Before his final meeting with future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant when the Los Angeles Lakers visit Moda Center on Saturday, Trail Blazers guard Gerald Henderson took to The Players' Tribune to look back on his first encounter with "The Black Mamba."
Henderson grew up in greater Philadelphia during Bryant's rise as a star at nearby Lower Merion High School, eventually making the jump to the NBA as a 17-year-old in 1996. During his rookie campaign with the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2009-10 season, Henderson finally got the chance to guard Bryant, whom he calls his "basketball idol.