Lakers legend Kobe Bryant is revered as one of the greatest athletes in the history of Los Angeles sports, and he helped recruit another phenom to the Southern California sports scene more than three years after his death.
Before agreeing to a record-setting 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani was shown a video by the franchise recorded by Bryant in 2017 that made the case for him to sign with the club, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez and Jeff Passan.
The video was recorded the same year Ohtani agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Angels following a career in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.