(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
After superstar guard Kobe Bryant retired back in 2016, the Los Angeles Lakers were left in limbo, with no telling when the next superstar would be willing to take on the massive task of leading this storied franchise.
Ultimately, that next superstar turned out to be someone that Bryant had battled on the basketball floor many times during his Hall of Fame career, with LeBron James taking over as the new face of the franchise in 2018.
It didn’t take long for James to help turn the Lakers around after signing with the team, as he led the franchise to its 17th NBA title in 2020, guiding the team through the NBA bubble to winning it all alongside fellow superstar Anthony Davis.
On Friday, James reflected on the first time that he faced Bryant on the floor in the NBA with a post on his Instagram account, via ClutchPoints.
LeBron James looks back on the first time he faced Kobe Bryant
LeBron went for 16 points, 5 rebounds, & 7 assists on 6-of-20 shooting. Kobe Bryant finished with 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting in the Lakers' 89-79 win over the Cavs.
(via IG/kingjames)pic.twitter.com/kgUH7kSOdh
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 22, 2023
Unfortunately for the fans, Bryant and James never had the opportunity to go head-to-head with an NBA title on the line, with the Cleveland Cavaliers falling just short of taking on the Lakers back in 2009 when Dwight Howard led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals by getting the best of James and company in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Despite the fact that the league was deprived of this highly anticipated Finals showdown, the NBA and its fans got to enjoy everything that these two legendary players brought to the table over the course of their careers, which up to this point resulted in nine titles won.
The post LeBron James Recalls The First Time He Faced Lakers Legend appeared first on The Cold Wire.
