I searched and didnt see it anywhere, i thought it was interesting... Jim Jackson is wearing that number right now for the Lakers

Quote :

"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 Lakers informed the league of Bryant's wish to change his number by this year's March 3 deadline. Calls placed to Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka and the 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 Lakers 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 NBA's 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 had been retired by the Bulls in his honor. For the next three seasons, Jordan went back to the No. 23. League veteran Jim Jackson, who signed with the Lakers in March, now wears No. 24. Six NBA 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). "

4/27/2006 10:52:09 AM

more $texas for kobe either way

4/27/2006 10:56:56 AM

yeah I guess its just to generate sales from "new" jerseys because the lakers have undergone any drastic jersey changes well.... ever....

Its going to look weird, I think he should wear 81 instead

4/27/2006 11:00:20 AM

Quote :

"Also, in non-playoff news, Kobe is going to wear #24 next year. I guess he needed to get the taste of 19 y/o white girl's vagina off #8 "

4/27/2006 11:03:17 AM

Quote :

"It also tied into the number he wore at Adidas' ABCD Camp, 143. The numbers add up to 8."

thats some grade-a "LOST" bullshit right there

4/27/2006 11:06:14 AM

^not so much "LOST" as similar to all the assclown theories of why Tupac is still alive.

4/27/2006 11:07:34 AM

haha agreed

4/27/2006 11:08:48 AM

He definately no longer has to wonder if Heaven has a ghetto.

4/27/2006 11:10:18 AM

4/27/2006 6:31:29 PM

Probably just an excuse to sell even more jerseys.

4/27/2006 6:39:09 PM

On another note, WHY does the NBA have rules about changing jersey numbers?

4/27/2006 6:57:32 PM

yeah that was what surprised me... they have to let them know 6 months before? I just dont see why

4/27/2006 7:01:11 PM

probably because of the marketing factor. if you buy a kobe jersey when he first starts wearing a number...and then he changes his mind you would be pretty pissed.

4/27/2006 7:03:44 PM

i imagine it would have something to do with media guides, public relations, etc - it'd be a mega inconvenience for them if some guy decided it'd be cool to wear a different number every day of the week

4/27/2006 7:04:47 PM

hey its spro, in an NBA thread

i think we already had a conversation about the number change lol

4/27/2006 7:07:31 PM

we did, i just forgot to mention the public relations thing last time and i wanted to sound smart

4/27/2006 7:11:58 PM

TWW might not be ready for rational thought

anyway back to the topic before it gets locked

4/27/2006 7:12:56 PM

4/27/2006 8:29:40 PM

i think he's just trying to, "one up" michael jordan

4/27/2006 11:44:01 PM

^

4/28/2006 9:17:42 AM