On Sunday night, Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant shared the NBA All-Star Game stage for the final time.
Bryant will retire from the NBA at the conclusion of his 20th professional season, and James lamented the opportunity to play in one final All-Star Game against him as being bittersweet.
“I've been saying over the last week, it was Kobe's last game, before the break, in Cleveland,” James said. “It was just bittersweet being out on the floor with him, knowing the matches between us two are coming to an end soon.
“We've got one more in March in L.A., but when you get that opportunity versus a great man, you just have fun with it. I know it's been overwhelming for him over this year, but our fans across the world and here in the States and here in Toronto, as well, have just been paying so much respect. It's all well deserved. Man, I'm happy that I've been along for a small piece of the ride of his journey.”
Although both James and Bryant, at their cores, are intense competitors, Sunday’s matchup was one of respect.
“Just small talk, man, but all in the favor of respect between each other,” James said. “We're very good friends, and I've been watching his journey for 20 years. He's been keeping up on mine for 13, so it's been pretty cool.”
In 20 seasons with the Lakers, whom acquired him on a trade with the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant has scored 33,243 points, pulled down 6,991 rebounds, handed out 6,274 assists and converted 44.8 percent of his 25,838 shots from the field.
Also, Bryant’s success can be measured by the five championship teams he was a part of and the tireless work ethic and competitiveness that are ever-present in his game, which led him to scoring 290 points, pulling down 75 rebounds, assisting on 70 other baskets and stealing 38 passes in 15 All-Star Game appearances.
“If I'm fortunate enough to represent the East next year in a game by either being voted in or Coach picks me, and I don't see him out there in Charlotte, I think that's when it will sink in,” James said of playing against Bryant for the final time in the NBA All-Star Game. “At this point, it hasn't sunk in yet.”
