no, the Kobe number thing isn't a coincidence, at first when he switched to 24, people suggested that he was trying to say he's "better" than jordan, but he was simply trying to say that he was next in line after Jordan.
MJ has already commented on the issue when asked who would he feel most comfortable passing the torch too today, and his answer Kobe Bryant, that's all there is too it....
Potato Head was at hoop it up over the weekend by the way, lookin real Yaletown yuppie'ish too, fit right in with the rest of the DT crowd with that get up.....
dont know if the vid is gonna show up, snapped a quick pic though..