Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf’s game jersey is No. 21, which was once worn by perennial all-defensive team member and 3-point specialist Michael Cooper, who was a key contributor on the Lakers’ five NBA championship teams in the 1980s.
But Turiaf does not wear a practice jersey adorned with the No. 21. Instead, he wears No. 31 during every practice and shootaround.
“You noticed that? It’s Chris Mihm’s number,” Turiaf said. “I started wearing it when he went down with his ankle injury. And I’ve stayed with it.”
Turiaf said he wore No. 31 in tribute to Mihm, who started three of the Lakers’ first six regular-season games.
“It was my way of making him understand that even though he was out and couldn’t play, that I was still thinking about him,” Turiaf said. “I was trying to show that he was still my teammate and my brother, even though he was injured.”
