Many jersey numbers in the NBA are so iconic that just the number reminds fans of the players. 23 instantly reminds fans about Michael Jordan and LeBron James while 24 does the same for Kobe Bryant.
Lakers legend Bryant actually started his career with the number 8 and then switched to 24 later. He also donned the number 10 when he played for the USA National team at the Olympics. He made these numbers iconic. But according to fellow Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, Kobe actually copied her when it came to jersey numbers.
Catchings and Bryant grew up together when their fathers played for the same NBA team. Later they also spent some years of their childhood together in Italy. So they were close. But since she was the older one, she felt Bryant was copying her.
She revealed this in a recent interview when she said, “Every number I wore he tried to wear it. I wore it first. I wore 24 first.”
Catchings wore 24 from her rookie season in 2001-02 whereas Bryant only switched to it in 2006. She also wore the number 10 for the national team a few years before Kobe wore it.
READ MORE – Why Kobe Bryant Changed His Lakers Jersey Number From No.8 to No.24
Why Kobe Bryant switched to 24
When Bryant arrived in the league, he wanted to start his career with the number 33 but it was retired for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Then he chose 8 because he wore No. 143 at Adidas ABCD, a camp for top prospects and when 8 is what you get when you add those digits.
Then in 2006-07, midway through his career, Bryant decided to switch it up. He needed a fresh start as well and a change in jersey number helped him.
“Then 24 is a growth from that,” Bryant told ESPN back in 2017. “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.”
24 was a number he initially wore in high school, so he decided to go ahead with that. And he had an equally good career donning the number 24, as he won back-to-back titles wearing it. Since Kobe’s retirement, he has made it a popular number for young players across the league and the number 24 instantly reminds fans about him.
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