The loss of Kobe Bryant has sent shockwaves throughout the league as players have begun discussing uniform changes. Meaning any players wearing the jersey numbers 8 or 24 want to change their numbers to honor The Mamba.
Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie recently changed his number from 8 to 26 in honor of the legend and it began some changes around the league. Philadelphia 76ers guard Zhaire Smith had worn the number 8 to begin his career, but he now will be changing his number as well.
Smith wore number 7 in Tuesday’s 115-104 emotional win over the Golden State Warriors and it’s because he does not want to wear 8 anymore in honor of Bryant.
“I was thinking about it overnight when it happened,” he said. “Then today, I just decided to change it to honor him.”
Smith did wear number 2 when he was in college at Texas Tech, but that number is retired by Philadelphia due to Moses Malone so he wore 8 to honor Bryant.
“Yes I did,” he said. “Predraft, I really wanted 2 to come out of Tech, but that’s retired. Then I found out 8 was available and I said ‘Oh that’s Kobe’ so I did that for him.”
Smith has had an interesting journey to get to this point after suffering a Jones fracture and then an allergic reaction that kept him out for all, but six games in his rookie season and he then has spent the majority of the season in the G League. Tuesday was just his second game of the season playing for the Sixers and he discussed that journey postgame after scoring three points in 9:48.
“Just being a student of the game,” he continued. “Just learning and improving. Once I’m here, just continue to learn. I’ve got a lot ahead of me so just being a student of the game.”
Using Bryant as an example and the work ethic he showed to move forward, Smith says he wants to continue to push forward like that as a player.
“Oh yeah, most definitely,” he said with a smile. “Especially in the summertime, I think I heard a story about how he was in the gym constantly. Probably since 6 AM, went home, came back, so I tried to do that for one day, but my body was dead so I never did that again.”
Zhaire Smith talks about his journey in the league and how he can use Kobe Bryant as an example #Sixers pic.twitter.com/wqCEYqDcRd
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) January 29, 2020
Smith did confirm that he will be wearing number 5 for the rest of the season, but there was not a special significance behind the number. He does now have his idol looking over him and watching him as he continues to work his way back from a nightmare of a rookie season and put his imprint on the league. [lawrence-related id=24464,24453,24435]