Kobe Bryant had a BOLD message for his fans having a problem with LeBron James’ move to the Lakers
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant played for the Lakers but not together.
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant (Credits: KXAN and People)
There was some sort of rivalry between LeBron James and the late Kobe Bryant. Even though their peaks didn’t overlap and they played in different conferences, it has always seemed like the real rivalry was between the two players’ fan bases. Many Lakers and Kobe fans were in an awkward situation when LeBron joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018.
The legendary Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers predicted that supporters who are against LeBron James joining the team will eventually fall in line. He reasoned LeBron will enable the team to compete for NBA titles. During his appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Bryant discussed King James’ arrival and acknowledged that not everyone favored it.
This is what Kobe Bryant said:
I hear that. But listen if you are a fan of mine, you are a fan of winning, you are a fan of the Lakers. I bleed purple and gold. SO that is above everything else. I have been a Lakers fan since I was Yay High. That is never going to change. Right? It is about winning championships. SO they will fall in line.Kobe Bryant on negative reaction to LeBron James joining the Lakers
In July 2018, following James’ announcement that he would join the Lakers early in the free agency window, Bryant contacted James to extend a warm welcome to the Lakers family. He also let LeBron know that he was always available to him. However, not everyone in Los Angeles was friendly. Some have decided to paint James as a Laker on a few artworks around the Los Angeles area to express their emotions.
LeBron James picked Kobe Bryant in a 2-2 game against Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
LeBron James hosted a Q&A on his X account on May 14, 2022, and it went much better than one might expect for an account with 52.7 million followers. One of the queries was from SB Nation account, asking which of LeBron’s current or former teammates he would choose to face, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, in a 2-on-2 match.
LeBron’s response, of course, has some qualifications. While discussing that issue, most people would have brought up his NBA teammates. However, LeBron just considered all of the players he has ever played with Kyrie Irving, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant were all teammates on Team USA.
The years following LeBron James’s arrival at the Los Angeles Lakers and the years following the tragic death of Kobe Bryant in 2020 have provided ample proof of the friendship between the two legendary players.
During their many years at the top of the NBA, the two grew close, sharing four of the five titles won by the league between 2009 and 2013. Unfortunately for a lot of NBA fans, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were never able to join forces on an All-Star team. Nevertheless, they competed together for Team USA, winning gold medals in the Olympics in Beijing (2008) and London (2012).
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Nidhin Shibu
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