In the later years of his career, Kobe Bryant turned into a mentor for many young players. He regularly interacted with upcoming stars. From Stephen Curry to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mamba recognized talented youngsters and took them under his wing. One of those players was Damian Lillard who impressed Kobe with his rookie season performance. The Lakers legend then claimed that Damian was the real deal and an All-Star caliber player.
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True to Kobe’s prediction, Dame has turned out to be a sensational player. A 6-time All-Star, the Portland Trail Blazers star is one of the most lethal guards in the league.
That being said, Lillard’s rookie season was special, and that is why Mamba was so convinced of his future.
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Kobe Bryant predicted Damian Lillard’s future
In 2012-13, Trail Blazers drafted Lillard as the 6th overall pick. He immediately proved a valuable decision. In his debut game, Dame faced Mamba and the Lakers.
The 6ft 2″ guard dropped 23 points on the unsuspecting gold and purple. He also dished out 11 assists during the game. Though Kobe Bryant was the top scorer of the game, Lillard’s performance sealed Portland’s win. After the game, Bryant acknowledged Dame and had this to say about the youngster:
“That boy is serious, man. He’s not afraid of anything. He’s got the whole package – the three ball, the midrange, can go all the way to the rim. We just had to go get him and say, ‘The h*ll with it. Let’s go trap him.’”
Dame won Rookie of the Year and the following year, Kobe again tweeted his support for the player. But Kobe’s appreciation for Lillard didn’t just stop there. Mamba predicted that Lillard was destined for great things. He later also crowned him an All-Star. Claiming that Lillard deserved to be here.
Kobe Bryant: “You f**king belong here. You’re right where you’re supposed to be with everyone here. You’re an All-Star. Just keep working young fella.”
Bryant played with Lillard in his first All-Star games
The two teamed up during the 2014 All-Star tournament in the Western Conference. Dame had won Rookie of the Year and appeared in his first All-Star game. Dame had only 9 points in the game and that’s when Kobe gave him motivation.
The two never teamed up again as Bryant did not play in 2015 and Damian was absent in 2016. Post that, Kobe retired and the two never got to play again together.
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