LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Los Angeles Lakers will retire both jersey numbers worn by club legend Kobe Bryant before a December 18 game against NBA champions Golden State, US media reported Tuesday.
Bryant, an 18-time All-Star who won five NBA titles with the Lakers before retiring after the 2015-16 season, wore both number 8 and number 24 during his 20 seasons with the team.
He sported No. 8 in his first 10 seasons, before switching to No. 24. As reports of the planned festivities began to trickle out on Tuesday, ESPN and the Los Angeles Times were among the media outlets reporting that both numbers would be retired.
In his two-decade career — all spent with the Lakers — Bryant scored 33,643 points, the third-most in NBA history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone.
He’ll become the 10th Lakers player to have his number retired, joining Wilt Chamberlain (13), Elgin Baylor (22), Gail Goodrich (25), Magic Johnson (32), Abdul-Jabbar (33), Shaquille O’Neal (34), James Worthy (42), Jerry West (44) and Jamaal Wilkes (52).
© Agence France-Presse
