Lakers retire Kobe Bryant's 8 and 24 jerseys

The Lakers typically only retire the numbers of players enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Bryant isn't eligible until 2021, but the Lakers decided not to wait for that formality - and for Kobe, they doubled up the honor.

Bryant switched jersey numbers halfway through his career, neatly dividing the eras of his 20 years with the Lakers. The No 8 Bryant won three NBA titles, and the No 24 Bryant won two more before retiring in 2016 with a stunning 60-point performance in his farewell game against Utah.

Bryant even scored almost the same number of points in No 8 (16,777) as he did in No 24 (16,866).

When pressed to pick his favorite era of his own career, Bryant reluctantly did it.

"If 8 is playing 24 after he just ruptured his Achilles, then it's a problem for 24," Bryant said. "If 24 is playing 8 when he tore his shoulder, it's a problem for No 8. so it depends. ... It's really, really tough for me. I think 24 was more challenging, and I tend to gravitate to things that are harder to do, and physically for me, it was really hard to get up night in and night out. It was really a grind."

AP