As a way to honor Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban announced that no Dallas player will ever wear No. 24 again.
Is it possible other teams could do the same?
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” TNT’s Jared Greenberg said on The DA Show. “I don’t want to speak out of turn for any other teams. I have not spoken to any executives or league officials who have indicated that’s the plan. There’s just so much shock here. There’s just such a difference when somebody either dies of old age or dies after a long illness and somebody at the age of 41, who is healthy as ever, dies in a helicopter crash.”
Bryant was one of nine people killed in Calabasas, Calif. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, also perished in the crash.
The sports world remains in mourning.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know two things that I think are going to help the healing process here,” Greenberg said. “I don’t know about for the family. I can’t speak to that. I can’t even imagine what Kobe’s family and the families of everyone who lost someone in that nine-person crash. But [there are] two things that I think will help the basketball world and those who are fans of Kobe kind of heal and mourn and celebrate his life, and they’re significant.”
The first is All-Star Weekend, which will take place Feb. 14-16 in Chicago.
“I think not only celebrating Kobe but also David Stern [is important],” Greenberg said. “Listen, 2020 has sucked for the NBA. The first 26 days, we lose the most influential league executive we’ve ever had in David Stern, and then we lose one of the greatest players – not only of his own generation but of all time – Kobe Bryant, 25 days later. But I think the All-Star Game will help.”
So will the Hall of Fame committee.
“During All-Star Weekend, they’ll announce the finalists for the 2020 Hall of Fame class,” Greenberg said. “Kobe was obviously going in, but they’re meeting in Dallas to determine who’s going to be on that list of candidates that are announced All-Star weekend, and then ultimately at the Final Four they’ll say who’s going into the Hall of Fame that class. I really expect All-Star weekend and Jerry Colangelo to put something really, really special together. So we’ll have those two different celebrations of Kobe’s life.”
Bryant, an 18-time All-Star, was no stranger to ASG festivities. A four-time All-Star Game MVP, he always took the event seriously.
“Maybe a slight silver lining is we’ll actually get guys playing hard in the All-Star Game to pay homage to Kobe,” Greenberg said. “He was the guy who went out there All-Star weekend and busted his butt because he could not stand being on a court regardless of the meaning of the game and lose. I almost wonder if that’s the best tribute they can pay to Kobe: saying we’re going to respect the game as much as Kobe did.”