Lakers Signal Date To Retire Kobe's Jersey - Both Of Them

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — It's been a full season since Kobe Bryant played his final NBA game, but the Los Angeles Lakers are finally ready to honor the Black Mamba.

The question is: will it be No. 8 or No. 24? Both, according to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

While Lakers officials aren't releasing details, the team announced to season ticket holders that a "special event" will take place on Dec. 18 when the Lakers host the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center, according to TMZ.

Bryant played the first half of his career wearing number 8, winning three championships with the Lakers, before turning to number 24 and winning his two most recent titles.

Last January, former Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak hinted at the possibility of the Lakers retiring both of Bryant's numbers while speaking at a season ticket holder event.

"I don't know the answer," Kupchak said. "Obviously it's going to be 8, 24, or it could be both."

In what turned out to be one of his most memorable performances, Bryant scored 60 points in his final game and finished his career as the NBA's third all-time leading scorer.

The league's MVP for the 2007-2008 season, Bryant is an 18-time All-Star and was All-NBA 15 times, including 11 first-team selections.

Bryant will be the 10th player to have his jersey retired by the Lakers, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Gail
Goodrich, Magic Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, James Worthy, Jerry West and Jamaal Wilkes.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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