Los Angeles Lakers: Top 10 moments from 2017-18 NBA season
2. Kobe Bryant has two jerseys retired
Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players to ever don a Lakers jersey, an impressive statement given the team’s history. Of those Hall of Fame icons to lead the Lakers to glory — from Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal — only Kobe had the honor of two separate jerseys being lifted to the rafters.
A touching ceremony began outside Stapes Center with “Kobeland” and moved inside for the main event. The ceremony itself began with an animated movie to introduce Kobe.
I couldn’t imagine anyone else directing and animating something so personal to me. Thank you @glenkeaneprd #DearBasketball @go90sports Watch the full #BTS documentary here! https://t.co/a8J68AKPLn pic.twitter.com/qpmTuxoPSy
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) December 22, 2017
Magic Johnson and Jeannie Buss, among others, spoke in honor of Kobe. Then the jerseys were raised together, much to The Mamba’s delight.
.@kobebryant’s No. 8 & No. 24 forever in the rafters. #Ko8e24 pic.twitter.com/9Ai06NAWOk
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 19, 2017
Kobe himself then took the stage to thank those who came before and paved the way for him to accomplish all that he did.
“It’s about those jerseys that were hanging up there before. Without them, I couldn’t be here today.”@kobebryant's full speech as his No. 8 & No. 24 go up in the @Lakers rafters. #Ko8e24 pic.twitter.com/ivbZEjnAYi
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 19, 2017
Perhaps the best thing to come of the ceremony was a new addition to the series of NBA puppet commercials from a decade ago. Hello puppet-Kobe and puppet-LeBron!
#8v24 pic.twitter.com/DUuSb1fsup
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) December 18, 2017
Whether you’re a diehard Lakers fan who thinks Kobe is one of the top-three players in NBA history, or a Celtics devotee who talks him out of the top-15, there is no doubting that Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest to play the game and inspired a whole new generation of kids to love basketball. For that alone, his legacy deserves the respect that he has earned.