To this day, Golden State Warriors guard D'Angelo Russell is still in awe of how he was once teammates with the late NBA legend and Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant.
Two days removed from the five-time NBA champion's sudden death after a dreadful helicopter crash in Calabas, California on Sunday, Russell fielded questions about Bryant's influence on him when he first entered the league with the Lakers in the 2015-16 season.
Russell was picked second overall by the Purple and Gold that year. He was fortunate enough to catch Bryant during his 20th and final season and was along for the ride during his farewell tour.
The Ohio State product, who just turned 18 years old at the time, witnessed firsthand Bryant's larger than life persona, per Warriors' beat writer Wes Goldberg:
“Being right next to him, it felt like if you touched him … your hand would go through him, like he wasn’t a real person,” the former Lakers guard said.
https://twitter.com/wcgoldberg/status/1222359228091969536
The 6-foot-4 combo guard went on to share how he picked Bryant's brain every chance he could, especially about how to conduct himself as professional. Russell, who eventually evolved into an All-Star caliber player, said he will forever cherish the moments he had with Bryant.
D'Angelo Russell's Warriors, meanwhile, dropped a 115-104 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday. Russell completed Kobe-like numbers of 28 markers, seven assists and five boards in 28 minutes.
The current crop of NBA players, meanwhile, have also been reminiscing about their best memories of Kobe Bryant. Even in retirement, the Black Mamba continued to leave a long-lasting impact on everyone he met.
His legacy will forever be remembered by those he inspired.
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