Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made a classy gesture in the last day, announcing nobody in his franchise will ever again wear No. 24. It was to honor the memory of the late Kobe Bryant, who perished alongside 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on Sunday morning. Longtime Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle explained in more detail the decision to retire Bryant's number.

“I thought that Mark [Cuban's] gesture retiring the number 24 was an amazing gesture of respect to not only Kobe Bryant, the great player, bu also to his family,” Carlisle told reporters on Monday, via ESPN's Royce Young.

Read Carlisle's entire thoughts below.

Related NewsArticle continues below
Chicago Bulls forward Lonzo Ball (2) hits a three point shot against Toronto Raptors guard Jamal Shead (23) during overtime at the United Center.
Mavericks news: 1 concern of Dallas-Lonzo Ball trade rumor
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center.
Mavericks rumors: The trade candidate to ‘monitor’ after winning No. 1 pick

Carlisle, 60, spent five brief seasons in the NBA as a shooting guard before Bryant entered the league in 1996. Carlisle then turned his attention towards coaching. The one-time champion with the Mavs was an assistant for the New Jersey Nets and Portland Trail Blazers and later for the Indiana Pacers in 1999-00. That happened to be the season the Lakers, with Bryant and MVP center Shaquille O'Neal in tow, defeated the Central Division team for the first of three consecutive titles.

Carlisle then coached the Detroit Pistons for two seasons before joining the Pacers again. Since 2008, however, Carlisle has been a fixture on the sidelines in Dallas. He coached former MVP and retired power forward Dirk Nowitzki to his sole title in 2010-11. That just so happened to be the immediate year following Bryant's back-to-back championships and Finals MVP honor with the Lakers.