It’s a given fact that athletes are fans of other athletes. American athletes like Kobe Bryant and NBA stars are also avid tennis fans and were enthralled with the Coco Gauff story.

Coco Gauff made an incredible run at the US Open at only 15 years of age. She may have lost to Naomi Osaka in the third round of the tournament, but the two shared a class moment in the post-game interviews.

While it’s disappointing that the American teen exited the tournament, plenty of NBA figures were excited with what was in store for the tennis phenom’s future.

Memphis’ Tyus Jones was particularly encouraging to Coco:

Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey confessed how big of a Coco fan he has become:

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid also showed his support for the teen:

Former Sixer Jerryd Bayless showered the two with nothing but love:

Former Los Angeles Laker Nick Van Exel was reduced to tears with the sportsmanship on display:

NBA journeyman Caron Butler was also doing a digital standing ovation in the form of a retweet:

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Finally, Kobe Bryant said the best thing out of all the basketball stars who gave their two cents on the matter:

With stars like Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova approaching the tail end of their careers, tennis fans have looked for the next big thing among the young players coming up. While Naomi already has two Grand Slams at 21, players such as Gauff and Sloane Stephens are also making their presence known in the scene/

It’s good to know that NBA players and personalities are fans of other athletes and want them to do well.