Kobe Bryant is truly one of the most iconic players to ever step foot on an NBA floor and one of the most beloved Los Angeles Lakers players ever. His impact was profound not only on the fans who watched him for 20 years, but also on his teammates and one who was extremely close with him was Lamar Odom.
Odom was an uniquely talented forward who truly reached his potential when he joined the Lakers. He won two championships with the purple and gold alongside Kobe and was also named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2011. He has always spoken about how important Kobe was to him in life and he showed more proof of that recently.
The former Lakers forward recently appeared on an episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast with Shannon Sharpe where he revealed that he got Kobe’s face tattooed on his neck, via Lamar Odom on X:
Kobe's Impact: Why I Honor Him! #kobebryant pic.twitter.com/bugiVOmXEk
— LAMAR ODOM (@LamarOdom) October 10, 2025
As Sharpe noted, to get another man’s face tattooed on you that isn’t a child or parent or any other close family member is the ultimate sign of respect, but that just shows the level of impact Bryant had on Odom. The love and respect went well beyond playing basketball on the Lakers together and Odom will always view Kobe in the highest light.
Odom has gone through an unreal amount of difficulties and circumstances in his life and Bryant was someone who helped guide and motivate him through some dark periods. Plenty of people took the tragic death of Kobe hard, but few had the relationship with Bryant that Odom had and putting his face on his neck permanently shows just how much he loves and idolizes the Lakers icon.
Lakers coach JJ Redick learning not everyone is wired like Kobe Bryant
One of the things that made Kobe Bryant iconic was that he is truly wired differently or, as Lakers coach JJ Redick would say, a basketball “sicko.” Everyone is not wired that way and Redick is figuring that out as he grows as a coach.
Redick spoke about the things he learned in his first season as a head coach with the Lakers and he talked about recognizing that not everyone is wired that certain way that Kobe was and that he has to be able to meet these players at a certain level without sacrificing the standards he has.
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