Lakers GM says team could retire both of Kobe Bryant's jersey numbers
No. 8 or No. 24? Both could hang in Staples according to the team's President of Basketball Operations.
By
Matt Moore
•
1 min read
Back in December, I argued that the best move for the Los Angeles Lakers to make in regards to which number should be retired in honor of Kobe Bryant was a simple "both." Now, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has admitted that's a possibility himself.
"I don't know the answer. Obviously it's going to be 8, 24 or it could be both," said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak at a season ticket holder event Sunday.
Source: Mitch Kupchak says Lakers may retire both '8' and '24" for Kobe Bryant - LA Times.
There's just no real cost to retiring both jerseys. It's two different eras, nearly two different players, and if any player was worthy of having both retired, it's Bryant. It's also largely an irrelevant question. It's not like Bryant's going to say "I was really insulted they didn't retire both my numbers and hang them in the rafters." The honor is the same.
But if they can't figure out a decisive answer, and if Bryant doesn't care (he doesn't), they're likely to retire both. It just makes the most sense.
