Kobe Bryant and LeBron James Will Be Linked Forever
The Los Angeles Lakers returned from their road trip on Sunday, hours after learning the news about Kobe Bryant's death. LeBron James was seen emotionally embracing multiple people after getting off the plane.
LeBron James in tears as he exits the Los Angeles Lakers team plane following the news of Kobe Bryant's death. James passed Kobe for 3rd on the all-time scoring list yesterday. pic.twitter.com/4gUYmRjUqI
— 12 SPORTS (@12SportsAZ) January 26, 2020
The news would have been horrible for LeBron and the Lakers at any point, but LeBron just passed Kobe on the all-time scoring list on Saturday. LeBron had just been thinking about and talking about what Kobe meant to him.
LeBron on his interactions with Kobe as a teenager... he was literally just talking about it last night pic.twitter.com/pAF3fiYnTa
— NBA RETWEET (@RTNBA) January 26, 2020
Kobe Bryant and LeBron James will be forever entwined in the history of basketball. They were rivals on the court and friends off it. They represented the United States together at the Olympics twice. They were constantly compared as players and the Kobe vs. LeBron debate was the dividing line for basketball fans for a good decade.
?? LeBron can pass Kobe for No. 3 on the all-time scoring list tonight!
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 25, 2020
They have bond that goes way beyond the NBA ? pic.twitter.com/RFBvbZbmyi
They were even puppets together.
Kobe's final tweet was congratulating LeBron on his accomplishment.
Continuing to move the game forward @KingJames. Much respect my brother ?? #33644
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 26, 2020
LeBron had written "Mamba 4 Life" on his sneakers last night. Last. Night.
.@KingJames wrote "Mamba 4 Life" on his shoes as he has a chance to pass @kobebryant for third on the all-time scoring list ? pic.twitter.com/9n6afaaXBR
— ESPN (@espn) January 26, 2020