Kobe Bryant secured his place in the history books thanks to his commitment to the game of basketball, which allowed the NBA legend to win five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bryant’s perfectionism made him one of the most fearsome scorers to have ever entered the league. Tracy McGrady recently said he would pick the legendary Laker over Michael Jordan in a one-on-one game, adding the Purple and Gold great’s mentality made him a “certified killer” on the court.
To this day, NBA stars try to channel Bryant’s Mamba Mentality when it matters the most — in the playoffs. Just recently, Boston Celtics leader Jayson Tatum hoped to take inspiration from the late five-time NBA champion ahead of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, sending a text to his phone that read: “I got you today”:
"𝐈 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲."
Jayson Tatum texted Kobe Bryant before Game 7 🐍 @jaytatum0 pic.twitter.com/Undug3WsB9
— ESPN (@espn) May 30, 2022
Tatum then honored the memory of his favorite player growing up by wearing a purple and gold armband with “24” on it during the game:
Jayson Tatum rocking a Kobe 24 arm band in Game 7 💜 pic.twitter.com/qo3fO8bIuB
— ESPN (@espn) May 30, 2022
The Celtics beat the Heat in a Game 7 nail-biter, securing their first Finals appearance since 2010. Back then, Boston battled for the Larry O’Brien trophy with Bryant’s Lakers, eventually losing 4-3.
Bryant averaged 28.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in the series, scooping his second NBA Finals MVP award for the performance.
Tatum had himself a strong series this year, earning Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors and the trophy named after Larry Bird.
Kobe and Gianna Bryant Dream Court Opens in Anaheim
Gianna Bryant would have turned 16 on May 1 this year. To pay tribute to Kobe and Vanessa’s daughter, the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation partnered with Nancy Lieberman Charities to open the Kobe and Gianna Bryant Dream Court at Pearson Park in Anaheim.
The purple and gold court features a mural in the shape of a butterfly, showing Kobe and Gianna’s smiley faces.
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