While it might not have been as high-profile as the connection between Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, veteran swingman Gordon Hayward had a deep bond with Los Angeles Laker legend Kobe Bryant.
While he was still with the Utah Jazz, before the fierce competitor retired, before Hayward would shatter his ankle and before Bryant would reach out to support him in his long path to health, the Butler product made the subtlest of gestures in the legend’s final game.
It was so minor, only the most observant would catch the move.
In the final moments of Kobe’s playing career, as he approached the 60-point mark at the charity stripe, Hayward stepped in the lane.
For those less well-versed in the minutiae of the game, had Bryant missed the shot, a referee would have likely called the shot a lane violation, giving Kobe one more shot to go out with 60.
Watch the video above to see the nod to greatness, and a moment surely etched in Hayward’s mind forever.
