Paul George idolized Kobe Bryant growing up and is now honoring him by wearing No. 8 for the Philadelphia 76ers. On the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, George explained how he ended up deciding to wear the number.
“C’mon man, I’m in Philly, my idol, the ‘Bean’ Kobe Bryant, my way of idolizing Kobe, and something that meant something outside of 24 and 13,” George said. “It was only right… I like the eight, the eight looks good on me.”
“It did take a minute,” George stated when asked how long it took for him to make the decision. “… I was going through all numbers. Man, what makes sense? What looks good? What will I be comfortable in? I went with like 14 cuz my son can’t say 13, so he says 14… I don’t know, that number just don’t look right.”
“I wore 25 a little bit in high school but I didn’t love it in high school,” George added. “So I’m like I’m not gonna wear that again. Also, I wore, I believe 31 my freshman year in high school but 31 don’t look right with me, so I just kept going down the line… You know what? Eight. It’s only fitting.”
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George had to change his number upon joining the 76ers, as his No. 13 had been retired for Wilt Chamberlain. The nine-time All-Star had also worn No. 24 for the first four seasons of his NBA career but that had been retired too, for Bobby Jones.
So, George had to get a completely new one. He revealed that he spoke to his wife on the subject and she suggested 14, but he didn’t like the number. Ultimately, the 34-year-old went with eight, the number that Bryant wore for the first 10 seasons of his career.
Kobe, of course, was born in Philadelphia and starred at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. He then entered the NBA straight out of high school and went down as one of the greatest players ever.
George will never come close to replicating Bryant’s heroics in the league, but he’d be hoping to shine in Philadelphia as his idol once did. The 76ers fans certainly have high expectations of him and it will be interesting if George, who signed a four-year, $212 million deal, does step up and deliver when it matters most.
Paul George Has Been Watching Film On Kobe Bryant
George is getting up there in age, of course, but he is hoping to keep playing at a fairly high level for a while longer. To help him with that, George reportedly talked to LeBron James and has been watching film on Bryant and Michael Jordan.
“He’s worked on his shot. As he’s gotten older, he has watched the guys who came before him: the late Kobe Bryant and others — how they have adjusted their game,” said Harlan. “I think he’s talked a lot to LeBron James. [LeBron] and Michael, I think he has really watched and studied how the great ones can do anything in their 20s and slacked off when they hit 30 and then in their mid-30s, have to adjust their game. I think he has really followed that path well.”
Players have to adapt and adjust if they are to prolong their careers and it’s good that George realizes that. He averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 2023-24 for the Los Angeles Clippers, and the 76ers would be hoping he can keep producing at that rate for a few more years.
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