New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau was texting the late Kobe Bryant just 10 days before the Los Angeles Lakers legend tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January.

During an interview with Steve Serby of the New York Post, Thibodeau spoke about that final conversation with the late Lakers icon.

“Someone had texted me, and it was in disbelief. I still don’t want to believe it,” Tom Thibodeau said about Kobe Bryant and his tragic passing.

“The irony is probably about a week before, 10 days before, he had texted me, we were talking about the team he was coaching with his daughter’s team. I had been going out to L.A. quite a bit to spend time with Doc [Rivers], and he asked me when I was coming out again, we were gonna get together. Really sad. I watched his whole career. Just such an incredible person. He would have continued on to go great things in whatever he touched, because that’s just the way he was wired. It’s sad that he’s not here.”

Thibodeau, who was recently hired by the Knicks to man the bench, had countless battles with Bryant on the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls.

The new Knicks tactician was an assistant on the Celtics when Boston won the 2008 title over Bryant and the Lakers. Thibs' Bulls teams led by Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah always played Kobe and the Lakers really hard as well.

It still doesn't seem real that Bryant is no longer with us, but his legacy and spirit will always be with everyone in the NBA.