National Basketball Association

Metta World Peace wanted to honor Kobe Bryant by changing his jersey number

Published Oct. 5, 2016 3:32 p.m. ET

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Kobe Bryant's time with the Los Angeles Lakers has come to an end, and Metta World Peace wants to honor the Lakers icon by changing his jersey number.

So was World Peace hoping to don Kobe's No. 24 or his former No. 8?

Nope.

"I so wanted that No. 60," World Peace said, via the Orange County Register. "That's all I was talking about, if I got back to the Lakers, was changing my number to 60."

So what does the No. 60 have to do with Bryant? For World Peace, it was a way to pay homage to Kobe's finale, in which he scored 60 points against the Jazz.

"I was so honored to be there," World Peace said. "I wanted to surprise him. I was so honored to be there. But, whatever."

World Peace won't get his chance because he signed his new deal with the Lakers after the NBA's deadline for players to change their numbers.

But it's the thought that counts, right?