A lot of people have been affected by Kobe Bryant's sudden and unfortunate passing a little over four years ago. The Los Angeles Lakers legend was able to touch a billion lives during his short time on the planet. Many of those were fellow hoopers who have gone on to pay tribute and continue his legacy in the league. Alex Caruso was one of these great players. LeBron James' former teammate and currently one of the best guards of the Chicago Bulls' rotation had one big way to show his gratitude to the late Black Mamba.
Alex Caruso got a tattoo of Kobe Bryant to commemorate the Lakers legend's impact on his life. It features the Black Mamba's famous photo of him holding the Larry O'Brien trophy after the 2001 NBA Finals.
Mixed reactions to the Bulls player's tribute
Many Lakers and Bulls fans alike loved this tribute. Some even gave high praise to Alex Caruso for expressing his love for Kobe Bryant.
“Caruso is Kobe tho,” a fan wrote.
Others even compared the Bulls player to another well-known fan of the Lakers legend.
“If Jayson Tatum did this he would get cooked.“ Alex Caruso won a ring with the Lakers the season Kobe died,” they said.
“Not hard to understand y'all… Tatum is a big Kobe fan, but Caruso one-upped him,” another fan declared.
Some people were not too welcoming of the tattoo that the Bulls player got.
“How the hell don't most people think this s*** weird? Caruso is almost 30 with another man on his thigh. Kobe fans are the weirdest of them all,” an angry avid spectator added.
The appearance of the final product is what got others questioning whether or not it was a tribute to the Lakers superstar.
“Tattoo artist: what would you like to get? Alex Caruso: Gimme that Kobe taking a dump while cradling Groot in his arms Tattoo artist: say no more fam,” they hilariously said.
The remaining people who saw it? They just had to compare Bryant's impact to LeBron James' after seeing the tattoo, “Lebron's old teammate and Caruso still like Kobe more.”
The Lakers legend's impact
Caruso may not have had much time to spend with Bryant before his passing, But, much like every other hooper out there born from the 1990s to early 2000s, the Black Mamba's impact cannot be understated. He was the name that most players would shout before making a bucket on the court or just simply throwing pieces of paper in the trash.
The current Bulls player was also part of the LeBron James-led Lakers team that gave the ultimate tribute to Bryant. They gave the Purple and Gold their 17th banner months after his death. What made it even special was that they were wearing jerseys to commemorate his honor throughout that whole postseason run. All of this mixed with the tattoo may get some criticism that's uncalled for. But, it is for someone that the Bulls player holds dear in his heart. There's no amount of judgment and vitriol that can say otherwise.
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