Although Portland Trail Blazers All-Star Damian Lillard has be in the midst of a playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, he remains as one of the most well-respected opposing players for the fanbase thanks to his stellar play and well-documented admiration for and from Kobe Bryant.
While there are certainly no shortage of current players that looked up to the Lakers legend, Lillard was one of the notable few that truly managed to earn Bryant’s respect on the court. It regularly was evident through mutual praise in postgame interviews and salutes that were shared between the two on social media.
So it was only fitting that Lillard was introduced as one of the NBA 2K21 cover athletes alongside Bryant. It seems he made efforts to ensure that this year’s game would continue to pay homage.
Lillard revealed on Twitter that his track “Kobe” featuring Snoop Dogg and Derrick Milano will be featured as part of the soundtrack for 2K:
When I found out I was gonna be on the @NBA2K cover the same year Kobe was on the legends cover, I decided use my access to the 2K soundtrack to pay tribute to Kobe through music.
"Kobe" featuring @SnoopDogg and @DerrickMilano drops exclusively in #NBA2K21 on 9/4. #MambaForever pic.twitter.com/B8lZcNyHdl
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) August 24, 2020
Like Bryant, Lillard’s passions have transcended outside of basketball with his second career as a rapper. He was able to take full advantage of his influence in 2K to use this medium and honor Bryant in his own way.
The tributes continue to pour in for Bryant around the world and in L.A.’s own backyard. The Lakers brought back the “Black Mamba” City Edition jerseys for their dominant Game 4 win. The L.A. Dodgers also paid tribute to him with a heartfelt video narrated by former broadcaster Vin Scully that was followed up by every player wearing a No. 8 or 24 jersey for the pregame ceremony.
The collective efforts made on Bryant’s birthday followed up by “Mamba Day” show that the legacy he and his daughter Gianna left behind relain as prevalent as ever. Lillard is making sure to keep ion going when he drops the track exclusively in 2K21 on Sept. 4.
JR Smith Discusses Modeling His Game after Kobe Bryant
Bryant’s prowess helped maintain the benchmark Michael Jordan set for guards looking to dominate from the backcourt. JR Smith admitted that he viewed the pair in the same light due to their notable traits they shared, and in particular is grateful for moments shared with Bryant.
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