Lakers News: Chiefs All-Pro Picks Jersey Number in Tribute to Kobe Bryant

The Los Angeles superstar's legend still looms large.

June 12, 2002; East Rutherford, NJ; The Lakers Kobe Bryant holds up the Championship trophy along with teammate Shaquille O'Neal who holds up his third MVP trophy. Mandatory Credit: Michael J. Terola/Abury Park Press-USA TODAY NETWORK / Asbury Park Ppress-USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kansas City Chiefs, who've won three of the last four Super Bowls, have just brought in an All-Pro reinforcement midway through what could be a record third consecutive Super Bowl-winning season. Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes now has yet another incredible weapon at his disposal.

That'd be veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, a five-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler with the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texas. The 32-year-old Clemson product was traded Thursday from the Tennessee Titans, in exchange for a conditional 2025 fifth round draft pick.

Hopkins, who wore a No. 10 jersey while in Tennessee, is rocking a new number to align with his new threads — and it has a special Los Angeles Lakers connection.

Per Pat Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride and Sports Radio 810 Kansas City, the 2017 leader in NFL receiving touchdowns will don the No. 8 while with Kansas City, in tribute to late Lakers Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant. The 6-foot-6 swingman spent all 20 of his pro seasons in the league with Los Angeles, where he was named to 18 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA First Teams, two All-NBA Second Teams, two All-NBA Third Teams, nine All-Defensive First Teams, and three All-Defensive Second Teams, while winning five championships and a pair of Finals MVPs.

Bryant, the 2008 league MVP, posted career averages of 25.0 points on .447/.329/.837 shooting splits, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 rejections per bout, across 1,356 career games (1,198 starts). He passed away in a tragic helicopter accident in 2020 at age 41.

"Kobe Bryant, one of my favorite athletes of all time," Hopkins remarked (via Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports NFL). Bryant wore No. 8 from 1996-2006, before switching to a No. 24 jersey.

Hopkins is at a different point in his career, but can still help shore up the Chiefs' receiver corps for the second half of the 2024 season. While playing in his 12th NFL season, the 6-foot-? pro started just three of his six contests with Tennessee, notching 15 receptions while logging 173 total yards and a touchdown. For his career, he's suited up for 168 regular season games (164 starts), logging 12,528 receiving yards and 76 touchdowns.

Four years removed from his untimely passing, Bryant's legend continues to loom large in the modern sports world. It's a testament to his influence that Bryant is still impacting superstar jersey tributes.

More Lakers: Los Angeles Unveils Brand New LA-Inspired NBA Cup Court