Superstars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are two of the greatest players in NBA history.
As a matter of fact, Los Angeles Lakers players were watching highlights of the two titans leading up to the weekend that James surpassed Bryant on the all-time scoring list.
In a tragic twist of fate, it was also the weekend that Bryant passed away.
“The entire week, week and a half leading up to that, we just saw Bron and Kobe highlights,” Lakers guard Quinn Cook said. “And Bron just speaking on how great Kobe is and how much he means to him and how much Kobe gives to him. And we were celebrating him. And obviously for Bron to pass Kob, it wasn’t a Bron vs. Kobe thing — it was Bron and Kobe. And they’re both Lakers.”
Cook, 27, adored Bryant more than any other player in the NBA. After all, Cook grew up as a Lakers fan.
The day before Bryant died, James passed him on the all-time scoring list. James, 35, accomplished the feat against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 26 of this year.
Midway through the third quarter in that contest, James converted a layup which gave him 33,644 points for his career, moving beyond Bryant’s 33,643 for No. 3 on the NBA’s prestigious scoring list.
Following the huge moment, Bryant paid his respects to the three-time champion on social media. It was the last time Bryant would ever post something online for the public.
The next day, Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others passed away in a horrific helicopter crash.
Now, the Lakers are attempting to honor the legacy of the franchise legend by winning a championship.
The Lakers resume their 2019-20 campaign Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
