Kobe's great and all ... but TWO numbers retired by Lakers?!?!
With Kobe Bryant officially on his farewell tour, the great debate is heating up.
Greatest shooting guard of all time? Nah . . . MJ has that locked up in most people’s eyes.
Greatest Laker of all time? Hell, the Kobe vs. Magic debate has been going for years.
No, the hot-button issue in Lakers circles now could become a rather intriguing one:
Young Kobe vs. Old Kobe.
Or, more specifically, No. 8 vs. No. 24.
There is no doubt that Bryant’s number is headed for the Staples Center rafters when his playing days are over. But which number does the only franchise for which the Black Mamba has ever played hang in honor of their legend? The one he wore when he was playing second fiddle to Shaq, or the one he wore when he was handing off to Lamar and Pau for the occasional shot?
Let’s look at the numbers:
| Category |
No. 8 |
No. 24 |
| Total seasons | 10 | 10 |
| Championships | 3 | 2 |
| NBA MVPs | 0 | 1 |
| NBA Finals MVPs | 0 | 2 |
| Highest-scoring game | 81 | 65 |
| Scoring average | 23.9 | 27.0 |
