Basketball (NBA, College, etc.)

dochira wrote:Some are speculating it's a slap-to-the-face for his former endorser: Adidas.

How so?

bmwracer wrote:
How so?

This was posted in April, but.... could this be the reason??

Bryant will hang up his No. 8 jersey, sources say
By Darren Rovell
ESPN.com


Kobe Bryant's fans might have to buy another jersey next season. That's because multiple sources have told ESPN.com that Bryant will change his number to 24 next season.

Bryant began his career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pa., wearing No. 24. But by 1996 -- the year he led the school to the state championship -- he had switched to No. 33, the number his father Joe "Jelly Bean" Bryant wore in high school.

In order for a player to change jersey numbers at will, he either has to change teams or have the team inform the league of the decision more than six months in advance. Players who stay with the same team must have worn the same number for four seasons or longer. Sources say the Lakers informed the league of Bryant's wish to change his number by this year's March 3 deadline.

Calls placed to Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka and the Lakers were not immediately returned.

Over the past few months, Kobe Bryant's popularity has been on the rise again. His jersey was the fourth-best seller this season, up one spot from last year's position, according to sales at the NBA Store in Manhattan and on NBA.com.

When Bryant came into the league, he couldn't take the No. 33 because it had been retired seven years earlier by the Lakers in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Bryant arrived at the No. 8 for two reasons. It was the number he wore when he was a kid playing in Italy. It also tied into the number he wore at Adidas' ABCD Camp, 143. The numbers add up to 8.

Bryant's switch is the NBA's most significant jersey number change since the 1994-95 season, when Michael Jordan came out of retirement wearing the No. 45 for the final 22 games of the season. Jordan's No. 23 had been retired by the Bulls in his honor. For the next three seasons, Jordan went back to the No. 23.

League veteran Jim Jackson, who signed with the Lakers in March, now wears No. 24.

Six NBA teams have retired the number: the Boston Celtics (Sam Jones), Golden State Warriors (Rick Barry), Houston Rockets (Moses Malone), New York Knicks (Bill Bradley), Philadelphia 76ers (Bobby Jones) and Phoenix Suns (Tom Chambers).

Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at [email protected].

Original Story

I also read somewhere else that Adidas is planning to bring back Kobe's KB8 style shoes, to be renamed "Crazy 8". Now that Kobe is with Nike, that would have been awkward.

Saito_Hajime wrote:

I myself haven't been able to check my team on a daily basis because I was kinda busy lately with my studies and with my on-going internship, that's why I have setup my lineup in advance for this month so that I will just be checking it from time to time.

By the way, I just noticed that Kobe Bryant changed his jersey number from #8 to #24, I wonder what makes him change it. :headscratch: :sweat:

heard he chg'd it......

Lakers drop their first game vs. Sonics in Seattle..... :beaten:

dochira wrote:
Some are speculating it's a slap-to-the-face for his former endorser: Adidas.

That seems to be logical, but after reading the article you posted, specifically this sentence.....

Over the past few months, Kobe Bryant's popularity has been on the rise again. His jersey was the fourth-best seller this season, up one spot from last year's position, according to sales at the NBA Store in Manhattan and on NBA.com.

......another reason for that move could be for popularity. Ya know, he has to make some noise to make it big once again in NBA jersey sales. :beaten:

Lakers beat T-Wolves 95-88 Andrew Bynum has 20 pts. 14 rebounds :victory: Maybe Mitch Kupchak isn't an idiot after all!

gaijin mark wrote:Lakers beat T-Wolves 95-88 Andrew Bynum has 20 pts. 14 rebounds :victory: Maybe Mitch Kupchak isn't an idiot after all!

If Bynum keeps playing this solid and consistent, Kwame and Chris are in trouble...

Lakers shooting 53% in Portland, but are losing by seven at halftime, 53-46. :headscratch:

bmwracer wrote:Lakers shooting 53% in Portland, but are losing by seven at halftime, 53-46. :headscratch:

Probably because of poor defense :sweat:


New Jersey Nets won against Utah Jazz 96-89 :victory:

Saito_Hajime wrote:

Probably because of poor defense :sweat:

steal : LAL 4 : 13 POR.....:sweat:

CBS Sportsline is reporting that Kenyon Martin needs arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will be out indefinitely. :bleh:

"I won't be out the entire season, but I have no idea at this point," Martin said when asked about a possible return date. "Right now I'm at a loss for words, you know what I'm saying? I worked my butt off in training camp," he continued. "For this to happen now, I'm down in the dumps."

speed.sheep wrote:

steal : LAL 4 : 13 POR.....:sweat:

That explains it :beaten:

speed.sheep wrote:

CBS Sportsline is reporting that Kenyon Martin needs arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will be out indefinitely. :bleh:

"I won't be out the entire season, but I have no idea at this point," Martin said when asked about a possible return date. "Right now I'm at a loss for words, you know what I'm saying? I worked my butt off in training camp," he continued. "For this to happen now, I'm down in the dumps."

Do you have him in your team in one of the fantasy leagues you have participated?

Saito_Hajime wrote:

Do you have him in your team in one of the fantasy leagues you have participated?

no, I don't have K-Mart but I have Nene on one team. :hehe:

speed.sheep wrote:

no, I don't have K-Mart but I have Nene on one team. :hehe:

Perfect! :thumbsup: :twisted: Nene should benefit from K-Mart's absence.

Phoenix falls to San Antonio in OT...off to a rough start at 1-3 :beaten:

qilver wrote:Phoenix falls to San Antonio in OT...off to a rough start at 1-3 :beaten:

It seems that Amare Stoudamire isn't 100% as of now. His playing time per game is still not going beyond the 30 mins mark. :sweat:

Saito_Hajime wrote:

It seems that Amare Stoudamire isn't 100% as of now. His playing time per game is still not going beyond the 30 mins mark. :sweat:

I'm so regret not trading for him before tonight's game and continue being hurt by Diaw & Channing Frye. :beaten:

Saito_Hajime wrote:

It seems that Amare Stoudamire isn't 100% as of now. His playing time per game is still not going beyond the 30 mins mark. :sweat:

Phx doesn't look like the team of last year....they aren't running as much...and not as good...but it is still early in the season....
not sure if Stoudamire will ever regain his old-self, and be as effective.

speed.sheep wrote:

I'm so regret not trading for him before tonight's game and continue being hurt by Diaw & Channing Frye. :beaten:

Oh boy, you are in deep trouble there. I have Boris Diaw in the NJ Nets league and that guy is hurting me in rebounds and blocks, though there is the assists as a consolation, but that is not the stat I am looking forward to for a Power Forward. :shakehead: Good thing I have David West to back him up.

Saito_Hajime wrote:

Oh boy, you are in deep trouble there. I have Boris Diaw in the NJ Nets league and that guy is hurting me in rebounds and blocks, though there is the assists as a consolation, but that is not the stat I am looking forward to for a Power Forward. :shakehead: Good thing I have David West to back him up.

i have been neglecting my team, and hoping to avoid the last place...which it seems that i am heading with my team....atleast Duncan had a good game....except his pathetic freethrow percentage...like B-Wallace... :doh: :bonk: :beaten:

qilver wrote:

Phx doesn't look like the team of last year....they aren't running as much...and not as good...but it is still early in the season....
not sure if Stoudamire will ever regain his old-self, and be as effective.

Agreed. I think they lost Tim Thomas to the Clippers, that might have contributed to their slow-paced game. :sweat: