Around the NBA, tributes for Kobe Bryant have come in all forms from teams and players to honour one of the game’s greats. The Dallas Mavericks have already taken action, electing to retire Kobe’s No. 24 on Sunday night, and now it looks like players around the league are taking things into their own hands.
Spencer Dinwiddie, who wears No. 8 for the Brooklyn Nets, is switching to No. 26, and it looks like other players in the NBA are also planning to follow suit, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Marc Stein of the New York Times adds that the NBA will grant players a special exception for these midseason number changes.
We could still see the NBA choose to retire Kobe’s number(s) leaguewide, although such a decision may take some time. In the meantime, players are acting first.
Other than Dinwiddie, none of the other players currently wearing No. 8 or 24 have announced jersey number changes, although Norman Powell, who currently wears No. 24 in honour of Kobe, spoke on the topic of a potential number change.
