Lakers Video: Kobe Bryant Jersey Retirement Ceremony

Matthew Moreno
2 Min Read


Kobe Bryant ended his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in thrilling fashion, as the 60-point sendoff was the perfect conclusion for a player who is arguably the most complete scorer in NBA history.

After playing his final game against the Utah Jazz, focus began to shift toward how the Lakers would honor one of the franchise’s icons. That answer first came in the form of a jersey retirement ceremony for the future Hall-of-Famer.

While Bryant joins the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal, he fittingly stands in his own category. Bryant is the first player to have two numbers retired in his honor.

Several of his former teammates were on hand for the halftime ceremony, which can be watched below, courtesy the Lakers’ Twitter account:

Bryant was joined on the court by former teammates Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom and O’Neal, among others, plus former players such as Bill Russell and Allen Iverson.

A few hours prior to formally raising his jerseys to the rafters at Staples Center, the Lakers hosted ‘Kobeland’ on Chick Hearn Court at L.A. Live. It included a Kobe-themed Ferris Wheel, photograph opportunities, and specially-designed merchandise that was sold from an onsite Nike truck.

Bryant stated on multiple occasions he did not have a preference for which jersey number was to be retired, but if forced to choose, would select No. 24 because it was the last he wore.

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers games, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com