The Los Angeles Lakers officially resume their quest for the franchise's 17th NBA championship on Thursday after a four-month pause. However, the extended hiatus amid a global pandemic and nationwide movement for justice doesn't mean the team isn't still taking the court with Lakers icon Kobe Bryant fresh in their hearts and minds.
On the morning of his team's matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, Lakers superstar LeBron James took to Instagram to honor his late friend. James posted an image of his hands donning a purple band on his left middle finger with Bryant's no. “24” stitched on, which he wore in the team's scrimmage on Saturday. James has worn the finger and wrist bands multiple times since Bryant's tragic passing on Jan. 26.
“Stucc in the Grind! The Marathon Continues tonight and forever. Let’s Get It” James captioned.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDROnnpAV32/
The Lakers routinely end practice with a “1-2-3 Mamba” chant.
On Monday, James spoke on Bryant's legacy with the organization and the Mamba's continued presence in the thoughts of James and his teammates.
“The Lakers franchise isn’t what it is today without Kobe’s presence,” LeBron James said. “Kobe’s presence, his legacy, you put on purple and gold, you put on Laker apparel you think about basketball in general even before I became a Laker his legacy was cemented.”
LeBron James noted, accurately, that it's simply impossible to hoop regularly without thinking about Bryant in some way or another.
“I had the opportunity to play with him not only in All-Star games but with the Olympic team multiple times. If you are a ballplayer, if you like the game, if you play the game, even if you don’t play the game just as a fan, there’s no way that you can’t think about Kobe on a day-to-day basis.”
Follow Us
Subscribe