“I’d be disrespecting LeBron James if I didn’t go hard at him”: Kobe Bryant’s praise for Lakers star will make you miss Black Mamba all the more

A video of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant praising each other has gone viral. It might move some fans of the Lakers legend to tears.

Kobe and LeBron shared an intimate respect for each other in a rivalry that never truly came to fruition. Kobe’s peak years were during James’s infancy in the league. Kobe, in turn, was past his prime when James won his first championships. They never met each other in the playoffs.

LeBron James initially refused to believe that Kobe Bryant had died when his teammates gave him the news, telling them to “stop playing with me”. He took the Black Mamba’s death very hard indeed, and got a tattoo to commemorate the greatest Laker of all time.

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The Mamba retained a healthy respect for the stars of the league when he reigned supreme. He was universally loved by players across the league, most of whom had grown up worshipping him and copying his moves.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant praise each other in heartwarming yet heartbreaking video

Over the course of their NBA careers, James and Bryant met each other several times. Kobe praises Bron for taking off with one leg like ‘off a trampoline’, and that he’s ‘never seen anything like it’. James, in turn, said he studies Kobe’s midrange jumpshot obsessively.

LeBron James and Kobe Bryant discussing what they admire about each other.. pic.twitter.com/Y44VcLywZn

— Hoops Department (@hoopsdepartment) January 4, 2021

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It goes without saying that James did his best to copy the Black Mamba. The footwork James displays from the post is more Kobe Bryant than anything else. Although the Lakers legend himself borrowed the move from Michael Jordan, one can argue that his movement was even more artistic.

Above all, LeBron inherited the tradition of the dominant Lakers wing from Kobe. He’s doing his utmost to keep the flame alive today as well. The Black Mamba lives on in the heart of all pure ball fans.