Kobe Bryant's fans might have to buy another jersey next season. That's because multiple sources have told ESPN.com that Bryant will change his number to 24 next season.

Bryant began his career at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pa., wearing No. 24. But by 1996 -- the year he led the school to the state championship -- he had switched to No. 33, the number his father Joe "Jelly Bean" Bryant wore in high school.

In order for a player to change jersey numbers at will, he either has to change teams or have the team inform the league of the decision more than six months in advance. Players who stay with the same team must have worn the same number for four seasons or longer. Sources say the Lakers informed the league of Bryant's wish to change his number by this year's March 3 deadline.

Calls placed to Bryant's agent Rob Pelinka and the Lakers were not immediately returned.

Over the past few months, Kobe Bryant's popularity has been on the rise again. His jersey was the fourth-best seller this season, up one spot from last year's position, according to sales at the NBA Store in Manhattan and on NBA.com.

When Bryant came into the league, he couldn't take the No. 33 because it had been retired seven years earlier by the Lakers in honor of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Bryant arrived at the No. 8 for two reasons. It was the number he wore when he was a kid playing in Italy. It also tied into the number he wore at Adidas' ABCD Camp, 143. The numbers add up to 8.

Bryant's switch is the NBA's most significant jersey number change since the 1994-95 season, when Michael Jordan came out of retirement wearing the No. 45 for the final 22 games of the season. Jordan's No. 23 had been retired by the Bulls in his honor. For the next three seasons, Jordan went back to the No. 23.

League veteran Jim Jackson, who signed with the Lakers in March, now wears No. 24.

Six NBA teams have retired the number: the Boston Celtics (Sam Jones), Golden State Warriors (Rick Barry), Houston Rockets (Moses Malone), New York Knicks (Bill Bradley), Philadelphia 76ers (Bobby Jones) and Phoenix Suns (Tom Chambers).

Source - ESPN: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2421874

Noooo!!! I'll have to trash my overly tight Bryant jersey now :(

i don't think he should change to a 24... 8 has always been kobe... like 3 is to allen, 0 is to gilbert arenas, is tracy mcgrady 1?? like 23 is MJ

neways.. well maybe the price on his number 8 jerseys will go down and i'l lfinally be able to cop one

Why change it now? Who gives a fuck, its Kobe.

the number really has no effect on his performance so who cares

Just another reason for espn and other sports analisytits to talk, about nothing.

ya kobe is kinda retarded, i think 24 is kinda better than 8, i don't really care cause its kobe, but he can do wateva the fuck he wants

kobe raped his a woman and made enemys wit shaq, thats y i hate him laker fans

He should've never gone with 8 in the first place if 24 was always his number, its gay to do it now

... But I dont give a fuck, I never liked the Lakers, or Kobe

i agree wit majik, kobe's a dumbass, needs to make up his mind, so many fans r gonna be pissed...

I dont like the idea.....

Thats like AI wearing 31 or Nowitzki wearing 12

8 is Kobe's number and i see another reason
8 x 3=24....3=Number of Championships

^ ........ please no number conspiraces

reminds me of tupac

8 x 3=24....3=Number Of Championships
8x24=Number of Consecutive Days of his court appearances
24-8+3=Age of his accuser
.Oh shit number conspiracies.....

makes sense, damn u gto some time on ur hands to think that shit up, or was it in somethin u read?

^^ he made those up....



i think

lmao 24 is my lucky number he'll fit it great :dance:

he says its because it was his first highskool number, and I can understand that, but this was his first nba number. Everyone who doesnt even follow basketball knows him by that number, so I think its a bad move. So when those people see him next year from behind, there gonna be like " Oh did the lakers get a new player?" Plus this means he cant change it for 3 more years, do you think he can wait that long if he doesnt like his new number?

Maple those arent made up....
8=Original Number..X..3=Number of Championship Rings....=24!
24=New Number..X..8=Old Number...=192=Number of days he was in court....
24-8+3...16 +3=19=Age of his accuser....
24+8=32....Shaq's Number With the Heat

Its so easy...lol

also jim jackson is wearin 24, if he resigns with the lakers, they said that kobe might pay him some money to give up the numbers

i don't really give a fuck its just a number. he is obviously doing this make more money off his jersey sales. and i don't think that tryin to get more money is gay at all. i mean its not like he has lots of endorsements

who gives a fuck? i hate wen playas change jersy numbas... i always stick wit w/e i had last year... wats in a number anyway? but like i said b4... who gives a fuck

24 was my number when i played for jv

FUCK KoBe!!!!!!!

24 has no significant meaning to me

kobe just wants attention... that my stand