For hoopers, much thought goes into picking what jersey number to wear. Some follow in the footsteps of the players they idolize. In contrast, others choose a number with personal significance, like a birth date or a lucky number. For Paul George , the newest member of the Philadelphia 76ers , the decision was a mix of both.
On the latest episode of "Podcast P," the nine-time All-Star discussed his choice to wear no. 8 for his new team and how it pays tribute to one of basketball's greatest icons: Kobe Bryant .
Grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant
PG-13's love and respect for the late, great Los Angeles Lakers great is well known. When the 6'8" wingman entered the league out of Fresno State in 2010, he wore jersey no. 24 because of Bean before switching to 13 a few years later.
When he signed with the Sixers, he was told he couldn't wear No. 13 since it was already retired for Wilt Chamberlain. That's when George decided to go back to his roots and wear the number that represents the "Black Mamba" — no. 8.
"Come on, man. I'm in Philly, my idol, the Bean, Kobe Bryant. My way of idolizing Kob. It meant something outside of 24 and 13, so it was only right," PG explained .
The six-time All-NBA selection added that it took him a while to decide what number to wear. One option he considered was the no. 14.
"It did take a minute because I was going through all the numbers like, 'Man, what makes sense? What looks good? What will I be comfortable in?' I went with 14 because my son can't say 13, so he says 14. But it didn't look right, it didn't have a ring to it," Paul shared.
The versatile wingman consulted his wife, who liked the number 14. However, he didn't ask his daughters for advice as he said they would pick random numbers like 39 or 47.
"I wore 25 a little bit in high school, but I didn't love it. I also wore 31 my freshman year in high school, but 31 doesn't look right on me. So, I kept going down the line, and I'm like, 'What makes sense?'" the native of Palmdale, California, surmised.
Representing Kobe
Kobe's influence in the NBA has transcended generations. Bryant's impact is undeniable, from the old-school players who had a chance to compete against him to the new generation of players who grew up watching his journey in the league. For PG, KB's legacy is something he wants to continue and honor, even in the smallest ways.
"It's good to have those moments when you look at that jersey and think, 'Yeah, this is who I'm putting it on for.' I wanted that moment of being able to hold myself accountable," the four-time All-Defense team member remarked.
Selecting jersey number 8 marks a significant milestone for the versatile player, completing a cycle in his career. Starting out with no. 24, he now finds himself, in the later stages of his journey, donning the same number that Kobe wore in his first decade with the Lakers.
Related: Paul George says he never wanted to leave the Clippers: "I thought I played well enough for them to be like, 'You know what? He's part of our future"
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