Celebrity News February 02, 2020
Mark Cuban Retiring No. 24 from Mavericks to Honor Kobe
Mark Cuban was at the Lady Gaga Headlines AT&T TV Super Saturday Night Party in Miami, where the business mogul and sports owner explained to "Extra" his decision to retire Kobe Bryant's number, 24, from his Dallas Maverick team in the wake of the helicopter crash that killed Bryant and eight others.
Kobe Bryant: An Icon Remembered
View StoryCuban told "Extra, "He transcended basketball, and he meant so much to not just the NBA but the country and the world. I just didn't think it would be right that someone else wore 24 on the Mavericks, 'cause it'd make me, if not the other people in the organization, think about Kobe all the time."
He went on to say, "I just wanted to set an example and send a message."
Cuban added, "I reached out to Dirk [Nowitzki], Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry — and they were all for it, so that's how we made the decision."
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others aboard the helicopter perished a week ago Sunday. The crash has dominated the news ever since.