LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest of the basketball world mourned the one-year anniversary of the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant, and seven others this week. The Lakers didn’t publicly hold a tribute, but several players spoke at length about Bryant’s legacy.
James was the Lakers’ first superstar since Bryant retired, and along with Anthony Davis, led the team in ending their 10-year championship drought last season. It was a title the Lakers said they wanted to win in Bryant’s memory.
When asked about his first time matching up against Bryant, James couldn’t help but remember it fondly.