise history. Both numbers he wore during his career, 8 and 24, were retired by the Lakers on December 18, 2017. In his first year of eligibility, Bryant was named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, weeks after his death, before being elected a couple of months later in April 2020. His formal induction was delayed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Where did Kobe Bryant get his name?
His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu. His middle name, Bean, was derived from his father's nickname "Jellybean." Bryant's family was Catholic and he was brought up with this faith.
What year did Kobe Bryant shoot a floater?
Bryant shoots a left-handed floater over future teammate Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic on January 18, 2010. During the 2009–10 season, Bryant made six game-winning shots including a buzzer-beating, one-legged 3-pointer against the Miami Heat on December 4, 2009.
Why did Kobe Bryant miss the Lakers game?
Bryant was arrested for sexual assault before the season began. This caused Bryant to miss some games due to court appearances or attend court earlier in the day and travel to play games later on the same day. In the final game of the regular season, the Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers. Bryant made two buzzer-beaters to win the game and the Pacific Division title. At the end of the fourth quarter, Bryant made a three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left to send it into overtime. The game eventually went to a second overtime, in which Bryant made another three-pointer as time expired to lift the Lakers past the Blazers, 105–104.
How long did Kobe Bryant play for the Lakers?
A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, ...
Why did Kobe Bryant not play in the 2000 Olympics?
Bryant declined to play in the 2000 Olympics because he was getting married in the off-season. He also decided not to play in the 2002 FIBA World Championship. Bryant was originally selected for the FIBA Americas Championship in 2003 but withdrew after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgeries. In the following summer, he had to withdraw from the Olympic team because of his sexual assault case. Along with LeBron James, he was one of the first two players to be publicly named to the 2006–2008 U.S. preliminary roster in 2006 by Jerry Colangelo. However, he was once again sidelined after knee surgery and did not participate in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
How many championships did Kobe Bryant win?
Regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Bryant won five NBA championships, was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP.
What number did Kobe Bryant wear?
Bryant is the only player in league history to have two jersey numbers retired with the same team. The star changing numbers, going from No. 8 to No. 24, midway through his career. 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.
What is Kobe Bryant's jersey number?
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. Ahead of the Lakers retiring both jersey numbers, Bryant broke down how his persona and attitude were different with the two.
What is Kobe Bryant's legacy?
Bryant's legacy started on the court and reached far beyond it both during his time in the league and during retirement, and the jerseys illuminated at "The House that Kobe Built" are a symbol of that. Bryant is the only player in league history to have two jersey numbers retired with the same team.
How many championships did Kobe Bryant win?
Bryant won three NBA championship titles as No. 8 and his final two wearing No. 24. He appeared in eight All-Star games with his first number and ten after the jersey swap. He won a scoring title in each number and scored 16,777 points repping No. 8 and 16,866 points wearing No. 24.
Where is the No. 8 jersey?
The No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys forever hung at the Staples Center in Los Angeles took on a new meaning Sunday when the basketball world lost Los Angeles Lakers great and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant at the age of 41.
What number did Kobe Bryant wear?
An Explanation of Every Jersey Number Worn by Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant wore two different numbers in high school, two different numbers in the NBA, and a totally different number than he had ever worn before in the Olympics. When Kobe played for Lower Merion High he wore both jersey numbers 24 and 33. In an April 2006 article, Darren Rovell ...
Why didn't Kobe take number 33?
As noted by Rovell, Kobe couldn’t take number 33 because the Lakers had already retired it in honor of Kareem. That’s the one bad thing about being drafted or traded to one of the greatest franchises in NBA history.
What number did Kobe choose for his rookie year?
Nonetheless, Kobe had to choose another number for his NBA debut. He decided to go with number 8 (If you’re wondering, George McCloud wore number 24 for the Lakers Kobe’s rookie year). Rovell explains the logic behind Kobe choosing number 8: “Bryant arrived at the No. 8 for two reasons.
How many rings did Kobe Bryant win in the 24 era?
So far during the number 24 era, Kobe has won an NBA MVP award, two NBA Finals MVP awards, and two championship rings. During the number 8 era, he won three championship rings but had to share the spotlight with Shaq and received no MVP awards (All-Star Game MVP awards are not relevant to the point I am trying to make here).
What number did Kobe wear in the jersey?
When Kobe played for Lower Merion High he wore both jersey numbers 24 and 33. In an April 2006 article, Darren Rovell explains the reasoning behind this:
What number did Kobe wear in the 2008 Olympics?
More recently, in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, Kobe wore number 10 for the U.S.A. squad. As mentioned in my post Michael Jordan by the Numbers, FIBA rules dictate that players can only wear jersey numbers 4-15, so keep in mind Kobe had to choose a number in that range.
Why did Kobe wear number 8?
As TheLakersNation.com points out, Kobe wore number 8 as a kid in Italy because his favorite player Mike D’Antoni, the current coach of the New York Knicks, sported that number as a star in the Italian Professional League. Kobe ended up wearing number 8 for ten seasons before making the switch to number 24 for the start of the 2006-2007 season.
What number did Kobe Bryant wear?
No. 8 was not only a nod to the number he wore as a young boy while playing in Italy — where his family lived while his father, former NBA player Joe Bryant, continued his professional career — but also, he wore No. 8 at the youth training camp Adidas ABCD camp, where he wore no. 143, which adds up to eight.
How long did Kobe Bryant wear the Lakers?
Kobe Bryant wore both numbers throughout his legendary 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers
How old was Gianna Bryant when she died?
Before taking the court on Friday for the first time since the fatal crash, which also claimed the lives of the NBA star’s 13-year- old Gianna Bryant and seven others, the Los Angeles Lakers paid tribute to the late athlete.
What did the Lakers wear in the crash?
In a particularly moving moment that had all the crowd on their feet, the Lakers starting lineup was introduced as “Kobe Bryant,” and each player wore a Bryant jersey, along with “KB” patches on one arm and a black band on the other to honor all nine victims of the crash. Kobe Bryant.
What number did Kobe Bryant wear?
Bryant began his NBA career in 1996 while wearing No. 8. The number was a nod to his time growing up in Italy, where, as a kid, he wore number 8 on the court. The number was also a reference to the number he wore at Adidas ABCD Camp, where he wore the number 143 (the digits add up to 8).
How many numbers did Kobe Bryant have?
Bryant had not just one, but two jersey numbers over the course of his career: No. 8 and No. 24. He is the only player in NBA history to have two numbers retired by the same team.
Why did Kobe Bryant switch jersey numbers?
But he ended up doing so because, in 2004, the Lakers changed direction by trading Shaquille O'Neal to the Heat.
When did Kobe Bryant change his number?
The criminal charges against Kobe Bryant were dropped, and he settled a civil lawsuit in 2004. In an attempt to start fresh, Bryant began wearing a new number: No. 24. He said he intended to switch numbers right after 2004, but the deadline had passed, so he didn't make the switch until the 2006-07 season. "It's kind of a clean slate," he said.
Does Kobe Bryant prefer one jersey over the other?
Kobe Bryant didn't prefer one jersey over the other. Kobe Bryant also clarified to ESPN that he didn't see one of his eras as superior. "It's not to say one is better than the other or one's a better way to be," he said. "It's just growth.".
Overview
Professional career
Before the 1996 NBA draft, Bryant had worked out in Los Angeles, where he scrimmaged against former Lakers players Larry Drew and Michael Cooper and, according to then-Laker general manager Jerry West, "marched over these people".
The Lakers were looking to trade their starting center Vlade Divac for a player's …
Early life
Bryant was born in Philadelphia, the youngest of three children and the only son of Pamela Cox Bryant and former NBA player Joe Bryant. He was also the maternal nephew of NBA player John "Chubby" Cox. His parents named him after the famous beef of Kobe, Japan, which they saw on a restaurant menu. His middle name, Bean, was derived from his father's nickname "Jellybean." Bryant'…
National team career
Bryant declined to play in the 2000 Olympics because he was getting married in the off-season. He also decided not to play in the 2002 FIBA World Championship. Bryant was originally selected for the FIBA Americas Championship in 2003 but withdrew after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgeries. In the following summer, he had to withdraw from the Olympic …
Player profile
Bryant primarily played as a shooting guard. He was listed at 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and 212 pounds (96 kg), He was often cited as one of the most dangerous scorers in the NBA. Bryant has drawn frequent comparisons to Jordan, after whom he modeled his playing style. Like Jordan, he became most known for shooting a fall-away jump shot. Chris Ballard of Sports Illustrated de…
Basketball legacy
Bryant was called "one of the greatest players in the history of our game" by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and The New York Times wrote that he had "one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport." Reuters called him "arguably the best player of his generation", while both Sporting News and TNT named him their NBA player of the decade for the 2000s. In 2008 and again in …
Off the court
Bryant was the youngest of three children. He grew up with two older sisters, Sharia and Shaya, and had a close relationship with them until his death.
In November 1999, 21-year-old Bryant met 17-year-old Vanessa Laine while she was working as a background dancer on the Tha Eastsidaz music video "G'd Up". Bryant was in the building and working on his debut album. The two began dat…
Death
At 9:06 a.m. Pacific Standard Time on January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter departed from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, with nine people aboard: Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, six family friends, and the pilot, Ara Zobayan. The helicopter was registered to the Fillmore-based Island Express Holding Corp., according to the California Secretary of State bus…