Kobe Bryant was seated courtside during the Los Angeles Lakers 122-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. During the first half, LeBron James dapped up the Lakers legend before hitting a 3-pointer, and Bryant continued to interact with players on the L.A. roster throughout the contest. After the game, LeBron discussed how special it was to have the chance to play in front of Bryant.
“It’s fantastic,” LeBron said when asked what it meant to have Kobe at the game. “Just having him in the building and knowing what he meant to this franchise and meant to L.A. for me and my teammates, what it means to be a part of this Laker Nation and Laker family–it’s a beautiful thing.
“And for me, I grew up watching and admiring him. I was one of the kids, obviously, who had a chance to come out straight out of high school. So, he did it, and I was just watching him. It’s just dope. It’s just so surreal for me, just a kid from Akron, to be able to have a guy like Kobe just take time out of his day. Even at this point in my career it’s still special.”
LeBron finished as a team-best +30 during 33 minutes of action against the Hawks. He totaled game-highs of 33 points and 12 assists to go along with seven rebounds while helping his Lakers improve to an NBA-leading 11-2 on the season. Los Angeles is now one game up on the Houston Rockets for the top record in the Western Conference and a half-game up on the Boston Celtics for the best mark in the league overall.
“When I signed here, I became part of the family and he welcomed me here with open arms,” LeBron added in regards to Kobe. “Just to have that support from one of the greatest Lakers to ever play is special for me.”
