All-Stars to honor Kobe, Gianna with Nos. 2 and 24
The NBA’s All-Stars will be playing this year with Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant in their minds and on their jerseys.
So, coming soon: No. 24 Giannis Antetokounmpo, and No. 2, LeBron James.
As part of what will be a long series of tributes to Bryant and his daughter Gianna, the NBA announced Friday that every player on Team Giannis will wear 24 on their jerseys at this year’s All-Star Game and every player on Team LeBron will wear 2.
Kobe Bryant spent the last 10 seasons of his career in a No. 24 jersey. Gianna Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and an outstanding young player, wore No. 2.
All players taking part in All-Star weekend — including the Rising Stars game Feb. 14 and the Saturday night events such as the 3-point contest, slam dunk contest and skills competition — will wear a patch with nine stars to commemorate the nine victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
The patches for Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 will also bear the numbers 2 and 24. The patches for the All-Star Game will be slightly different, showing only the nine stars since players will already be wearing the numbers.
The decision means that almost every All-Star is assured of wearing a different number than usual. The only All-Star who regularly wears 2 or 24 is Kawhi Leonard, who dons No. 2 for the Clippers.
Antetokounmpo and James, the captains for the Feb. 16 game in Chicago, will pick their teams this Thursday.
Carmelo Anthony was not in the building with the Trail Blazers on Friday night when the Lakers honored Kobe Bryant in the team’s first game since his death.
Anthony, who had a close relationship with Bryant, wrote a lengthy tribute earlier this week on Instagram, sharing that Bryant had told him he planned on attending Friday’s game at Staples Center.
The team said Anthony didn’t travel due to “personal reasons.” He joined Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving as players who have missed games due to Bryant’s death.
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