Michael Balzary remembers seeing the teenage basketball player for the first time at a movie premiere in Los Angeles, red carpet and all.
Balzary had already established himself as Flea, the bass player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, when he introduced himself to a future one-named wonder of sorts.
There was only brief chatter with Kobe Bryant, who likely had no idea who Flea was. This was fine. Flea barely knew who Bryant was.
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour>>
"I went up and said hi to him and shook his hand and stuff," Flea said.