Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James was deeply affected by the death on Sunday of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, with James immortalizing his friend and former rival by adding a new tattoo to his arsenal.
LeBron James‘ new tattoo pic.twitter.com/Y5LdEmS1Rn
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) February 1, 2020
James and Bryant were intense rivals over the course of 13 NBA seasons, but did compete together on both the 2008 and 2012 Team USA squads at the Summer Olympics.
Their bond had become closer when James joined the Lakers in 2018.
Approximately 13 hours before Bryant’s death, James had passed Bryant on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Bryant quickly followed with a congratulatory message on social media that sadly turned out to be his final tweet before his death.
James was visibly upset after coming off the team plan on Sunday, having been given the tragic news, and over the next two days, offered a pair of poignant tributes to Bryant.
On Friday night, James and the Lakers will play their first game since Bryant’s death, facing the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center.
A pregame ceremony will take place before the contest, which will no doubt bring with it a torrent of emotions for all those in the arena.
