Kobe changes his number - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

jacktruth · 04-26-2006, 03:15 PM

I usually lead the league in not caring about Kobe, but hey, we all need something to talk about. Could this be a "wanna be like Mike?"
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Bryant will hang up his No. 8 jersey, sources say

By Darren Rovell
ESPN.com

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.

MYSTERY MAN

Why's Kobe switching jersey numbers? Your guess is as good as ours. That's why we're asking you: What are your theories behind Kobe wanting to change his number? Send your ideas here.

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).

Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at Darren.Rovell@espn3.co

Dtownsfinest · 04-26-2006, 04:25 PM

Could be because the #8 sounded too much like "rape".

EricaLubarsky · 04-26-2006, 05:13 PM

too many funny posts here lately.

Anyway, it might be because he's getting taken to school by the inspiration of his 8

spreedom · 04-26-2006, 05:30 PM

I'd be willing to bet his jersey sales skyrocket. I know I'll be getting one.

FINtastic · 04-26-2006, 06:04 PM

Is this because he wants to one-up Mike? Is Kobe thinking 24>23?

sp3nc3r13 · 04-26-2006, 10:22 PM

Maybe Laker jersey sales? Who knows.

Oops didn't see tha spreedom

Murphy3 · 04-26-2006, 10:32 PM

He was stuck on 8 rape victims for the longest time..but now he's up to 24?

FINtastic · 04-26-2006, 10:38 PM

He did win the scoring title...too bad most of it was forced.

irontoad · 04-26-2006, 10:40 PM

Kuck Fobe.

Murphy3 · 04-26-2006, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FINtastic

He did win the scoring title...too bad most of it was forced.

..much like his sexual relations with women..

FINtastic · 04-26-2006, 11:13 PM

that's what i was going for murph

MavsFanFinley · 04-27-2006, 12:00 AM

Great. He has to taint this number too.

dude1394 · 04-27-2006, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MavsFanFinley

Great. He has to taint this number too.

Heh heh...good one..

Drbio · 04-27-2006, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

Could be because the #8 sounded too much like "rape".

effin genius!

Quote:

Originally Posted by murphy3

He was stuck on 8 rape victims for the longest time..but now he's up to 24?

kobe knows "inflation".

Quote:

Originally Posted by FINtastic

He did win the scoring title...too bad most of it was forced.

kobe knows "forced".

Quote:

Originally Posted by irontoad

Kuck Fobe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MavsFanFinley

Great. He has to taint this number too.

hahaha....genius.

nashtymavsfan13 · 04-27-2006, 07:47 PM

I hate Kobe, what a loser.

sp3nc3r13 · 04-27-2006, 11:34 PM

I am really sick of people saying he raped that girl. That girl who reported that was a headcase...Kobe has no reason to rape a girl(yes he did cheat on his wife but what world do we live in today.) She wanted his money and media light. We all know it(Including the judge and jury)...Move on from something that was last season and respect Kobe for the great player that he is. The jokes are just extremely old.

FINtastic · 04-27-2006, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Kobe has no reason to rape a girl

You want to name me any rapist that has ever had a good reason? Rapists don't really need reasons to carry out that forced act of love.

sp3nc3r13 · 04-27-2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FINtastic

You want to name me any rapist that has ever had a good reason? Rapists don't really need reasons to carry out that forced act of love.

Ok your right there is no GOOD REASON but what I am saying is it was proven in a court of law that it was not a case of rape.

dude1394 · 04-27-2006, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp3nc3r13

Ok your right there is no GOOD REASON but what I am saying is it was proven in a court of law that it was not a case of rape.

Actually it wasn't, the charges were dropped. But your point is taken. Of course OJ was innocent as well.

spreedom · 04-28-2006, 12:06 AM

I don't believe any of a rape accusation when the witness is unwilling to testify under oath. I've believed Kobe to be innocent of rape (though guilty of adultery, but he's human) since day one.

Drbio · 04-28-2006, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FINtastic

You want to name me any rapist that has ever had a good reason? Rapists don't really need reasons to carry out that forced act of love.

Rapists like kobe are not committing an "act of love", they are committing a vicious act of control. Rape is typically motivated not by sex, but rather by the offenders need to control.

kobe can go f*ck himself with a hot prodding iron.

Drbio · 04-28-2006, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sp3nc3r13

Ok your right there is no GOOD REASON but what I am saying is it was proven in a court of law that it was not a case of rape.

Horse poo. The case was quashed under an agreement, the details of which were not made public. If your opinion is that he didn't rape her fine, but don't manufacture flat out wrong statements to try to make kobe look innocent. He is not. At a minimum he is a lying adulterer. Most probably he is rapist who got away with it because he had the financial wherewithall to interupt the process.

In either case, kobe can suck it.

nashtymavsfan13 · 04-28-2006, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drbio

Rapists like kobe are not committing an "act of love", they are committing a vicious act of control. Rape is typically motivated not by sex, but rather by the offenders need to control.

kobe can go f*ck himself with a hot prodding iron.

Doc, you're a genius. Just what he deserves

Quote:

In either case, Kobe can suck it

You and I are on the exact same page

I hate kobe, whether he raped her or didnt, he's still a selfish ballhogging bastard that wants glory all to himself.

Dtownsfinest · 04-28-2006, 03:03 AM

It seems a lot of people were in Colorado that night when Kobe raped the supposed victim. I've yet to hear or see anything that proved that Kobe did or didn't rape her. Especially hearing his comments about how Shaq use to committ adultery and pay his girls off.