Why Did Kobe Bryant Choose to Wear Number 10? A Tribute to His Soccer Idol

When legendary shooting guard Kobe Bryant suited up for the USA men‘s basketball team in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, his jersey bore an unusual number for him – 10 – instead of the #8 and #24 he famously wore for the Lakers.

This was Bryant‘s way of paying respect to who he considered the greatest soccer player ever: Lionel Messi.

As Bryant himself stated:

"I wear the number 10 Jersey for the US National Team in honour of the Greatest athlete I have ever seen: Messi."

But why did Kobe revere Messi so much he felt compelled to acknowledge him through his own jersey choice on basketball‘s biggest international stage?

Kobe‘s Legendary Jersey Numbers

First, let‘s understand the history behind Bryant‘s iconic jersey digits throughout 20 years with the Lakers:

#8

Kobe entered the NBA in 1996 wearing #8, which he chose by adding up the numbers on his Adidas camp jersey, 143, which equalled 8.

Wearing #8, a young Bryant won 3 championships alongside Shaq from 2000-2002, scoring buckets seamlessly with his slippery moves and feathery touch.

Kobe‘s scoring prowess peaked in #8 when he famously dropped 81 points in 2006 – the 2nd highest single-game total in NBA history behind only Wilt Chamberlain‘s mythical 100 point game.

Total seasons in #8: 10 (1996-97 – 2005-06)

Key stats:

• 16,866 points scored
• 3 NBA titles
• 81 point personal record

Defining #8 moments:

#24

In the 2006 offseason, after a decade wearing #8, Kobe switched to #24 as sign of "growth and new beginnings" following the turbulent 2005 season.

Bryant had an assault charge against him dismissed in ‘04, feuded with Shaq publicly before the center was traded in ‘04, and missed the playoffs entirely in ‘05 – the only time in Kobe‘s career.

Choosing #24, his old high school number, was about starting fresh and entering the next phase of his legendary career.

And Kobe backed it up, winning two more championships in 2009 and 2010 while securing his place as an inner circle NBA great over his final decade as #24.

He poured in nearly 17,000 more points wearing 24, memorably passing Jordan for 3rd on the all-time scoring list in a victory over the Timberwolves in 2014:

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Watch: Kobe passes MJ in all-time scoring

Total years in #24: 10 (2006-07 – 2015-16)

Key stats:

• 16,777 points scored
• 2 NBA titles (2009, 2010)
• MVP award (2008)

Defining #24 moments:

So in summary, while #8 was about precocious talent as young Kobe won his first rings, #24 saw him become an all-time elite with shiny new hardware and individual accolades to certify his greatness.

Both chapters were legendary – but his respect for Lionel Messi permeated enough that he sported #10 for international play as an ode to his soccer idol.

Messi: Kobe‘s Soccer Mentor From Afar

So how did Messi, an Argentine soccer wizard dominant in La Liga and the Champions League inspire awe from Kobe across different countries and sports?

It starts with their eerily parallel career arcs…

Child Prodigies Turned Legends for One Franchise

Like Kobe, Messi was a prodigy from early on, recognized for otherworldly talent on the youth circuits of his native Rosario and national team before even turning 20.

In 2004, just age 17, a floppy-haired Messi debuted for iconic club Barcelona, the team he‘d stick with for almost 20 years and lead to countless trophies as the football GOAT.

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Teenage Messi first Barcelona highlight reel showcasing outrageous skill

For Bryant, witnessing Messi blossom from teen phenom into the pint-sized soccer lord of Barcelona by his late 20s surely felt like looking in the mirror of his own narrative arc with the Lakers.

Both athletically brilliant innovators who garnered envy and respect from peers for their creativity and clutch play under pressure.

Both loyal generals, leading just one franchise their entire careers through different eras to becoming the face of that club‘s success.

Bryant saw himself in Messi – and surely couldn‘t help admiring Messi‘s magic as fans marvelled at his own.

Style and Substance

Most crucially, young Kobe gravitated towards not just Messi‘s achievements – but his style of play itself.

The gliding acceleration. Lightning quick reactions. Splendid vision and spatial intelligence to execute the impossible. (Remind you of anyone?)

Messi dominates soccer games through the very characteristics Bryant himself cultivated to master basketball with such artistic flair.

Witness Messi‘s countless instances of outrageously perfect touch or seeing openings and lanes before anyone else, allowing him to shred defenses at will like a hot knife through butter:

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As Kobe said himself, "I like players who are creative and dosomething different." No one embodied this through soccer more than Messi.

And most legendary, both athletes had a knack for rising above pressure situations by entering almost trance-like states of unstoppable flow.

Hence Messi‘s knack for crucial late game moments in clutch tournament matches – much like Kobe‘s cold-blooded assassin persona when the game was on the line.

So in Messi, whether from afar or later meeting in person, Kobe saw a kindred sports spirit – someone whose mind and method unlocked genius in a way he intimately understood.

Wearing #10 as an international basketball ambassador was a perfect tribute to that sporting bond.

By The Numbers: Kobe vs Messi Statistical Dominance Compared

Let‘s crunch the numbers illustrating Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi‘s statistical dominance of their respective sports:

Scoring Galore

With mesmerizing handles, shooting range, footwork and finishing ability, both Kobe and Messialmost seemed to score at will at their peak…toying with overwhelmed defenders trying fruitlessly to contain them.

Titles and Trophies Galore

What stands out most is their insane trophy hauls from sustaining greatness for ~20 years carrying their franchse:

With accolades overflowing from their mantlepieces after two deacdes of dominance, Kobe and Messi boast resumes cementing them as consensus GOAT contenders in basketball and soccer.

Changing Style with Age

And as they aged, both athletes adapted their game seamlessly:

So in style, skill and statistical measures of excelling – Bryant and Messi formed a special sports kinship that Kobe honored by wearing #10 as a basketball ambassador abroad.

The Dream Collaboration That Never Happened

Of course, Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi never had the opportunity to collaborate directly in their primes.

But how magnificent would that tandem have been?

In another universe, we missed out on witnessing Kobe parachuting into Barcelona to take silky through ball feeds from Messi before finishing with that oh-so-pretty touch…

Or seeing Messi weaving through defenses only to pass off to a trailing Bryant for thrilling transition dunks in the purple and gold at Staples Center.

Alas, while we never saw them share the court, Kobe paying respect to his soccer idol Messi through his USA jersey #10 choice showed cross-sport admiration at an all-time level.

And now with both legends retired, their lasting greatness etched in basketball and football history forever, their parallel journeys inspire anyone striving for athletic excellence.

So from Kobe‘s mouth to the sporting world‘s ears, regarding Lionel Messi:

"Greatest Athlete I Have Ever Seen."

The Legacy Continues: Kobe‘s Daughters Shine on the Pitch

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Kobe Bryant‘s passion for soccer now carries on through his daughters.

Natalia (age 19), Bianka (age 6) and Capri (3) have all been spotted playing youth leagues following their father‘s footsteps as soccer enthusiasts.

It was Kobe‘s dream that his daughters develop a love for sport – any sport – the way he did growing up watching idolized athletes at work.

And with soccer offering fluidity similar to basketball combined with Kobe‘s European upbringing, he likely hoped to pass his passion for football down by getting them playing early.

Surely if he were still here, vividly imaginative Kobe would now be visualizing his girls learning Messi‘s tricks to using their pace and footwork to unlock defenses. Maybe even picturing the girls in Blaugrana jerseys at Camp Nou one day…

Through these young players, the direct basketball-soccer bridge between idol and fan formed by Kobe and Messi now continues living on.