Throughout his stellar 20-year career, Kobe Bryant has received numerous high praises for how great he has been every time he stepped on the court. He received some more during his double jersey retirement on Monday, including from Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, who gave him arguably one of the best he's ever heard.
As both his No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys were raised up in the rafters of Staples Center, Buss mentioned that she believes if the accomplishments that Kobe Bryant had while wearing each number was separated, he would still qualify for the Hall of Fame.
“If you separated each of the accomplishments under those numbers, each of those players would qualify for the Hall of Fame.”@Lakers president Jeanie Buss on retiring both of @kobebryant’s numbers. #Ko8e24 pic.twitter.com/ohUeLOnEJT
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 19, 2017
Kobe Bryant sported his No. 8 jersey from 1996-2006, where he won three championships, and established himself as an elite player in the league. For the following 10 seasons of his career, Bryant switched to wearing No. 24, and won two more titles, an MVP Award, and more importantly, cemented his place as an all-time great.
Kobe Bryant will surely be a Hall of Famer in the first year he'll be eligible to be part of it. Beyond his achievements on the court, his competitiveness and desire to be the best player he can be will forever be remembered, and should inspire the next generations of players to chase after his legacy.