Kobe’s choice number like splitting hairs
The Los Angeles Lakers retired the numbers 8 and 24 for longtime shooting guard Kobe Bryant on Monday night during a halftime ceremony at Staples Center.
Los Angeles was hosting the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors. But on Monday night, while the Lakers lost in overtime, it was Bryant’s night, Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke said.
“It was 20 years of greatness in a single night of magic,” Plaschke wrote.
“Kobe Bryant returned to midcourt at Staples Center on Monday night for the first time in nearly two years as Lakers history fluttered around him like bits of dazzling confetti.
“The fans again chanted ‘Kobe, Ko-be!’ and ‘M-V-P, M-V-P!’
“Magic Johnson again threw a no-look pass, announcing that Bryant was ‘the greatest who’s ever worn the purple and gold.’
“Jeanie Buss showed her trademark personal touch, fighting back tears while thanking Bryant for ‘staying loyal to the purple and gold and remaining a Laker for life when it might have been easier for you to leave.’
“All around [Bryant] were a mix and match of stars. Shaquille O’Neal sat underneath one basket with Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts sitting a few seats away. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sat next to Bill Russell. Kenley Jansen sat for a moment with owner Buss. Other former Lakers greats, including Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Derek Fisher (UALR, Little Rock Parkview), Lamar Odom and Rick Fox, also showed up.”
Plaschke asked Bryant, if he had a choice, what number he would have preferred to have retired, 8 or 24?
“Wearing No. 8, he was a child. Wearing No. 24, he was a man,” Plaschke wrote.
“Wearing No. 8, he won three championships as a freewheeling sidekick to O’Neal. Wearing No. 24, he led the Lakers to two titles without O’Neal, the child star becoming a mature leader.
“So what is it, 8 or 24?
“‘I kind of go back and forth,’ Bryant said, smiling. ‘Eight has something that 24 will never, ever, ever, ever, ever have, that’s the ability to grow hair. Honestly, it’s tough.’ ”
Bunch of bull
Texas Rangers left-hander Martin Perez broke his nonpitching elbow in a mishap with a bull and is likely to miss the start of the season.
Perez had surgery Monday in Dallas and is expected to start throwing in about a month. The Rangers said Tuesday the 26-yearold is expected to be sidelined from games until mid-April, putting him on track for a possible return to the major leagues by May 1.
The injury occurred on Perez’s ranch in his native Venezuela. General Manager Jon Daniels said Perez told him he was startled by a bull and fell on the elbow.
Perez was 13-12 with a 4.82 ERA in a team-high 32 starts. After missing most of the 2014 and 2015 seasons because of reconstructive surgery on his left elbow, Perez has led the Rangers in starts each of the past two seasons.
“The season has been over 10 weeks and the bull pen is still endangering the Rangers,” wrote Evan Grant, who covers the Rangers for The Dallas Morning
News. “In this case, we mean every word of that sentence quite literally.
“On Tuesday, the Rangers announced the latest weird calamity to befall one of their pitchers. It puts Derek Holland tripping over his dog to shame. Now, the leader involves Martin Perez and a bull.”