The Los Angeles Lakers are without a doubt the most popular and recognizable team in the NBA and they have fans from all over the world. On any given night, the Staples Center is filled to capacity with a plethora of celebrities sitting court-side, and for the last 20 years those celebrities have been able to watch Kobe Bryant.
The most well known Hollywood Lakers fan is Jack Nicholson; however, no one can deny the love Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers has for the franchise. Flea has been a season ticket holder since 1997 and has been following the Lakers ever since moving to Los Angeles in 1972 when he was 11.
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times sat down with Flea to discuss what the Lakers have meant to him both personally and professionally. Flea and his band have a song dedicated to Magic Johnson and the passion he has for the team is evident.
As Kobe Bryant calls it quits after today’s game versus the Jazz, Flea reflected on what an amazing 20-years it was been:
“Kobe gave us so much. I just feel grateful to have been able to enjoy it,” he said. “I felt a lot of despair and anxiety and pain in his career and I felt enormous amounts of joy and awe and just personally being greatly inspired by the gifts that he gave us.”
The Staples Center will be packed tonight and ticket prices for the game have reached record highs. Those in attendance will get to enjoy Flea as he will be performing the National Anthem before the game on his guitar.
Even though the Golden State Warriors may make history today by winning their 73rd game this season, it seems as though the basketball world is focused solely on Bryant. It has been a memorable 20 years for Bryant and he will give fans tonight one more story to tell.