Every NBA fan is still reeling after Kobe Bryant’s retirement. The Mamba retired in 2016, establishing a legacy that continues to inspire many players. LeBron James was a tremendous fan of Kobe Bryant and had drawn a lot of inspiration from his skills even as a high schooler. Kobe signed and gave LeBron James his match-worn KOBE 11 shoes as a farewell gift after his final match in Cleveland. A few weeks later, Kobe played his historic farewell game for the Lakers, scoring 61 points.
In March 2016, Kobe’s final game against LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers concluded in a 120-108 loss for the Lakers. In that game, James had 24 points and Mamba had 26 for the Lakers. Kobe and LBJ have met 22 times in their careers, with James winning 16 of those meetings. Furthermore, James averaged 28.2 points per game in those games, compared to Bryant’s 24.6.
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Kobe Bryant’s gift of signed match-worn shoes to LeBron James has emerged.
Kobe Bryant may no longer be with us. However, the legacy and talent he left behind in the NBA have kept him alive in everyone’s soul and memory. One of the most memorable moments between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant occurred in their final meeting in Cleveland in 2016.
LeBron James has long been regarded as the Mamba’s younger brother. He even gave young LeBron one of his Adidas shoes in 2002, while LBJ was still in high school. Years later, after playing James for the final time, Kobe autographed his unique Nike KOBE 11 purple and gold match-worn shoes. Watch the video below of Kobe giving an enthusiastic LeBron his match-worn shoes, which was submitted to Instagram by mambabasketball24.
In the video, LeBron James seems excited to have Kobe’s shoes and says, “I need those. I need those for the case. For sure.” Overwhelmed with LeBron’s love and gleefulness, seeing him, Kobe embraced the Cavs star while gifting him the shoe, calling him “My brother.”
A few weeks later, on April 13, 2016, Kobe played his final game of his career. Bryant scored 61 points against the Utah Jazz at the Staples Center, including the game-winning shot with 32 seconds remaining. Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Shaquille O’Neal, and Magic Johnson were among those who witnessed Mamba’s magic for the final time as gamegoers.
Throughout their careers, Kobe and LeBron developed a close brotherly friendship.
Kobe Bryant has always claimed a tight friendship with LeBron James. To some extent, there are parallels between Kobe’s connection with James and Michael Jordan’s relationship with Kobe. Jordan always considered Kobe to be his younger brother, and the Mamba did the same for LeBron James.
Bryant’s present to James during their final match is a testament to their brotherhood. Captaining the 2008 USA Dream Team to an Olympic gold medal, Kobe Bryant aided the development of young stars such as Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. Indeed, Kobe was a big influence to his followers as well as athletes such as LeBron James.