<P> The 2005--06 NBA season marked a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career . Despite past differences with Bryant, Jackson returned to coach the Lakers . Bryant endorsed the move, and by all appearances, the two men worked together well the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs . Bryant's individual scoring accomplishments posted resulted in the finest statistical season of his career . On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks . Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant outscored the entire Mavericks team 62--61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the introduction of the shot clock . When the Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs before the game, signifying a change in the feud that had festered between them . A month later, at the 2006 NBA All - Star Game, the two were seen laughing together . </P> <P> On January 22, 2006, Bryant scored a career - high 81 points in a 122--104 victory against the Toronto Raptors . In addition to breaking the previous franchise record of 71 set by Elgin Baylor, Bryant's 81 - point game was the second - highest point total in NBA history, surpassed only by Chamberlain's 100 - point game in 1962 . Whereas Chamberlain was fed repeatedly by teammates for inside shots in a blowout win, Bryant created his own shot--mostly from the outside--in a game which the Lakers trailed at halftime by 14 and did not pull away until the fourth quarter . Chamberlain, playing in an era when the games were paced faster and scoring opportunities were more plentiful, accounted for 59 percent of his team's points in Philadelphia's 169--147 win, compared to Bryant scoring 66 percent of the Lakers' 122 points . In that same month, Bryant also became the first player since 1964 to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games, joining Chamberlain and Baylor as the only players ever to do so . For the month of January, Bryant averaged 43.4 points per game, the eighth highest single month scoring average in NBA history and highest for any player other than Chamberlain . By the end of the 2005--06 season, Bryant set Lakers single - season franchise records for most 40 - point games (27) and most points scored (2,832). He won the league's scoring title for the first time by averaging 35.4 points per game, becoming just the fifth player in league history to average at least 35 in a season . Bryant finished in fourth place in the voting for the 2006 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, but received 22 first place votes--second only to winner Steve Nash . </P> <P> Later in the season, it was reported that Bryant would change his jersey number from 8 to 24 at the start of the 2006--07 NBA season . Bryant's first high school number was 24 before he switched to 33 . After the Lakers' season ended, Bryant said on TNT that he wanted 24 as a rookie, but it was unavailable, as was 33, retired with Kareem Abdul - Jabbar . Bryant wore 143 at the Adidas ABCD camp, and chose 8 by adding those numbers . In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers played well enough to reach a 3--1 series lead over the Phoenix Suns, culminating with Bryant's overtime - forcing and game - winning shots in Game 4 . They came within six seconds of eliminating the second - seeded Suns in Game 6, however, they lost that game 126--118 in overtime . Despite Bryant's 27.9 points per game in the series, the Lakers broke down, and ultimately fell to the Suns in seven games . After scoring 50 points on 20 of 35 shooting in the Game 6 loss, Bryant was criticized for only taking three shots in the second half of the 121--90 Game 7 loss to Phoenix . </P> <P> During the 2006--07 season, Bryant was selected to his 9th All - Star Game appearance, and on February 18, he logged 31 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, earning his second career All - Star Game MVP trophy . Over the course of the season, Bryant became involved in a number of on court incidents . On January 28 while attempting to draw contact on a potential game winning jumpshot, he flailed his arm, striking San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili in the face with his elbow . Following a league review, Bryant was suspended for the subsequent game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks . The basis given for the suspension was that Bryant had performed an "unnatural motion" in swinging his arm backwards . Later, on March 6, he seemed to repeat the motion, this time striking Minnesota Timberwolves guard Marko Jarić . On March 7, the NBA handed Bryant his second one - game suspension . In his first game back on March 9, he elbowed Kyle Korver in the face which was retroactively re-classified as a Type 1 flagrant foul . </P>

When did kobe bryant change his jersey number from 8 to 24