10 Players Changing Their Number in Honor of Kobe
The NBA hasn’t said whether or not they’re seriously considering retiring the numbers #8 and / or #24 in honor of KOBE BRYANT . . . but a lot of the players with those numbers are voluntarily giving them up.
Here are 10 players who ARE or ARE CONSIDERING making changes:
1. Spencer Dinwiddie, of the Brooklyn Nets. He switched from #8 to #26.
2. Quinn Cook, of the Los Angeles Lakers. He had #2, which Kobe’s daughter Gianna wore. He’s switching to #28 honor both Kobe and Gianna.
3. Alec Burks, of the Golden State Warriors. He’s going from #8 to #20.
4. Kemba Walker, of the Boston Celtics. He wears #8 . . . but says he’s thinking about switching, or possibly KEEPING the number as a tribute to Kobe.
5. Terrence Ross, of the Orlando Magic. He’s going from #8 to #31.
6. Zhaire Smith, of the Philadelphia 76ers. He wore #8 because it was Kobe’s number, but now he’ll wear #5 going forward.
7. Jahlil Okafor, of the New Orleans Pelicans. He wore #8, but now wants to switch it to #9.
8. Markieff Morris, of the Detroit Pistons. He’s going from #8 to #88.
9. Moe Harkless, of the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s trading #8 for #11.
10. Mason Plumlee, of the Denver Nuggets. He’s going from #24 to #7.
Alize Johnson, of the Indiana Pacers says he’ll continue to wear #24, unless he’s asked to change. He said he’s worn #24 because Kobe was his role model growing up . . . but he wouldn’t have any issue changing if asked to.
Meanwhile, RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks wants to dump his NICKNAME. People call him “Maple Mamba,” because he’s from Canada. But he says, quote, “I don’t want to get called that anymore. Somebody great like that, to lose him in that way, is really sad . . . I’ve always said I loved his mentality.”
By the way, Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks temporarily switched TO the #8 to honor Kobe last Sunday, but it was only for one game. He’s back to #11.
