LOS ANGELES – Dion Waiters was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, not too far from where Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant grew up. As Waiters grew up going to high school in South Philly and eventually playing basketball at Syracuse, the legend of Kobe Bryant grew with it.
That's why the passing of the Lakers great hit him as hard as anyone else.
“I mourned myself,” said Waiters. “I had a day where I just went in my room, lights was out, and let it out. I can’t imagine what the city was going through.”
On Thursday, Waiters and the Lakers came to an agreement on a deal for the remainder of the season. After trying to get on the right track all season, Waiters joins the team Bryant spent 20 years with.
Waiters recalled his first NBA memory of Bryant back in January of 2013.
“There's certain guys when you get in the league that you just stop and look like, ‘wow,'” admitted Dion Waiters. “That was one of those moments my rookie year. We came to L.A. and played against Kobe. It was one of those moments where I was in the warm-up lines, we came out, and I just stopped and was just looking down there. Looking and going through layup lines. It was one of them moments. I said, ‘wow. I’m here.' But it’s also like, ‘damn, that’s Kobe! That’s Bean!' It’s one of them type of moments.
In their first game against one another, Waiters finished with 15 points and two assists on 7-of-18 shooting from the field. Bryant finished with 23 points and six assists on 9-of-14 shooting, leading his Lakers to a 113-93 win over Waivers' Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I was looking forward to it, but it was like more of just exciting and also trying to get a stop, you know?” Waiters added as he looked off, recalling his first game against Bryant.” I forgot what happened my very first matchup, but I knew I was trying my best and whatever. I think he hit a fadeaway. Fadeaway jump shot. I knew it was coming. I stayed down on the pump fake. Pump fake, pump fake, pump fake and he still made the shot so there’s nothing you can do at that point.”
Dion Waiters only played against Kobe Bryant three times after that, largely due to the injuries Bryant suffered.
“Just them type of moments, just being able to talk to him through the phone. It was great for me. It was a great experience, great moments, and something I’ll cherish forever.”
The tragic passing of Bryant has forced a lot of people, whether they're players, coaches, or even fans, to take a step back and really appreciate life.
“Hell yeah man,” Waiters responded when asked if this gives him a different perspective on life. “Especially being a father of three, so every day, you wake up, you hug your kids, you kiss them, you try to be on the phone. When you’re away, you try to call as much as possible and things like that. I think just that situation and them moments, you just never know. I think it shocked everybody. More importantly man, just being appreciative and grateful. That’s the most important thing I took from it.”
If there's any sort of positive to take away from the devastating accident, it's the way people everywhere have come together.
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