QUINN COOK, LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Change: No. 2 to No. 28
The guard has said that his late father Ted Cook, who passed away when Quinn was just fourteen years old, was the biggest Lakers fan he had ever met.
As such, he was a huge fan of the franchise growing up as well (via Spectrum Sports Nets):
“I can tell you every Laker thing since I’ve been living. I watched every game, every playoffs every championship, so like I was telling my brother last night, it’s still surreal coming in here and you see all these legendary numbers, you see all the trophies, you see the years that they won it and it’s just more motivation to try and get one this year.”
Cook did not wear No. 8 or No. 24 but told Shams Charania that he no longer felt comfortable wearing his number because of its ties to Bryant’s daughter, who also perished in the terrible crash. He said that “it’s hers” and should be retired.
The former NCAA (2015) and NBA (2018) champion was spotted mourning the loss of Bryant outside Staples Center earlier this week.