Moe Harkless Is Changing His Jersey Number from 8 to 11

The Clipper is changing his jersey number as part of a league-wide tribute to Kobe Bryant.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

As the NBA family grieves the tragic death of Kobe Bryant, players and teams around the league have found ways to celebrate the memory of the departed legend. 

During the games on Sunday and Monday, teams committed 8- and 24-second violations in Bryant's honor to commemorate the two numbers he wore during his career, both of which have been retired by the Lakers at Staples Center. The Pistons and the 76ers each wore jerseys with Bryant's name and the numbers 8 or 24 during pregame introductions on Monday and Tuesday. 

Trae Young — who was the favorite player of Kobe's daughter Gianna — wore no. 8 during at the start of his game Sunday, and Joel Embiid, who credited Bryant as the reason he plays basketball, wore no. 24 for the entirety of his game. Embiid called up former 76er Bobby Jones, whose no. 24 jersey is retired in Philadelphia, for permission to wear that number in tribute. 

Several players are trying to make a permanent homage to Bryant by retiring his numbers, both 8 and 24, from use altogether.

As reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, Brooklyn's Spencer Dinwiddie was the first, changing from 8 to 26. Terrence Ross of the Orlando Magic changed from 8 to 31. And the Clippers' Moe Harkless will change from 8 to 11. 

Los Angeles Clippers forward Moe Harkless has changed his No. 8 jersey to No. 11 in honor of the late Kobe Bryant, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. https://t.co/taupfTlQSc

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 29, 2020

Harkless wore no. 4 at St. John's before switching to no. 21 when he was drafted by the Orlando Magic since Arron Afflalo already had 4. Harkless got no. 4 back when he was traded to Portland in the 2015 offseason. When he arrived to the Clippers this past summer, JaMychal Green was already wearing no. 4, so Harkless chose 8. 

Normally, NBA players have to submit requests to change their jersey numbers during the offseason so that the league and Nike have enough time to produce enough merchandise. Understandably, the league has created an exception for these special circumstances so that the changes can be implemented immediately. 

The NBA has made no announcement about potentially retiring either of Kobe's numbers league-wide, though Mark Cuban said that 24 will be retired by the Dallas Mavericks. There is some precedent in Major League Baseball, where the no. 42 is retired by the league in honor of Jackie Robinson.