Kobe Bryant is one of the most influential players in NBA history. In fact, he got not one but two jerseys retired by the Los Angeles Lakers, and one could argue he had one Hall of Famer career with each number.
He entered the league wearing number 8. He won three rings with Shaquille O’Neal and made the most of his athleticism and power. Then, he was pretty much on his own with no. 24, being ‘the guy’ in two championships and winning MVP and many more accolades.
There has been plenty of speculation as to why Bryant decided to change numbers all of a sudden. And recently, NBA legend Kevin Garnett revealed it was always intended to be a shot at Michael Jordan.
Kevin Garnett Says Kobe Bryant Took A Shot At Michael Jordan With His Jersey Number
“People don’t understand what his No. 24 stands for, people don’t understand that was a sign to everybody that he was a step above 23,” Garnett said. “And that was a shot at Mike, like n—, I’m better than you.”
Kobe Once Talked About His New Number
Notably, Kobe never actually revealed why he chose 24 out of all numbers. However, he did try to explain the reasoning behind changing numbers so deep into his career, and it sure made some sense.
“When I first came in at 8, is really trying to ‘plant your flag’ sort of thing,” Kobe said back in the day. “I got to prove that I belong here in this league. I’ve got to prove that I’m one of the best in this league. Then 24 is a growth from that. Physical attributes aren’t there the way they used to be, but the maturity level is greater. Marriage, kids. Start having a broader perspective, being one of the older guys on the team now, as opposed to being the youngest. Things evolve.”
At the end of the day, it seems like we might never know what was actually going through Kobe’s mind when he decided to change numbers. But I’m pretty sure most of us think what KG said is true.