Spencer Dinwiddie, other players giving up jersey numbers in honor of Kobe Bryant

January 28, 2020

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Kobe Bryant may eventually have the two jersey numbers he wore during his career — 8 and 24 — retired by the NBA, and teams and players have already begun taking steps to make that happen.

On Tuesday, Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie announced that he is changing jersey numbers from No. 8 to No. 26. He won’t be the only player currently wearing No. 8 or No. 24 to change numbers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Everything in life evolves. #26

— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) January 28, 2020

Sources: Multiple NBA players have begun informally retiring Kobe Bryant’s jersey number(s) as a tribute — with Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie among them, changing from No. 8 to No. 26.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 28, 2020

Players typically are not allowed to change jersey numbers in the middle of a season, but Marc Stein of the New York Times reports that Dinwiddie has been granted permission from the NBA to do so. Other players will obviously be free to do the same.

The NBA typically makes players wait for a new season to start to allow players to change a jersey number but Dinwiddie has been granted permission to make the switch to No. 26, according to a source familiar with the decision

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 28, 2020

One team that Kobe never played for announced on Sunday that they are retiring the No. 24. At this rate, it seems like only a matter of time before No. 8 and No. 24 are permanently retired by all teams. Quite frankly, they should be.

More Larry Brown Sports coverage of Kobe Bryant’s death:

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Other victims of the helicopter crash:
– John Altobelli, junior college baseball coach, also died in helicopter crash
– Christina Mauser, girls’ basketball coach, among the helicopter crash victims
– Sarah Chester, daughter Payton were also killed in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash
– Ara Zobayan was the pilot in Kobe Bryant helicopter crash

Tributes to Kobe:
– NBA players changing jersey numbers in honor of Kobe Bryant
– Bill Belichick shares touching anecdote in tribute to Kobe Bryant
– UConn honors Gianna Bryant with own jersey, spot on the bench
– Dallas Mavericks retire Kobe Bryant’s No. 24 jersey
– Video: Raptors, Spurs start game with amazing tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Shaq posts heartfelt tribute to Kobe Bryant
– Michael Jordan releases statement on death of ‘little brother’ Kobe Bryant
– Video: Doc Rivers breaks down crying talking about Kobe Bryant
– Phil Jackson calls Kobe Bryant ‘a chosen one’ in statement on his death
– NBA commissioner Adam Silver issues statement on death of Kobe Bryant
– Video: Dwyane Wade posts emotional message reacting to Kobe Bryant’s death
– Kendrick Perkins extends olive branch to Kevin Durant after Kobe Bryant’s death
– Video: Emotional Mike Breen sums up NBA world’s emotions about Kobe Bryant’s death
– Trae Young’s huge game was full of Kobe Bryant-related statistical coincidences