Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant welcomed the praise brought forward by Isaiah Thomas of the Denver Nuggets.

Via Twitter, Bryant replied to Thomas' words of gratitude for him.

Via Instagram and Twitter, Thomas shared how Bryant made him believe that anything is possible — all you have to do is put your mind and soul into it. Thomas posted a series of photos of featuring Bryant right after his 81-point game; Bryant with Thomas in an All-Star team pictorial; and Bryant holding up Thomas' son.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs8bchPBJ7Q/

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Thomas' post comes in after various reports of his impending season debut. Thomas underwent hip surgery last March and has been gaining momentum for a return to basketball action. According to reports, he could return as soon as in the second week of February, specifically in the Nuggets' homestand against the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings. While the aforementioned games are still uncertain, there's a strong possibility that the 29-year-old guard will suit up after the All-Star break on Feb. 22.

Right now, the next step for Thomas is to be able to play full 5-on-5 scrimmages. Once he returns, he will join the set of Nuggets' plethora of guards in the backcourt. It would be interesting to see how Thomas will affect the Nuggets' dynamic, which, as it is, have powered the team to one of the best teams in the Western Conference.