Why did KOBE BRYANT of the lakers change his number to 24?

He changed it because he wore #24 in high school (before he changed it to #33) and since #24 wasn't available when he was a rookie he chose #8. Now that #24 is available, he says he wants to officially start the 2nd half of his career with the number that he started with in the first place.

That's what his page on Wikipedia says, at least...but isn't it convenient that he stands to gain all that money from those brand-new souvenir jerseys that all his kid fans are going to want to buy??????

I'm always the skeptic...it's just a thought...

Why did KOBE BRYANT of the lakers change his number to 24?nba playoff

Laker4lyf is right. He changed it to 24 because he was #24 in high school. He loved that number and just thought that maybe he could change his, and it's not against the rules. Maybe when he got signed to the Lakers squad somebody already got the number so he chose 8.

But seriously, I like #8 more. #24 looks out of shape.

Why did KOBE BRYANT of the lakers change his number to 24?nba stats ,nba teams

He changed his number to 24 because that was his old jersey number when he was a freshmen in highschool.
he changed his number from8 to 24 becasue he said he would be three times better this eason and that he would be one more then michael jordan23
so all his fans have to buy another jersey
new start 4 him..
oh its just one of my attention-seeking antics. you know me. i like to be on the spotlight all the time and i like to be talked about.

i have been desperately trying to be like mike and i try to copy the things that he's done like number-changing and all that crap. maybe I'll consider baseball in the future ha ha. but first i gotta win more scoring titles so that I'll be more like mike.

as for the number, i think its kinda corny, but 24 is one up to his 23. i want to be like mike but at the same time, i want to be better than him. badly. i know you guys don't agree with me but i am better than him. i am the best.

By the way, where the **** have you been? This question has been posted a ******* countless times already!

But it's all good. Like I said, I like to be talked about!
Superstition.
he wanted to be one number better than jordan
maybe he sold out
His explanation is that he is, was, and always will be 1 step up on Michael Jordan who was number 23, but I believe he wanted to copy Michael Jordan from when Jordan changed his number from 23 to 45 but I don't think Kobe will keep # 24 for long.
becasue that was his high school jersey number i think i see him as number 8 tho
he didnt like number8 and 33 was retired.so he used the number he was back in college.
i believe that the correct answer to this question is he changed it because he was number 24 his freshman year of high school and he wants to be number 24 in the nba..

Why dont the lakers trade kobe for some youthful players and rebuild the team based on lamar odom no

That would be amazing. Finally a championship without shaq

Why dont the lakers trade kobe for some youthful players and rebuild the team based on lamar odom not a cryer?nba rumors

Bc they won't get a fair value...especially with the salary cap Bryant has.

Why dont the lakers trade kobe for some youthful players and rebuild the team based on lamar odom not a cryer?nba salaries ,nba teams

You'd build around Odom?

Forget issues, you've got a whole subscription...
Im not really a laker fan but i agree with you and thats probably what it will take for the Lakers to get back on top.
because odom is not a great player
Kobe is still a driving force
amen to that..a true laker fan!
Well Kobe is in the prime of his career and they should be really trying to build around him, not Odom? Are you really suggesting to build a team around Odom, no way that would work. Kobe has no one of his team that he can count on so they should be working or making moves to put the right pieces around Kobe if they want to win or come close to a championship.
because no one will care about the lakers if kobe leaves. he is the lakers.
easier said then done
I see what your saying, but as of right now there is no one better than Kobe, and until Kobe starts to die down or retires, they are going to keep building their team around him. If you like Kobe or not, you gotta respect him, hes one of the best that ever lived. People dont like him because he doesnt pass, but I'm sure after a while it will start to sink in that hes not going to any championships if he doesnt pass.
Because Kobe is the franchise. His jersey sells #1 in America and China. Not to mention he was the third-most votegetter in the NBA allstar game last season. Why else? Because he thrives in the triangle. Why would the Lakers give up the potential best scorer we have seen since Abdul-Jabbar?
because kobe is their best player it will be hard to see him go for their coach
You can say what you want about Kobe, I am not a big fan, but no one, even Jack Nicholson, is going to shell out big bucks to see a team built around Lamar Odom. Lamar is buy all accounts a great person but he is not assertive enough on the court. Lamar is a great piece but he is not a go to guy. The Lakers are only going to go as far as the S.S. Kobe can take them.
CAP!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's hard to trade him because of the salary cap
are u stupid or brain wash, u know without kobe the lakers will not make it to the playoff, and yes i would want them to trade him to a better and responsible team unlike the lakers
salary cap...
I COMPLETELY AGREE!!
HELL YEAH!!! i feel you...i really, really, really hate that whiner...and lamar is a more solid, dependable, LOYAL, player, but...true, he is not as flashy, or MediaDarling that Kobo is...won't happen...but it SHOULD...
Kobe is best player in the Western Conference.

Trading him will lose the fan sopport who can dunk over yao ming Kobe Good bye

Who do the Lakers need to trade, and for whom, to become an elite team again?

My opinion is get rid of smush, brown..cant stand those underachievers.....maybe radmanovic unless he gets consistent. Any thoughts?

Who do the Lakers need to trade, and for whom, to become an elite team again?nba live 2007

next season, the lakers should offer pretty much what they were going to offer to the nets for kidd to the timberwolves for kevin garnett and maybe mike james... that would be mihm and mckie's expiring contracts, kwame brown, and now i'm thinking throw in lamar odom into the deal as well as a guarantee... the lakers also need to release vlad rad and that expensive contract due to him violating the agreement by going snowboarding, and not resign smush parker... then they can afford to maybe keep kg long term, or maybe sign a decent free agent... the lakers don't necessarily need better players, just smarter ones, and kwame, odom, and parker aren't going to be winning any spelling b's anytime soon...

Who do the Lakers need to trade, and for whom, to become an elite team again?nba betting ,nba teams

Actually the Lakers already has a dynasty team. It's Kobe's selfish act by ball-hogging is keeping us from seeing the talent in L.A. If they got rid of Kobe %26amp; kept the team they got they'll become a instant dynasty team. They'll start winning titles back to back. It's Kobe who holds the Lakers down.
Brown, Smush most defintely. And they need to get another big man.
They need to kick Brown to the curb, he hasn't lived up to his potential yet. I think they sign Scottie Pippen, even at his age he's better than most on the LA roster.
walton 4 marion
Walton %26amp; Brown
To survive in the West, they need a better center. When they lost Shaq they went downhill. They can't compete with teams like San Antonio, Phoenix, or even Dallas in the playoffs without a good rebounding, shot blocking center.

Shaq makes Suns Lakers best rivialry in NBA?

Imagin Kobe vs Shaq this time they actually get to play against eachother in the playoffs the Suns %26amp; the Lakers are already at eachothers throats now theres more motivation for Kobe to come out and torch Phoneix or Shaq to atleast try to crush his old team what do you think is this the most antcipitated match up your looking forward to

Shaq makes Suns Lakers best rivialry in NBA?baseball

yea suns lakers already had a rivalry before the shaq and gasol trades. now bringing shaq there just stirs up the whole kobe shaq thing all over again, along with the current suns lakers rivalry.

Shaq makes Suns Lakers best rivialry in NBA?nba playoff schedule ,nba teams

Yeah, Shaq loves to pick his spots. That's going to backfire on him. Then he'll dump the Suns for another contender.
no, because shaq is very limited and hurt and probably won't do too much, and the suns are about nash, amare, barbosa and co. its just an interesting side note. it will be heavily hyped by the media and fans like you though.
the rivialry has been good of the past 3 years.

and now since shaq is there it just put more fire to flame.

Shaq the guy that him and kobe won 3 straight championships is now in there rival team.

wow you cant predict this stuff.
No I think the Suns Vs. Spurs is the best because Shaq is going to be out of the league in 2 years.
I totally agree. :)

Woot woot GO SUNS!
makes the rivalry better. it was already bad during the last 2 playoffs and now you add shaq to the mix.
I disagree... It seems as if everyone that has posted so far is from the west coast!

I think right now, they hype that has surround the first 2 games between the Celtics %26amp; Pistons has eclipsed that of the teams mentioned.

Or maybe just because i am a east coast dude lol
NOPEEE suns just suck now especially after shaq i mean hes old lazy and stupid trade there going to regret it when they start losing a bunch of games and when they loose in the first round of the playoffs if they even get there
Absolutely.

The Lakers-Suns rivalry was already being heated up like a bottle of hot sauce in a sauna this season with the emergence of Andrew Bynum as the 5th barer of the Laker Center Torch.

Especially when the first two meetings resulted in a Laker blowout, and a Laker handling of the Suns. Laker fans were ecstatic and Suns fans were feeling the pressure.

Then when Shaq was traded from Miami to Phx, thats when this rivalry became hotter and bigger than an explosion of a solar system.

Shaq was the 4th barer of the Laker Center torch, he then left the team and won a chmpnshp somewhere else. By now he is very old but still got something in him or so we all speculate, so he was traded to that very team that has a bottle of hot sauce in a sauna HOT rivalry with the team he had his hall of fame years with.

Its Bynum vs. Shaq, Kobe vs. Shaq, Lakers vs. Shaq, and Lakers vs. Suns.

Bynum vs Shaq is like I said 4th barer vs. 5th barer, The 5th barer (Andrew) is being trained by the Lakers 3rd barer of the Laker center torch (kareem) to go up against the aging 4th barer. Bynum is as young and as many good years ahead of him as can be at age 20, and Shaq is as old and as good years behind him as can be at age 36 (come playoff time). But yet there is a rivalry between a 36 yr old hall of fame center and a 20 yr old center who has very very very good years to come. They are at the same point in their careers skill wise, they meet in the middle if you look at their stats, except Bynum is on his way WAY WAY up and Shaq is on his wa WAY WAY down. This will be very dramatic and very much like a bit time movie trilogy in its story line.

Kobe vs. Shaq will be now that kobe is in his prime, and the Lakers are now his team, he can show not just the world or the NBA, but Shaq personally in the playoffs that he does not need him that he is so good he can and will win.

Lakers vs. Shaq will be inclusive of the fans because when he left as we all know he was won a chmpnship and wen to the eastern conference finals in consecutive years. At first it looked like a bad trade, but now with the predicament of the Lakers and the predicament of the Heat the Lakers got the best part of the trade. But now that Shaq has bailed on that team and went to their fiercest rivals, it is go time for the Lakers to show up Shaquille O' Neal.

and this whole thing is encompassed in

LAKERS-SUNS
KOBE vs. SHAQ INTERESTING, I like the mavs-suns though
To me I still think the Spurs vs Suns rivalry is the best in the NBA. But the Lakers vs Suns rivalry is the 2nd best.
I'm really looking forward to seeing the Lakers and Suns meet in the playoffs.

That would be the playoff series with the highest TV ratings for sure. There's just so many small storylines for the NBA to promote.

Shaq vs Kobe. Shaq vs Bynum. Shaq vs Gasol.

Of course, it's going to be guys like Nash, Odom, and Stoudemire that's going to decide who wins the matchup.
Agree, and I thought it was heated before the trade...
Nope, even though im a young laker fan at 21, Im no bandwagon fan that for sure. **** i grew up in the dark ages for the lakers aka the early 90's. I remember growing up watching Nick van Exel barely getting us into the playoffs then always losing lol. it kinda sucks that i missed the 80's. lakers dynasty. But anyways the one thing my parents have tought me is that if i ever cheared for the Celtics they would dis own me lol. So Lakers vs. the celtics have to be the biggest rivarly. Not to mention at this point the lakers are at top in the west and celtics are at top in the east so that rivalry is back. But lakers vs phoenix is going to be interesting.

When was the last time the lakers and the celtics went to the playoffs?

wasnt it like in the 70's or 80's

When was the last time the lakers and the celtics went to the playoffs?nba mvp

The last time they met was 86-87 season. The Lakers won that series 4 games to 2.

When was the last time the lakers and the celtics went to the playoffs?nba trades ,nba teams

What up Stumesa,

The last time these two teams played against each other in the playoffs was in 1987.

The Lakers were in the playoffs last year and lost in the first round. And i think the Celtics were in the playoffs 3 seasons ago and lost in the 2nd round. (If i remember right).

Hope that helps. Kindly,

Nickster
1987 NBA Finals Celtics vs Lakers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_NBA_Fi...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakers-Celt...
1987

Will there ever be a rivary as good or like the larry bird, magic johnson Celtics vs Lakers?

No.

As pointed out earlier, their rivalry began in college. We're never going to see two players of that caliber meeting in an NCAA final again, because anyone who's that good today would only play a year in college. Bird was a senior and Magic a sophomore when they met in the '79 NCAA finals.

Bird was drafted as a junior-eligible by Red Auerbach in 1978. He was the 6th overall pick, but everyone knew he was staying in school, and the Celtics were the earliest team drafting that realized that a year goes by very quickly and that Bird was well worth the wait (of the players drafted ahead of him, only Mychal Thompson, drafted #1, amounted to anything...Michael Ray Richardson, drafted at #4, could have been an all time great, but he messed up his career with drugs...even with that, Richardson was a 4 time all star).

Magic, of course, was the #1 pick in the draft in 1979...the Lakers had acquired a draft pick from the Jazz a few years earlier because the Jazz signed Gail Goodrich as a free agent.

Once they arrived in the NBA, here's what Magic and Larry did:

1980: Bird: Rookie of the year, lost east finals

Magic: NBA Title, Playoff MVP

1981: Bird: NBA Title (Magic injured, lost first round)

1982: Magic, NBA Title, Playoff MVP: Bird: Lost east Final

1983: Magic: Lost NBA final...Bird, 2nd round loss

1984: Bird, MVP, Wins NBA Title / Playoff MVP: Magic, lost NBA Finals

1985: Magic, wins NBA Title: Bird, regular season MVP Loses NBA Finals

1986: Bird: MVP, Wins Title Magic: Lost West Finals

1987: Magic, MVP, Wins Title, Playoff MVP: Bird Loses NBA Finals

1988: BIrd, Loses East Finals: Magic Wins Title

1989: Bird injured: Magic, Regular season MVP, loses NBA Final

First off, we had a five year build up to Magic and Bird's first meeting in the NBA finals. They kept trading titles (with Philly sneaking one in in 1983) and the whole country was anticipating a Lakers/Celtics final every year.

There's been no build up to this year's final, Yeah, the league office is happy about the matchup, but no one's been clamoring for a Laker / Celtic final for the last 5 years...

Secondly, it wasn't just Bird vs. Magic in those finals...both teams featured numerous hall of famers, so there were Hall of Fame matchups at several positions. That's not the case today.

Among today's Lakers and Celtics, only Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant have locked up spots in the HOF as of now. Pierce will probably get in as long as he remains at or near his level for another 3-4 years. Ray Allen is marginal at this point, but if he continues to be this productive for another 2-3 years, he should get there as well. It's more than likely at this point that Garnett, Pierce and Allen will eventually make the HOF, but only Garnett would be a first ballot HOFer at this ponit.

The NBA is desperate for another Bird/Magic rivalry.... you can see it in the fact that they literally manufactured a "rivalry" between Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony. And that's been from day one of their careers.

Those guys have no history against each other. Carmelo won an NCAA title in college, but Lebron didn't even GO to college. To this day, five years into their careers, they've never played a meaningful game against each other. And the games they have played against each other have been total crap, at least the half dozen or so I've seen on TV...

More recently, of course, is the manufactured "rivalry" between Greg Oden and Kevin Durrant. But again, same thing...the NBA is trying to manufacture a rivalry between guys with no history against each other..

Plus, the country loved the fact that Bird is white and Magic is black.

If fate had placed either Bird or Magic on ANY other teams, their rivalry would never have become what it was. I don't even think it would have been the same had Bird played for L.A. and Magic for Boston, because of the racial component.

So, as I said, many factors went into creating and maintaining the Bird/Magic rivalry:

1) They were the two best players incollegebasketball

2) They met in the NCAA title game

3) Thanks to divine intervention, Bird went to the Celtics, Magic to the Lakers

4) Bird is white, and went to Boston... Magic is black and went to Hollywood

5) Each team then had basically 4 HOF or HOF quality players at the same time.

6) Even though most of their finals games were not that close, several of their regular season nationally televised games went down to the wire.

7) Boston and L.A., like the Celtics and Lakers of today, had totally contrasting styles of play. And it was the same contrast as we see now...Boston, stronger and more physical... Lakers, quicker and more athletic

8. Both Bird and Magic constantly worked on their games in the off season... it was amazing seeing them start each season doing things that they hadn't done before, because they'd worked on certain things to improve themselves every year.

It's always dangerous to say that we'll "never" see this again, or that again... but a whole lot of things have to come together at the right time to create a Bird/Magic-like rivalry.

Let's just say that the odds are against it.

Will there ever be a rivary as good or like the larry bird, magic johnson Celtics vs Lakers?nba players

Probably not.. The Larry Bird vs Magic Johhson started when these two met for the first time in NCAA final.. and they entered NBA at the same years even though Larry Bird was draft first..but he decided to stay incollegefor one more years.. Anyway, Larry Bird won Rookie of the year, but Magic Johnson ended up winning Final MVP.. So Magic Johnson did had greater rookie season than Larry Bird did.. cause winning NBA Championship meant everything.. Anyway, the grudge match between Lakers and Celtics started in 84 finals....Larry Bird and Celtics took that one home.. But Lakers got their revenged by beating Celtics in 85 Finals..

Will there ever be a rivary as good or like the larry bird, magic johnson Celtics vs Lakers?nba draft prospects ,nba teams

no rivalry is ever the same. most rivalries are born of legend of things we see, not things we hear of from the past. i predict that twenty years from now they will be talking about shaq, kobe, lebron, and kg like they talk about mike and magic and larry. . before mike magic and larry, where was dr. j, david thompson, and gerving. its the same for every generation. i see the change all the time.
What up trustluv,

It would be really hard to match that- because the rivalry dated back to college- you had the players going 1and 2 in the draft- and the level of play with those two teams were insane.

The Classic games they show were the buzzer-beaters- but most of the games were decided by double figures- and you saw each of them lead their team in imposing their will on the other team (but you would see the other team respond the next game)... they pushed one another and their respective team- really amazing if you ask me... i just know that was the best era of basketball and it's hard to imagine a rivarly as good as that one...

Nickster
NO

at least not in basketball there wouldn't be.

other sports have their rivalries (EXAMPLE: yankees / red sox)

and those,like the example i gave, are also pretty huge.
not in nba basketball no...but ill take yankees and red sox, duke and NC basketball, fl st. and miami ftball, army and navy,
In terms of basketball skill yes we have matched and surpassed that rivalry.

Is there a good chance lakers and celtics in the final?

i would love to see that as competitive as the west is is there a chance that could happen

Is there a good chance lakers and celtics in the final?nba 2k7

it could happen .

Is there a good chance lakers and celtics in the final?nba rules ,nba teams

Celtics need to step there game and contend against the Pistons/Cavs.

Lakers have a great chance, woohoo, number 1 in the west baby!
Oh yeah, there is a very good chance that the old rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics will be revived. But eventually Lakers will win and Kobe will be the Finals MVP.
possible but not likely

LA has to go though thre terrible three Dallas ,Phoenix

and San Antonio .The will play atleast

one of them maybe two depending on seeding..All

dangerous playoff teams.I dont think LA will be able

to beat them in a 5 game set non the less a 7

game set....

Celtics have a better chance....though they still prob

will have to face Detroit and Cleavland at some point

sorry to rain on your parade laker fans....Reg games

maen very little in the playoff....except for seeding
Lakers most likely. The top 8 in the west are on pace to win 50 or more games!!!!!!

Celts yeah only if Garnett is 100%.

Cavs and Pistons have a good chance too.
Two things must happen in order to guarentee these teams in the finals....

Lakers: Kobe must raise his team up, he must increase their lvl of gameplay. He must become a TRUE leader just like Michael Jordan. If he does not...the experienced Spurs, or the heart led Suns i'm afraid will take them out.

Celtics: The Big Three must play with the emotion of a true championship team. These guys have never been there and this is there chance to shine....show what your made of, don't hold back.
Only if the league starts playing a final series for 3rd place. Neither of these teams are getting to the actual finals.
I love the Lakers, and Spurs are aight. I began to like the Spurs because of how lame the Suns were last playoffs. So I enjoyed the rest of the playoffs with the spurs. I like them but I'm a Laker forever. And todays game with Spurs and New Orleans, I think they won it because of Tony Parkers arrival. And Lakers will fight for their wins. I think Lakers will be in the finals, but it ain't gonna matter who they against cause they on top of the world baby.
nope. spurs and pistons
Yeah there's a chance, you never know what might happen you know. Cavs in the final last season is quite rare. And mavs lost in 1st round.... anything could happen that's what amazing about NBA.
Yups, there's a chance we'll be seeing them in the Finals.

I think if any team in the West comes out on top, then they can beat the Eastern team. The West is tough and those teams are as tough as the Top 2 teams in the East. So I think the Lakers will win it if they were to match-up.
remember that SA is still the defending champs so they need to defend their title and i think that LA doesnt have a lot of lead in Western Conference and A. Bynum isnt in their line up at the moment.. so we cant decide...

as for celtics they have 42 - 12 which isnt a lot of lead against the pistons and KG isnt there too.. and take note that dwight howard's hornets is pushing his team through..
nope thur both too overrated!#~#$^%^%26amp;
Lakers and Celtics would be an awesome, storybook Final. Lakers seeking their 15th title while the Celtics would be seeking their 17th. The Lake Show versus the Boston 3 Party. It would be a PR frenzy and gold mine. Could it happen? I think so, but it will be a very tough road for both squads. The Lakers are playing great ball, but they will have to escape from the West and potentially face-off with some highly potent teams (Spurs, Suns, Jazz, and Hornets to name a few) in doing so. The Celtics have go through the Pistons and Cavs. I think the Magic are a good playoff sleeper, but highly inconsistent to say they're worthy of an upset. If I had to pick which has a better shot at the Finals, I would say the Celts because the Lakers have to come out of the West which is so strong. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch it all unfold.